FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   >>  
ly; "but the shark has put an embargo on it now at any rate." "I'm afraid it just has," observed Mr Marline, to whom Captain Miles had really been speaking when the old carpenter overheard him. "You can't expect any sensible man to dive into the water when such a nasty sort of neighbour is close at hand. I wouldn't like to venture, for one, I confess; and I don't think I'm a very great coward." "No, Marline, no; I'll answer for that," replied the captain warmly. "Your worst enemy wouldn't accuse you of any want of pluck, and really I should not' care about undertaking the job either, for that matter." Jake, though, wanted to make another effort to recover the axe, his courage rising with the emergency, especially as he could notice how disappointed we all were. "Me nebber mind shark," he cried, drawing out a long clasp-knife which he carried in his belt, and opening the blade, which he now brandished about in a most ferocious way, showing how he would make mincemeat of the sea-pirate if it attacked him. "I'se not 'fraid ob him one lilly bit. I tell you wat, I'se gib him goss if um kick up any bobbery wid me!" So saying, he was preparing to plunge again into the water, when Captain Miles ordered him to refrain, having to repeat his command twice before the brave fellow would stop from making the venture. "No, Jake," said the captain, "I can't allow you to risk your life in such a foolhardy way for what may be only a wild-goose chase. Wait awhile and see if the brute is going to remain here. Perhaps, too, there may be some more of his comrades about; they generally hunt in couples in stormy weather." "All right, massa, me wait an' see," responded Jake submissively, sitting down on the bulwarks again; and then, we all watched the shark to see what he would do, and whether, as the captain had suggested, there were any more of his species about, coming up to help him in keeping us prisoners. Unfortunately, Captain Miles's fears proved but too well founded. Very shortly afterwards, no less than three other sharks appeared, hovering about the stern of the ship and swimming immediately under the counter, where we were clustered together, as if keeping guard over us. The one that had pursued Jake took up his station within the interior part of the submerged vessel, patrolling backwards and forwards in the water that covered the deck of the poop up to the mizzen-mast. This fellow, the first in the field
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   >>  



Top keywords:
Captain
 

captain

 

wouldn

 

venture

 

keeping

 
Marline
 
fellow
 

stormy

 
responded
 

submissively


couples

 

weather

 
sitting
 

awhile

 
foolhardy
 

making

 
Perhaps
 
comrades
 

remain

 

generally


founded

 

pursued

 

station

 

interior

 

counter

 

clustered

 

submerged

 

mizzen

 

patrolling

 

vessel


backwards

 
forwards
 

covered

 

immediately

 

swimming

 
prisoners
 

Unfortunately

 
proved
 

coming

 
species

watched
 

suggested

 
appeared
 
sharks
 

hovering

 

shortly

 
bulwarks
 

warmly

 
replied
 

answer