“Are you all right?” the sailor called to them, and his voice seemed happy and jolly in spite of his situation.
“As right as can be,” responded Bob. “We’ll be better when we get on board with you, though. That is, if there’s room.”
“Sure, there’s plenty of room!” the old salt asserted. “And there’s stuff to eat and drink here, though I haven’t time to get at it. Steady now, and I’ll have you on board in another minute or two.”
He navigated6 his queer craft until he had brought it alongside the mass of wreckage, and in a few minutes more, Bob and the professor were safely on board. The change was a most welcome one, since the life raft rode high in the water,[157] and they could sit out of reach of the waves, at least while the sea was calm. In a storm it would be another matter, but they did not think of this just then.
“Now we’ll paddle away from that bit of jagged timber,” said the sailor. “It won’t do to get rammed7 with that, or we may get a hole stove in one of our air tanks. That’d be bad!”
He was about to fend8 off the rude craft that had saved the lives of Bob and Professor Snodgrass when the latter uttered a cry.
“Wait a minute!” he begged. “My clothes! I’ve got a pencil in one pocket, and some paper. After I dry it out I can make notes on this new kind of crab9 I’ve found in this seaweed. I want to get my clothes.”
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea,” decided10 Bob. “I’ll get mine, too. May have a chance to use ’em later on.”
It did not take long to haul aboard the raft the bundles of wet clothing from the cracks in the mass of wreckage, and then Bob, taking an oar4, helped the sailor shove off.
“Now we’re properly afloat, we’d better think what we’re going to do,” suggested the old salt. “I’m no navigator. Beno Judd is my name, and I generally write ‘A. B.’ after it when I sign papers. Can either of you gentlemen navigate5?”
“I can’t,” confessed Bob, as he told his own[158] name and that of his scientific friend. “Perhaps the professor may be able to help us.”
“Help you do what?” asked Professor Snodgrass, looking up from his occupation of investigating the seaweed.
“Navigate,” answered Bob. “Mr. Judd, this sailor, says he doesn’t know anything about it.”
“Neither do I,” admitted the professor. “But why do we want to navigate? We’re afloat, aren’t we? And we’re comparatively dry now, or will be soon. This bunch of seaweed will keep me occupied for several days, and——”
He paused to look closely at the sailor.
“What did you do with it?” he asked quickly.
“With what?”
“That bug11.”
“Well, maybe the poor thing died of fright, or was drowned, sir,” was the answer, given with just the trace of a smile. “I went overboard when you did, sir, and that’s all I know.”
“Too bad,” mused12 the professor. “But perhaps sometime I may find another on you. At any rate I have this crab, and a most beautiful specimen13 it is.”
As he spoke14 he held up a squirming creature, which, as Bob said later, never would have taken a prize, even at a bulldog show.
“I hope to secure some valuable data from this specimen as to the possible effect of the discharge[159] of depth bombs on inhabitants of the sea,” the professor went on. “If I only had some dry note paper!” he sighed, as he took a sodden15 mass from his wet garments.
“You’re lucky to be as high and as dry as you are, sir!” exclaimed the sailor Judd. “I count myself lucky to have met with this raft. All I had, at first, was a bit of wood hardly enough to kindle16 a fire. This is much better.”
“Oh, this is fine,” agreed the professor.
“Speaking of fires,” ventured Bob, “did you say there was something to eat on board?” and he looked suggestively at the closed box which formed the highest part of the life raft.
“This is supposed to contain food and water,” remarked Judd, as he tapped the compartment17 in question. “Shall I open it?”
“I should say so!” exclaimed the stout18 lad. “Even a cold snack would taste good.”
“And possibly we might find some dry paper in there on which I could make a few notes.” The professor spoke wistfully. “I have the pencil,” he added, as he drew one from his wet and sodden garments.
“We’ll soon see,” said the sailor. “There’s no need of rowing just now,” he added to Bob, who had one of the oars19 in his hands. “We aren’t in any danger of running into any one or of getting anywhere, either. We can see what we’ve got to[160] eat and then start to navigate—that is, we can row and see where we get.”
“Don’t you think we ought to see if we can find the Sherman?” asked Bob. “She ought to be somewhere around here,” and he gazed into the fog that still surrounded them.
“Not much use trying,” declared the sailor. “I shouted until my throat ached, and never a word in answer did I get. I don’t know what happened to the transport after I left it, but I couldn’t get sight of her.”
He turned to open the case that was placed amidships of the life raft. It was tightly closed by a catch that could be easily opened when one knew how, and Judd seemed to know.
“Is this life raft from the Sherman?” asked Bob. “Did they throw it over when the crash came?”
“It isn’t one from the transport,” the sailor answered. “It’s like some we carried, though. This one is from the steamer Altaire, and I shouldn’t wonder but what that was the derelict that crashed into us.”
“The Altaire!” murmured Bob. “I wonder if we’ll ever see her again. I’ve always wanted to see a derelict.”
“Well, I’d rather see one at a distance, if they’re going to act as this one did,” remarked Professor Snodgrass. “Though I suppose I shouldn’t find[161] fault, as I might never have discovered this crab if I had not gone overboard. The only thing that worries me, though, is that I didn’t get that sea-leech. That’s what was on you,” he added to the sailor. “A sea-leech is one of the rarest specimens20 of the genus Hirudo, and this was the Hirudo aqua marinis, quite different from the Hirudo medicinalis. What I was particularly interested in was to observe whether the sea-leech had the same three small white teeth with serrated edges which cause the peculiar21 triradiated wound as has the Hirudo medicinalis.”
Judd stared in amazement22.
“Well, if it’s all the same to you,” said Bob, with a smile, “I’d like to try my teeth on some of the food in that box.”
“All right, my boy! I’m with you!” agreed the professor. “I feel a bit hungry myself.”
Judd opened the locker23, and to the delight of the three on the raft it was well filled. There was preserved food enough to last them perhaps a week, and a large cask of fresh water—that is, it was comparatively fresh, for no one could say how long the raft had been adrift.
“But it can’t have been long,” asserted the old salt. “My opinion is that the life raft was jarred off the derelict when she hit us. Otherwise it wouldn’t have been floating in the place where we struck the water. Besides, there isn’t any growth[162] or mass of seaweed and barnacles on it as there would be if it had been long in the water.”
“Well, we ought to be thankful for what we have,” said Bob, with a sigh, as he munched24 some sea biscuit and a bit of corned beef, a can of which the sailor opened. “This is a good deal better off than I thought we’d be a while back. How about it, Professor Snodgrass?”
“You are right,” was the answer from the little scientist. “And, Bob, don’t destroy any wrapping paper. I can use the blank side for making notes.”
This he proceeded to do, taking the crab as his first specimen, though he declared that the bunch of seaweed, which he had laid aside, contained much else that would hold his attention later.
“Well, now let’s consider what’s best to do,” said Bob, when they had made a fairly substantial meal, washing it down with the water which, though not exactly as good as that from a faucet25 or a well, was very acceptable.
“Which way shall we row?” asked the sailor. “If you gentlemen will tell me how to navigate I’ll be only too willing.”
“I’ll do my share of rowing,” agreed Bob. “But that’s the question—which way shall we row?”
“Or sail,” added Judd.
“Sail!” exclaimed the stout lad. “Can we sail?”
[163]
“Oh, yes, there’s a small mast and sail here,” and the seaman26 pointed27 out where it was fastened to the raft. “We can hoist28 the sail, but there’s no wind to fill it.”
This was true enough. The fog still enveloped29 them, and it needed a wind to carry away this concealing30 vapor31. It hid them from view even as it hid from them the possible location of the Sherman and the derelict.
“Well, let’s hoist the sail, anyhow,” suggested Bob. “Then it will be ready when the wind does come, and if there are any small boats cruising around looking for us, or if any other ships get in this neighborhood, they can see us more easily if we have the sail up.”
“You’re right,” agreed the sailor. “Up she goes.”
As has been remarked, the raft, on which the three now were, consisted of two large hollow steel cylinders32. Between them was a raised framework, and this, in addition to holding the box of food, contained a compartment for the oars and for a small sail. The mast for the latter was soon stepped in the hole provided for it. It was braced33 by ropes, and the sail hoisted34.
“Now we’re all ready for a voyage!” cried Bob, more gaily35 than he could have talked an hour before.
For some little time they drifted on, the sail[164] hanging idly at the mast, and the fog lazily swirling36 around them. Then, suddenly, there came a puff37 of wind. They all felt it at once.
“A breeze!” cried the sailor.
“Yes, and look!” cried Bob. “There’s the Sherman!”
He pointed to what seemed an opening torn in the veil of fog, and all three had a glimpse of the camouflaged38 side of some vessel39. Then, as the wind bellied40 out the sail, the fog shut in again, and it was as if a blank, white wall confronted them.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
eminently
|
|
| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
wreckage
|
|
| n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
baker
|
|
| n.面包师 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
oar
|
|
| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
navigate
|
|
| v.航行，飞行；导航，领航 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
navigated
|
|
| v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的过去式和过去分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
rammed
|
|
| v.夯实（土等）( ram的过去式和过去分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
fend
|
|
| v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
crab
|
|
| n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
bug
|
|
| n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
mused
|
|
| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
specimen
|
|
| n.样本，标本 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
sodden
|
|
| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
kindle
|
|
| v.点燃，着火 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
compartment
|
|
| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
oars
|
|
| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
specimens
|
|
| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
amazement
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
locker
|
|
| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
munched
|
|
| v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
faucet
|
|
| n.水龙头 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
seaman
|
|
| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
hoist
|
|
| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
enveloped
|
|
| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
concealing
|
|
| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
vapor
|
|
| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
cylinders
|
|
| n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
braced
|
|
| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
hoisted
|
|
| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
gaily
|
|
| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
swirling
|
|
| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
puff
|
|
| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
camouflaged
|
|
| v.隐蔽( camouflage的过去式和过去分词 )；掩盖；伪装，掩饰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
bellied
|
|
| adj.有腹的，大肚子的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |