FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135  
136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   >>   >|  
e away altogether, it'll be time enough _then_ to see what we can do with the oars." "That's exactly the way I have been arguing with myself ever since you called me, Bowles," returned the skipper. "It is true that we are all suffering horribly from thirst, and in that way every moment is of value to us; but on the other hand, everybody except our two selves is now asleep and oblivious, for the time being, of their sufferings: let them sleep on, say I; the toil of tugging at heavy oars, and the excitement of knowing that a sail is at hand would only increase tenfold their sufferings, without helping us forward a very great deal; so I think, with you, that we had better let things remain as they are for another hour or two; we can rouse all hands at any moment, should it seem desirable to do so. Now, if you will take the tiller, I will just stretch myself out on the planks here, close at hand; I could not sleep now if the whole world were offered me to do so." Saying which, the skipper suited the action to the word; he and the mate continuing their chat, but carefully pitching their voices in so low a tone that the ladies, close at hand, should not be disturbed in their slumbers. By and by the sky began to pale in the eastern quarter; the stars quietly twinkled out, one by one; a bright rosy flush appeared, and then up rolled the glorious sun above the horizon. The wind, light all night, had been imperceptibly dying away; and when the sun rose his bright beams flashed upon a sea whose surface was smooth as oil. The launch lost way altogether, and refused any longer to answer her helm. As for the stranger, there she was, just hull-down; her snowy canvas gleaming in the brilliant morning sunshine, and so clearly defined that every rippling fold in the sails was distinctly visible as they flapped against the mast to the lazy roll of the vessel over the long sleepy swell. "Now," said Captain Staunton, "we'll rouse the steward, make him prepare and serve out a first-rate breakfast to all hands; and then `Hey! for a pull to the ship.'" This was accordingly done. The breakfast was prepared, no great matter of a meal was it after all, though the last scrap of provisions and the last drop of water went in its composition; and when it was ready the cramped and hungry voyagers were roused with the good news that a sail was in sight, and the meal placed before them. Frugal as it was, it was a sumptuous banquet
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135  
136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
breakfast
 

sufferings

 

bright

 
skipper
 

altogether

 

moment

 

sunshine

 

morning

 

rippling

 

distinctly


defined

 
imperceptibly
 

answer

 
longer
 
surface
 

smooth

 

refused

 

visible

 

launch

 

flashed


canvas

 

gleaming

 

stranger

 

brilliant

 

composition

 
provisions
 

matter

 

cramped

 

Frugal

 

sumptuous


banquet

 

hungry

 
voyagers
 

roused

 

prepared

 

sleepy

 

Captain

 

vessel

 

Staunton

 

steward


prepare
 
flapped
 

tugging

 

excitement

 

knowing

 
asleep
 

oblivious

 
things
 
forward
 

increase