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Updated: July 31, 2024
But now as they glided on it became evident that the brig had broken adrift, for all at once, as she lay rolling and jerking at her mooring cable, the distance between her bows and the huge ringed cask seemed to have grown greater, and from where Rodd stood he could see the glistening tarpaulins of her crew as they hurried forward in a cluster, and Captain Chubb bellowed an order from where he stood astern, to his men.
"Of course!" cried Rodd excitedly, and Morny uttered a suppressed hiss, as he pressed forward, sword in hand. "Yes, gentlemen," said Joe; "it's their doing, and they must chance the crocs, for we must clear the vessel before it's broad day."
That's if they aren't drilled and trained like sailors or soldiers; but if they are trained, you see each one man feels as if he has got a hundred men with him all working together, and con-se-quently, sir, every chap aboard feels as if he's as strong as a hundred men. Now don't you see, sir?" "Well, yes," said Rodd quietly; "I think I begin to see what you mean." "Why, of course you do, sir.
"Yes, sir. You quite capped me." "Stop a minute, Joe. I want to say something to you." "All right, sir," cried the sailor, looking wonderingly at the lad, who was speaking to him in a husky impressive tone. But Rodd remained speechless, and it was the sailor who broke the silence. "I'm a-listening, sir. Heave ahead." "Yes," cried Rodd desperately. "Look here, Joe; were you making fun of me?"
"Our skipper's as right as can be, Morny," said Rodd the next evening, as the lad was once more on board the schooner, and they were sailing gently along about a mile from shore, the brig following pretty close behind with the water streaming down from her scuppers as the work at one of the pumps was still kept up.
Keep back, sir; I believe he's coming on at us, big as the boat is. Oh, this is a pretty place, upon my word! He means me, because he can see my white skin." Instead of answering, Rodd picked up the bamboo pole, which had been jerked from his hands when they encountered the other reptile.
Rodd shook his head and was turning away, but the boatman swarmed up the side, and reaching over the rail, shouted "Quatre!" again, till the skipper made so fierce a rush at him that he lowered his feet quickly down into his boat, catching the shilling that Rodd pitched to him, and then hurriedly pushing off for the landing-place.
"Oh, and were those little casks of spirits got into the store-room?" "Yes, uncle. I saw the men get them on board myself." "That's right. But look here, Pickle; were you with them all the time?" "Yes, uncle. You told me to be, before you went up to London." "That's right, Rodd. But er did you did you hear the men make any remark about them?"
But the carpentering party were able to do their work in safety, and when, after the interval for dinner had ended, Uncle Paul and his nephew carried on what Rodd called a reptilian execution, the Spaniard's crew were lying about in the sunshine asleep upon their deck.
I have had gentlemen staying here to fish before now, and it's been a basketful one day and a basket empty the next. Fish are what the Scotch call very kittle cattle. Never mind, my dear," she continued to Rodd. "Better luck next time. Fortunately I have got plenty of eggs, and there's the ham waiting for me to cut off some more rashers."
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