Slipping off his lifebelt—he had donned it mechanically on rushing to the boat, although in the circumstances the advantages of wearing a lifebelt were of a negative order—Peter returned to the bridge, keeping discreetly4 in the background.
The Old Man was fighting a tough battle. With Preston and Anstey he was extricating5 his command from a perilous6 situation, where skilful7 seamanship alone could regain2 control of the helm without allowing the vessel8 to wallow helplessly in the fiery9 sea. Putting the ship ahead and astern alternately the Old Man allowed her head to pay off under the force of the wind until he saw a chance of turning. Then, with a grunt10 of supreme11 satisfaction, he rang for full speed ahead. Five minutes later the West Barbican, clear of the oil-calmed water, was rolling in the tempestuous12 seas.
"Carry on, Mr. Anstey," he ordered. "Lay her on her old course."
He turned abruptly13 on his heel, intending to see how the survivors14 of the tanker15 were faring. As he swung round he noticed Peter standing16 under the lee of the wireless17 cabin.
"Mr. Mostyn!"
"Sir?"
"How many survivors?"
Peter told him.
"A smart bit of work of yours, Mr. Mostyn, but—oh, very well, go below and turn in. I'll see you in the morning."
The Wireless Officer obeyed only too gladly. As he washed the grime from his face he reflected that, thanks to the damaged aerial, he would have an uninterrupted watch below.
For a long time he lay awake in his bunk18. It was not the heavy rolling that was responsible for his sleeplessness20. The whole of the night's adventure passed in review, its horrors intensified21 in retrospect22. It was not until dawn was breaking that he fell into a fitful slumber23.
Meanwhile the skipper had his hands full. In the absence of a doctor he and the purser were attending to the helpless survivors of the tanker. Of the seven removed from the boat only two were conscious, and one of the pair had a compound fracture of the right leg.
His companion was able to give an account of the disaster. The vessel was the American-owned oil-tanker Bivalve of and from New York for Hull24. She had struck the two drifting mines, concerning the presence of which a general wireless message had been sent out. Both exploded amidships, one on either side, about fifty feet for'ard of the engine-room, which in vessels25 of the Bivalve's type are well aft. Within a few minutes the petroleum26 tanks exploded, and the sinking ship became a raging furnace. Two boats were lowered, but of the fate of the second the narrator had no knowledge. He remembered pulling desperately27 at an oar28 until the smoke cloud overwhelmed the boat. Then, gasping29 frantically30 for breath, he lost consciousness until he found himself on board the West Barbican.
At eight bells (8 a.m.) Peter was roused from his slumbers31. A glance through the now open scuttle32 showed him that the ship was berthed33 alongside a wharf34, and that the stevedores35 were already getting busy. A huge crane was transporting long, timber-protected pieces of steelwork into the West Barbican's No. 1 hold.
Peter regarded the steelwork with interest. It was the material on which rested the reputation and success of the Brocklington Ironworks Company, of which his father was managing director.
But other matters quickly demanded his attention. There was the damaged aerial. That had to be replaced under the direction of the Acting36 Chief Officer, but upon Mostyn's shoulders depended the responsibility of the perfect insulating of the wires. Already the necessary material had been "marked off", and the serang and his party were engaged in making eye-splices in the wire rope. At the mast-head of both fore37 and main, men were reeving fresh halliards for the purpose of sending the aerials aloft.
Captain Bullock was standing on the bridge watching the cargo38 being shipped, when he caught sight of the Wireless Officer. He beckoned39 Peter to approach. The officer of the watch was at the other side of the bridge superintending the securing of an additional spring; otherwise the bridge was deserted40.
"Mr. Mostyn," began the Old Man abruptly, "I want you to understand clearly that there is only one captain on board this hooker, and he alone gives permission for officers to leave the ship. Who, might I ask, ordered you away in the lifeboat last night?"
"No one, sir," replied Peter.
"Then please remember that in future you are not to act on your own initiative except in matters directly concerning your duties as Wireless Officer. You were guilty of a grave breach41 of discipline. Don't let it occur again."
Mostyn smarted under this unexpected rap over the knuckles42. He realized upon consideration that the rebuke43 was well merited. His offence was a technical breach of discipline. It was of no use telling this bluff44 old skipper his reasons. Yarns46 about "impulses of the moment" would elicit47 little sympathy. So he kept silent.
"All the same," continued the Old Man, in a less gruff tone, "you did a smart bit of work last night. Where did you learn to handle a boat?"
Mostyn flushed with pleasure.
"I've had three years in the Merchant Service, sir, and I've been in yachts and sailing dinghies ever since I can remember."
"I knew you didn't learn seamanship as a wireless man," continued the skipper. "Sorry I had to tick you off, my lad, but I simply had to. I'd like to send in a recommendation on your behalf, but I don't see how I can. Your Company would kick up the deuce of a shine if they knew I employed a wireless officer on executive duties. It's not done; or it's not supposed to be done—put it that way. And another thing: supposing, and it was quite likely, you'd lost the number of your mess over that business, what sort of yarn45 could I have pitched into the Board of Trade people? And my employers too? A pretty fine skipper they'd think I was, allowing a wireless officer to take away a lifeboat. Likely as not I'd have got the push from the Company's service and lost my ticket into the bargain. D'ye see my point?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then we'll cry quits. All the same it was a smart bit of work—a jolly smart bit of work—but I'll have to make an entry in the log recording48 the fact that you've been reprimanded and stating the reason. I don't think it will adversely49 affect you, Mr. Mostyn; rather the other way, I fancy."
Peter thanked the Captain and went about his duties, reflecting that the Old Man wasn't at all a bad sort, and that his bark was certainly worse than his bite.
Looking more like a blacksmith than a radio-operator, Peter completed his part of the work and applied50 the necessary tests. Everything was apparently51 in order in the wireless-cabin. With a grunt of satisfaction he replaced the receivers and left the cabin. Until the ship sailed—she was due to leave at ten that evening—he was at leisure.
"Now for a bath, a shave, and a change," he soliloquized. "It would never do to meet the pater in this state."
Somewhat to his surprise he found his father waiting in his son's cabin.
"Hello, Peter, my boy," was Captain Mostyn's greeting; "been ratting—or sweeping52 flues?"
Peter certainly looked a bit of a wreck53. His sleepless19 night, following the perilous affair in the lifeboat, had given him a washed-out appearance. He was dog-tired, physically54 and mentally. He was dirty, unshaven, and rigged out in a very old uniform, with a scarf knotted round his neck in place of the regulation collar and tie.
"No, Pater," replied Peter. "Neither ratting nor sweeping flues. I've been choked off by the skipper."
"Easy job, judging by that running noose55 on your neck-gear," commented Captain Mostyn jocularly. "What's happened?"
Peter told him, simply and straightforwardly56. There was never a lack of confidence between father and son. His parent listened attentively57 to the bald narrative58.
"Your skipper was quite right," he observed. "In my days in the Service I wouldn't have thought of allowing a watch-keeping sub to go down to the engine-room and play about with the gadgets59 in order to slow down the ship. You did much the same sort of thing, chipping into a department that wasn't yours. At the same time, I'm proud of you, Peter. It shows you are not deficient60 in pluck. Right-o! carry on with your ablutions. I want to have a few words with Captain Bullock about the steelwork. While I'm about it I'll ask him to let you go ashore61 to lunch with me."
Captain Antonius Bullock was rather astonished to find that the managing director of the firm that had virtually chartered the West Barbican for three days was the father of his Wireless Officer.
"And I had to log him this morning," declared the Old Man.
"Yes, he told me about it," rejoined Captain Mostyn. "No, he didn't grouse62 about it. He quite sees the force of your argument. In fact, I told him practically the same thing."
"All the same," said Captain Bullock, "it was a smart piece of work. At my age I'd think twice before taking on a job of that sort. If I had to do it I'd do it, you'll understand, but these youngsters often rush into danger when there's no particular call for it; not their duty, in a manner of speaking. I'm rather curious to know what he did when that pirate collared the Donibristle. He told a lot about the affair, but precious little about his share in it."
"Peter had a pretty stiff time, judging from what he told me," observed Captain Mostyn. "Amongst other things he still bears the scars of eighteen wounds he received when the Donibristle's wireless-cabin was demolished63 by a shell."
"Eighteen, by Jove!" exclaimed Captain Bullock. "I had one—a beauty—in the war. Splinter from a four-inch shell when Fritz torpedoed64 the old Harkaway and fired on the boats. But eighteen!"
"Yes," commented Captain Mostyn. "He's seen more adventures during his short time in the Merchant Service than I did in thirty-seven years in the navy. During the whole of my sea service I never saw a shot fired in anger. Very good, I'll be on board at four o'clock to sign those papers. Do you mind giving my boy leave till then?"
Captain Bullock readily gave the required permission, and father and son had an enjoyable spell ashore.
By four o'clock most of the steelwork was safely stowed in the hold. Only a few crates65 of small parts remained to complete the all-important consignment66 for the Kilba Protectorate Government.
"That's all shipshape and Bristol-fashion, sir," remarked Captain Bullock, as the necessary signatures were appended to the papers in connection with the shipment. "If that precious lot isn't delivered safe and sound in Pangawani Harbour by the first of February it won't be the fault of Antonius Bullock."
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
regaining
|
|
| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
regain
|
|
| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
immediate
|
|
| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
discreetly
|
|
| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
extricating
|
|
| v.使摆脱困难，脱身( extricate的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
perilous
|
|
| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
skilful
|
|
| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
fiery
|
|
| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
grunt
|
|
| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
supreme
|
|
| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
tempestuous
|
|
| adj.狂暴的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
survivors
|
|
| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
tanker
|
|
| n.油轮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
wireless
|
|
| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
bunk
|
|
| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
sleepless
|
|
| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
sleeplessness
|
|
| n.失眠，警觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
intensified
|
|
| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
retrospect
|
|
| n.回顾，追溯；v.回顾，回想，追溯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
slumber
|
|
| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
hull
|
|
| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
vessels
|
|
| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
petroleum
|
|
| n.原油，石油 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
desperately
|
|
| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
oar
|
|
| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
gasping
|
|
| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
frantically
|
|
| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
slumbers
|
|
| 睡眠，安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
scuttle
|
|
| v.急赶，疾走，逃避；n.天窗；舷窗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
berthed
|
|
| v.停泊( berth的过去式和过去分词 )；占铺位 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
wharf
|
|
| n.码头，停泊处 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
stevedores
|
|
| n.码头装卸工人，搬运工( stevedore的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
acting
|
|
| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
fore
|
|
| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
cargo
|
|
| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
beckoned
|
|
| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
deserted
|
|
| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
breach
|
|
| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
knuckles
|
|
| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
rebuke
|
|
| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
bluff
|
|
| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
yarn
|
|
| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
yarns
|
|
| n.纱( yarn的名词复数 )；纱线；奇闻漫谈；旅行轶事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
elicit
|
|
| v.引出,抽出,引起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
recording
|
|
| n.录音，记录 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
adversely
|
|
| ad.有害地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
applied
|
|
| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
sweeping
|
|
| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
wreck
|
|
| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
physically
|
|
| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
noose
|
|
| n.绳套，绞索（刑）；v.用套索捉；使落入圈套；处以绞刑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
straightforwardly
|
|
| adv.正直地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
attentively
|
|
| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
narrative
|
|
| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
gadgets
|
|
| n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
deficient
|
|
| adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
ashore
|
|
| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
grouse
|
|
| n.松鸡；v.牢骚，诉苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
demolished
|
|
| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
torpedoed
|
|
| 用鱼雷袭击（torpedo的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
crates
|
|
| n. 板条箱, 篓子, 旧汽车 vt. 装进纸条箱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
consignment
|
|
| n.寄售；发货；委托；交运货物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |