It soon became apparent that the task of towing the sea-plane was not so easy as Derek imagined. The unwieldy machine—for out of its natural element it was unwieldy—yawed, dipped, and strained at the towing-hawser until Derek ordered the second boat to make fast astern of the sea-plane and run at half throttle6 in order to steady the awkward tow.
With the ebb7 tide the passage through the "gateway8" was soon completed. Another ten miles would find the sea-plane and her tug9 out in the open sea.
In the tide-rip off Fort Churst the behaviour of the sea-plane gave rise to some anxiety, but, upon gaining the exposed waters of the English Channel, the rate of progress was uniformly maintained.
Presently Derek noticed that a bank of fog was bearing down before a stiff southerly, or on-shore breeze. Already the outlines of Thorbury Head, nine miles away, were blotted10 out, while, on the starboard hand, the long line of low, yellowish cliffs was cut up into sections by the rolling, fleecy vapour.
Consulting the chart Derek found that his course was due west magnetic, which would pass at least a mile to the south'ard of the dangerous headland. Allowing for the reduced speed of the boats and the tow, he calculated that it would take about an hour to bring Thorbury Head broad on the beam.
Down swept the fog, enveloping11 everything. From the steering13-wheel it was almost impossible to distinguish the boat's stem-head; while astern the sea-plane was absolutely invisible.
At the end of forty minutes Derek began to feel a bit doubtful of his position. Miles astern he could hear the monotonous14, mournful wail15 of the Bodkin Lighthouse. The sea, hitherto calm, was now setting in with a long roll, breaking heavily upon the invisible shore with a continuous, sullen16 roar.
"It seems rather shallow, sir," remarked the coxswain, as he shook the drops of moisture from the rim17 of his sou'wester. "Shall I take a cast, sir?"
"Yes, please."
In his anxiety about keeping the boat on her course Derek had forgotten the indispensable lead-line. A cast gave two and a quarter fathoms18, whereas, according to the chart, there ought to be a depth of nine.
"Steer12 south-west," ordered Derek. "There's something strange about this business," he added in an undertone.
"Breakers ahead, sir!"
A partial lifting of the fog enabled the range of visibility to extend to nearly a quarter of a mile. As far as the eye could see the water was one seething19 mass of huge waves, from which there was no escape. The boats were trapped in the dangerous Thorbury Bay.
It was the result of an error of judgment20 on the part of Derek Daventry. He had laid off the course of the chart without taking into consideration the leeway made by the slowly-moving boats and the ungainly sea-plane; neither had he made allowance for the deviation21 of the compass, which happened to be one and a half points on a westerly course; there was also the indraught of the tide, which tended to set a vessel22 shorewards. All three factors were hard at work during the run through the fog-bank.
The first breaker bore down, enveloping the leading boat's bows in a swirling23 cascade24 of water. Lifting the stocked anchor from its bed it swept the heavy mass of metal overboard. With a rush and a rattle25 the cable paid out until the boat brought up with a savage26 jerk. Simultaneously27 she swung round broadside on to a particularly fearful-looking breaker. Pouring over the cockpit the water promptly28 short-circuited the ignition, and the motor stopped dead. Helpless in the trough of the sea, the boat was at the mercy of the next crested29 wave.
"Cut away the sea-plane!" shouted Derek.
A hand gave the tautened cable a slash30 with a knife. Simultaneously the second boat cast off her steadying-line, and the abandoned sea-plane began drifting towards the shore with incredible rapidity.
To make matters worse the engineer, under the impression that the next sea would roll the boat completely over, kicked off his sea-boots and plunged31 overboard. In the grip of the tide he was swept to leeward32, and even had he been an exceptionally good swimmer his chances of reaching the shore alive were very remote.
A deck-hand, seeing his comrade's predicament, jumped into the sea and struck out to his aid. It was a gallant33 but unavailing act, although by so doing he additionally hampered34 the work of rescue.
Meanwhile the second boat, ignorant of what had occurred, was making heavy weather in the breakers. She had all her work cut out to keep "end-on" to the hissing35, seething masses of water that threatened to overwhelm her. Her coxswain-learner, who had a few months previously36 been steering a plough on a chalky Wiltshire down, was handling the boat with cool and calculated skill.
For want of an engineer Derek tackled the broken-down engine, working in feverish37 desperation in order to make an effort to save his two men. Plugs were out and replaced in record time, the magneto was wiped and dried, and the cylinders38 "doped". A couple of determined39 swings of the cranking-lever and the engine fired, spasmodically at first, then with every indication of "carrying on".
"Slip the cable!" shouted Derek.
A couple of hands made their way along the heaving, slippery fore-deck, hanging on tenaciously40 as masses of solid water swept over them. Watching his opportunity one of the men dropped down the fore-hatch, which his companion immediately replaced. In utter darkness, for the inspection41 lamp he carried was jerked violently against the coaming of the hatchway, the man toiled42 desperately43, knocking out the stubborn pin of the shackle44 and allowing the cable to fly through the fair-lead.
The moment Derek saw the end of the cable disappear beneath the waves he slipped in the clutch, while the coxswain steadied the vessel on her helm and bore down toward the two swimmers. By dispensation of Providence45 the waves were no longer of such a threatening character. They were still formidable, and had to be treated with caution.
Judging his distance well the helmsman brought the boat close alongside the now well-nigh exhausted46 men. Already Derek had thrown the clutch into neutral, and, losing way, the motor-boat stopped to windward of the swimmers. Willing hands hauled them into safety, the engineer bleeding from a severe cut on the forehead, and showing distinct signs of light-headedness.
Meanwhile the second boat, having drawn47 clear of the dangerous breakers, was returning to the aid of her consort48. As she did so her motor "konked". Instead of rendering49 assistance she was now in urgent need of help.
Another partial lifting of the fog revealed the true position. Within three hundred yards to the west'ard could be discerned the bold outlines of Thorbury Head, while to the nor'ard were the sand-dunes at the mouth of the shallow Thorbury Harbour, and it was between these two points that the breakers were raging. Elsewhere the sea was almost as calm as the proverbial mill-pond, but in the mist Derek had steered50 his boat right through the danger-zone.
Heaving a line to the disabled motor-boat Derek took her in tow, steering a circuitous51 course to avoid the now very apparent danger. Then, having made a good offing, he handed the helm to the coxswain. The engineer was quite hors de combat. Stripped of his saturated52 clothing and wrapped up in blankets, he was being attended to in the warm but cramped53 engine-room. Still light-headed, he required the sole attentions of one of the crew to keep him under control.
Derek was now able to review the situation. He felt far from comfortable on the matter. The seaplane was lost—probably smashed to matchwood on the beach. Both boats were considerably54 knocked about, while two of the crew were out of action, and a third was temporarily disabled by reason of a badly-crushed finger-nail. In addition there was the loss of a practically brand-new anchor and forty fathoms of galvanized cable, two life-buoys, and a White Ensign and its staff, which had been carried away during the towing manoeuvres.
And now, with malevolent55 irony56, the sun was shining brightly, the last vestiges57 of fog had dispersed58, and the sea was as smooth as glass.
Visions of a court martial59, or at least a stringent60 court of enquiry, stared Derek in the face, with the possibility of being dismissed from the Marine61 Branch of the R.A.F.
"We'll be back just in time to miss the after-dinner parade, sir," remarked the coxswain, as the leading boat swept round the south-westerly extremity62 of Sableridge and the pier63 opened out at less than two hundred yards distance. "It's close on three bells."
"There's not a man on the parade-ground," rejoined Derek, "but there's a crowd on the pier-head, and all the boats are on their moorings 'cept the duty-boat. Looks jolly funny."
But the mystery of suspended activity on the part of the Marine Depot64 was soon elucidated65, for a stentorian66 voice called Derek as his boat ran alongside the pier.
"Cheerio, old bird! Can you fancy yourself out of a job?"
Derek had been doing so for the last hour.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
A dozen voices answered the question.
"ARMISTICE67!"
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1
presaged
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| v.预示，预兆( presage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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throttle
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| n.节流阀，节气阀，喉咙；v.扼喉咙，使窒息，压 | |
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ebb
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| vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态 | |
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8
gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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11
enveloping
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的现在分词 ) | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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13
steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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18
fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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21
deviation
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| n.背离，偏离；偏差，偏向；离题 | |
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22
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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23
swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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cascade
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| n.小瀑布，喷流；层叠；vi.成瀑布落下 | |
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25
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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crested
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| adj.有顶饰的，有纹章的，有冠毛的v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的过去式和过去分词 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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30
slash
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| vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩 | |
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31
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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32
leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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hampered
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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38
cylinders
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| n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物 | |
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39
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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40
tenaciously
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| 坚持地 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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42
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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43
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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44
shackle
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| n.桎梏，束缚物；v.加桎梏，加枷锁，束缚 | |
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45
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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47
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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consort
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| v.相伴；结交 | |
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49
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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50
steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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51
circuitous
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| adj.迂回的路的，迂曲的，绕行的 | |
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52
saturated
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| a.饱和的，充满的 | |
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cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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55
malevolent
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| adj.有恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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56
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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57
vestiges
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| 残余部分( vestige的名词复数 )； 遗迹； 痕迹； 毫不 | |
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58
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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59
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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60
stringent
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| adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的 | |
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61
marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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62
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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63
pier
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| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
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64
depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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65
elucidated
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| v.阐明，解释( elucidate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
stentorian
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| adj.大声的，响亮的 | |
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67
armistice
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| n.休战，停战协定 | |
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