His teeth set, his arms straining at his heavy oar2 and his body chilled, Bob’s only thought was: could he hold out? He was already trembling from exhaustion6 but he gave no sign of it. He was no longer a half invalid7 seeking rest—he was one of six persons exerting every ounce of energy to save human lives.
In the wind swept black night, rearing skyward one moment and dropping as in a canyon8 the next, twisting and turning beneath the crushing combers and dropping their heads to lessen9 the smother10 of the sea, the four young oarsmen pulled desperately11. With eyes closed, Bob’s oar rose and fell to the loud sea chant of the steersman. Now and then all could feel the heavy plunge12 of Captain Joe’s guiding oar. And, even against the storm, the boys knew that the chugging engine was helping13.
In time, Bob’s fear of being swamped grew less. The Escambia, almost beneath the boil of water at times, would struggle to the surface again, shaking her rounded sides. Not a boy spoke14, and not a boy wavered in his stroke. But the struggle was telling on Bob. How long they had labored15, he did not know. He knew he had nearly reached the limit of his efforts but he hung over his oar, his teeth tight to hold in his exhausted16 breath and his muscles quivering.
At last there was a new lunge to the boat. It rose on a wave, dipped almost to capsizing, and then, suddenly, the smothering18 spray rolled over the stern. Bob somehow understood that Captain Joe’s sharp command was permission to cease work. As his closed eyes opened, he was conscious that Mac or Captain Joe was waving the ship’s lantern.
With an effort, Bob forced his head up. The other boys were shipping19 oars, and Mac and Captain Joe were calling above the roar of water. Then the engine ceased and, with the lantern in his arms, Mac stumbled forward between the panting boys.
“Ship ahoy!” Mac was yelling frantically20. “Give us a line. Board the boat!” he shouted, clinging to the bow and waving his lantern.
The Escambia had passed to the windward of the craft in distress21 and was now plunging22 swiftly toward the distress signal. Suddenly, out of the black night, a blacker hulk shaped itself and then the blazing signal seemed almost directly above the lunging life boat. There were no cries for help; no sound but the boom of the gale23. The next instant, the Escambia swept under the black, low stern of a vessel24.
“Fall to,” came Captain Joe’s quick command. Doggedly25 the four spent boys dug their oars into the water once more, as they felt the strong armed Romano sweep the life boat about. The sombre hulk faded from sight. Bob knew that the Escambia, having missed the wreck26, was now working up into the lee of the vessel. In its lee, the tumbling waves slid into a whirl of angry water, and the Escambia shot forward with new life.
“Bring her under the bow,” yelled Mac, braced27 forward. “Here, Jerry, bear a hand.”
As the three remaining boys laid to the oars, Jerry and Mac freed the life line that had been made fast for Bob’s and Jerry’s security.
“Must be abandoned,” spluttered Mac, as he followed the line aft. Then, at the stern, he panted, “Get her under bow chains, Captain[101] Joe, an’ I’ll git a hitch28 on ’em. Must be a pack o’ dead ones—not ready with no line—after we showed ’em our light.”
At the instant, the distress signal blazed up anew like a rocket. As the unexpected light lit up the scene, the boys dropped their stroke. Even Captain Joe paused to make a quick survey. What they had taken to be a schooner29 was a small steamer, wallowing in the trough of the sea. There were neither side, port nor spar lights. But, just forward of the aft deck cabins, a bedraggled man, on his knees, was dipping oil or pitch into a blazing barrel.
“Fall to!” shouted Captain Joe sharply again. As the three oarsmen swung their long sweeps once more in the quieter waters in the steamer’s lee, the Escambia crawled under the foundering30 steamer’s cut water. There was a crash. Believing that the vessel in distress was a sailing craft, Captain Joe and Mac had planned to make fast to her bowsprit stays. Too late to alter the Escambia’s course, the life boat plunged31 alongside the rolling steamer’s smooth bow.
But the gritty Mac was not to be thwarted32. As the lifeboat rose on the roll of water the “expelled” member of the boat club hurled33 himself[102] forward in the darkness. There was another smash against the steamer’s side but Bob’s bullying34 enemy held fast and, one arm about a still standing35 deck rail stanchion, as the life boat fell off once more in the rush of the storm, there was a thick shout of, “All right here,” and those in the boat knew that Mac had found lodgment on the steamer.
Once again the almost exhausted boys bent36 to their oars and Captain Joe swung the Escambia back in the lee of the steamer. Jerry was braced in the bow, and at the first call from Mac he cast the line. It fell short, and again he tried. This time there was a pause and then another panting cry, “All fast here—haul away.”
“Gimme a hand, youse kids,” was Jerry’s peremptory37 orders. Three spent oarsmen tumbled forward into the bow.
“Haul away and pass up the light,” sang out Mac again. Four pairs of strong young arms drew the Escambia slowly toward the steamer and, as the life boat bumped against the steamer’s hull38 once more, Captain Joe, pushing the straining boys aside, grasped the line, and with a turn made the rope fast about the bow post. Jerry already had the light high above his head. Mac, with a turn of the rope about the top of a fender was holding on desperately.
Jerry Already Had the Light High Above His Head.
The Escambia rolled and plunged but it was fast to its quest. Tom was already bracing39 himself to swing aboard the wreck when Captain Joe shouted:
“Stow dem oars make ’em safe.”
Hal and Bob crawled back into the rocking boat and did so, and then Captain Joe standing in the bow with one arm about the taut40 straining line tossed the lantern to Mac. It was ticklish41 work, boarding the steamer, but, with Mac’s assistance, one after another of the lifeboat crew scrambled42 on to the vessel. For a moment, each boy was glad to throw himself on the deck. And, as they did so, it could be seen that the man at the fire barrel had not even noticed their presence. In the howl of the wind and crashing of the waves, he had heard nothing.
Captain Joe’s first work was to make a survey shoreward. All was black except in one place. To the starboard and slightly abaft43 the drifting steamer, a flickering44 light could be seen. It was the still burning campfire on the lee of the sand spit. Even the inexperienced Bob saw at once that the Escambia had followed the steamer some distance east of the pass. He also realized[106] that, dead ahead, the beach confronted the unfortunate steamer. Before he had time to speculate on what was to be done, Captain Joe caught up the lantern.
The steamer was not a large one, and its iron deck forward and amidship was clear of cargo45. Grasping the rail, the rescuers crept toward the solitary46 man crouched47 forward of the deck house.
“Ahoy there!” called Captain Joe. As the boys all joined in the cry, the man arose, shaded his eyes from the brilliant glow of his signal, and with a moan sank on the deck.
“Ye the skipper?” shouted Romano, springing to the man’s side.
With a fear-stricken look, the man, who did not seem to be a sailor, struggled to his feet.
“We’re on the breakers,” he gasped48. “You the life boat?” he added wildly.
“What’s the matter with your engines?” shouted Mac. “An’ where’s the crew? What’s doin’?”
“Gone,” moaned the man. “I couldn’t stop ’em—in the boats.”
“The skipper?” added Captain Joe with scorn. “He gone?”
The agitated49 man pointed50 toward the cabins beyond him.
“Fever,” he mumbled51 thickly, making an effort to compose himself. “Fever and whisky—drunk.”
Captain Joe started forward, as if to discover the officer who should have been in charge.
“No use,” cried out the man. “He hasn’t known anything all day. I’m done. We’re in the breakers. We’re lost,” he shouted again. “And not a man to help me.”
“The engine?” repeated Tom, crowding forward. “What’s the matter?”
The man seemed, suddenly, to lose his head completely. With a wild stare at the light glimmering52 on the shore, he rushed toward the rail.
“Save me,” he shouted. “Not a man among ’em all! Cowards!” he yelled, and shook his fist toward the black swirl53 of water. Captain Joe caught the bewildered man by the shoulder and whirled him about.
“Your anchors?” he demanded. “Where’s your anchors?”
The lone54 man threw his hands to his face.
“I couldn’t do it—I didn’t know how.”
“But your engine?” exclaimed Mac again.
“The shaft55 broke yesterday,” answered the[108] man at last. “We’ve been driftin’—we’re on the breakers, I tell you,” he shouted again. “Can’t you save her?” he wailed56.
The storm had not abated57. The low lying steamer rose and fell sluggishly58 but with each roll, it drifted closer to a certain doom59 on the wave pounded beach. The crew of the Escambia huddled60 about the bewildered man. Captain Romano grasped the lantern again, and lowered it over the steamer’s rail.
“She’s opened her plates, or she’s been a shippin’ sea all even’in’,” he commented. “Struck anything?” he asked abruptly61, addressing the bewildered passenger again.
The man shook his head helplessly.
“You’re founderin’,” added Romano. Then he drew himself up as if ready to act. “De boat’s a West Indian, boys, an’ she mus’ had nigger crew. Dey ain’t scuttle62 her, but all de hatch an’ port is wide open. What’s de cargo?” he asked, turning again toward the man.
“Timber.”
“What kin5’ timber?”
“Hard wood—mahogany from San Domingo—twenty thousand dollars worth of it,” wailed[109] the man. “And every dollar of it mine. I’m ruined.”
“Maybe so,” answered Captain Joe. “When yo’ tradin’ on de sea, yo’ mus’ ship white men. Go git some blanket on yo’ an’ bring two blanket fo’ dese wet kids. Boys,” he exclaimed sharply, “heave dat bon fire overboard. Den17 we see ef we kin keep her offen de beach.”
Instead of following instructions, the nearly demented mahogany trader began again to bemoan63 his loss, and then fell to cursing the cowardly crew.
“I don’t want a blanket,” exclaimed Bob. The excitement, and his constant activity had long since set up a reaction against the chill caused by his immersion64 on the beach. “I can’t work in a blanket.”
There was too much to do to argue the matter.
“Shall we let go the anchors, sir?” asked Mac, when the boys had hurled the grease and oil laden65 barrel into the sea.
The experienced old sailor quickly explained his plan. The almost water-logged steamer was too far into shallow water to be anchored with safety. If the storm increased, there was danger of her pounding. Well forward, there was a single, small mast—more for signal lights than[110] for sailing purposes—but it carried two jibs. If these could be set, with them and the wheel, some slight control might be secured of the drifting craft.
Mac, Jerry and Tom were as well qualified66 to tackle this bit of work as the oldest sea dog. They sprang forward instantly, and when Captain Joe, the other boys and the distracted owner of the cargo reached the bow with the lantern, the amateur salts were already hauling on the slatting jibs. With Captain Joe’s assistance, the canvas was got under control.
“Now, lads,” said Captain Joe, “she’ll never come with them alone—but they’ll help. Look lively an’ pick up a good bit o’ cable.”
After a search, about six fathoms68 of two inch rope was discovered, one end of which the old fisherman made fast to the anchor ring on the starboard bow.
“Bring de Escambia forward,” he ordered, “and make de other end o’ de cable fas’ to de stern post. I’m goin’ to de wheel. Maybe de canvas will help. We got to bring dis boat in de pass, or she good as los’. Ef de jibs done do it, yo’ mus’ swing her over on de starboard tack67. Yo’ got to pull an’ pull hard an’ make dat engine raise a rumpus. Ef she came ’bout, I[111] head her in de pass, an’ Mr. Man save his logs. An’ ef she done come ’bout, I wave de lantern. Den stan’ by in de boat to take us off fo’ she’s in de breakers.”
It was all plain enough. If there was power enough in four pairs of willing arms and the Escambia’s engine to help the steamer’s jibs throw the craft on a starboard tack, Captain Joe’s skill at the wheel might bring the steamer safely into the pass, and the protection of Perdido Bay.
“Tumble overboard,” shouted Tom, and, fearless alike of the still raging storm and the renewed exertion69, one after another, the five irrepressible youngsters dropped into the two or three inches of water on the Escambia’s bottom. While Jerry and Tom made fast the heavy cable to the stern post, Mac was busy with the engine and Bob and Hal got the oars ready.
“He’ll never start that engine with all that water about her,” said Hal to Bob. But he had forgotten that that was one thing Mac understood. And he had also forgotten that Mac never got so excited that he neglected to care for his engine. It required the use of Captain Joe’s lantern, several primings of gasoline and as[112] many turns of the flywheel, but, to Hal’s surprise, the engine did start and keep going.
Tossing the lantern back on to the deck, Mac caught up the steering70 oar, and, as Captain Joe hauled in on the cable, the bow of the life boat swept away from the steamer. The rush of the waves made taut the cable, and as Mac gave the word to the eager oarsmen to “fall to,” Captain Joe could be seen hastening aft to take the wheel. At his heels followed the distraught cargo owner, still pleading for the rescue of his property.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
laboring
|
|
| n.劳动，操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
oar
|
|
| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
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： |
|
|
|
|
4
deluged
|
|
| v.使淹没( deluge的过去式和过去分词 )；淹没；被洪水般涌来的事物所淹没；穷于应付 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
kin
|
|
| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
exhaustion
|
|
| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
invalid
|
|
| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
canyon
|
|
| n.峡谷，溪谷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
lessen
|
|
| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
smother
|
|
| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
desperately
|
|
| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
plunge
|
|
| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
helping
|
|
| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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
labored
|
|
| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
exhausted
|
|
| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
den
|
|
| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
smothering
|
|
| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的现在分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
shipping
|
|
| n.船运（发货，运输，乘船） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
frantically
|
|
| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
distress
|
|
| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
plunging
|
|
| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
gale
|
|
| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
doggedly
|
|
| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
wreck
|
|
| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
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： |
|
|
|
|
28
hitch
|
|
| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
schooner
|
|
| n.纵帆船 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
foundering
|
|
| v.创始人( founder的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
plunged
|
|
| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
thwarted
|
|
| 阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
hurled
|
|
| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
bullying
|
|
| v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
peremptory
|
|
| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
hull
|
|
| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
bracing
|
|
| adj.令人振奋的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
taut
|
|
| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
ticklish
|
|
| adj.怕痒的；问题棘手的；adv.怕痒地；n.怕痒，小心处理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
scrambled
|
|
| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
abaft
|
|
| prep.在…之后；adv.在船尾，向船尾 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
flickering
|
|
| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
cargo
|
|
| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
solitary
|
|
| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
crouched
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
agitated
|
|
| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
mumbled
|
|
| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
glimmering
|
|
| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
swirl
|
|
| v.(使)打漩，(使)涡卷；n.漩涡，螺旋形 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
lone
|
|
| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
shaft
|
|
| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
wailed
|
|
| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
abated
|
|
| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
sluggishly
|
|
| adv.懒惰地；缓慢地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
doom
|
|
| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
huddled
|
|
| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
scuttle
|
|
| v.急赶，疾走，逃避；n.天窗；舷窗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
bemoan
|
|
| v.悲叹，哀泣，痛哭；惋惜，不满于 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
immersion
|
|
| n.沉浸；专心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
laden
|
|
| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
qualified
|
|
| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
tack
|
|
| n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
fathoms
|
|
| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
exertion
|
|
| n.尽力，努力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
steering
|
|
| n.操舵装置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |