"Nine o'clock," replied Olive, consulting her wristlet watch, the only one of five in the boat that had survived.
"Too early for grub, then," continued Mostyn "We must economize1. And with water, too. It's going to be a scorching2 hot day."
He omitted to add that in all probability there would be a stiffish wind before long, possibly increasing to hurricane force. The thundery rain, coming before the wind, pointed3 to a severe blow before many hours were past. Meanwhile the breeze had dropped until the boat was making less than one knot.
Peter had practically shaken off the effects of his prolonged immersion4. He was feeling a bit stiff in the limbs, and had developed a healthy hunger. The latter troubled him far more than the stiffness. Work would relieve his cramped5 arms, but it would also increase the pangs6 of the inner man.
In the light breeze he could safely entrust7 the helm to one of the lascars, provided he kept his weather eye lifting in case a sudden squall swept down upon the boat. The native might or might not be able to handle a sailing craft, but Peter was resolved to take no risks on that score. He would rather place Olive at the helm, although in the event of danger he meant to stick to the tiller for hours if needs be.
"Due east, mutli," ordered Mostyn, having signed to the lascar to come aft.
The man nodded and repeated the compass course. Since Peter had displayed his automatic the pair of lascars had been remarkably8 tractable9.
The Wireless10 Officer's next step was to rig up a tent to shelter the women from the blazing sun. Calling Mahmed to assist him, he lashed11 the unshipped mizzen mast to the mainmast just below the goose-neck of the latter, so that the boom could swing out in the event of a gybe without fouling12 the almost horizontal ridge-pole. The after end of the mizzen was propped13 up by a crutch14 made by lashing15 a couple of boat-stretchers crosswise. Over this was spread the mizzen sail, the ends of the ridge-tent being enclosed by means of the jib and a couple of oilskin jackets.
"There you are," declared Peter, surveying the result of the joint16 handiwork of Mahmed and himself. "You'll be sheltered under the sail. I would advise you both to sleep during the heat of the day."
Olive declined, with a smile, adding that she preferred to be in the open air. Mrs. Shallop hardly deigned17 to acknowledge the effort Mostyn had made for her comfort as far as lay in the resources at his command.
She had not been under the tent for more than a minute, when she reappeared holding up a ring-bedecked hand for inspection18.
"I've lost a diamond out of this ring," she announced in a loud voice; "and it's a valuable one. It cost a sovereign."
Peter could not help smiling.
"Whatever can one do with a female like that?" he soliloquized. "The loss of a twopenny-halfpenny stone is of more consequence to her than the chance of losing her life."
Contriving19 to conceal20 his amusement he replied: "It can't have gone very far, Mrs. Shallop, if you had it in the boat. We'll probably find it under the bottom-boards."
"Then make those blacks look at once," ordered the lady peremptorily21.
Peter pretended not to have heard the strident, imperious command. It would have been waste of breath to point out that the boat could not be searched without disturbing Preston, and that the awkwardly placed bottom-boards could not be removed while the boat was under way.
With a parting shot at the young officer for his incivility, Mrs. Shallop retired22 to the tent and began to nag23 Miss Baird, who had shown no disposition24 to assist in the search.
"Thanks, Mr. Mostyn," said the girl, when Peter warned her of the heat of the sun. "I'm quite all right. You see, I took the precaution of wearing a topee when we were ordered into the boat. May I steer25?"
For a second time that morning Mostyn relinquished26 the helm. Then, having seen that Preston was as comfortable as possible, he sat on one of the side-benches and chatted to the helmswoman. Even then he was not idle, for, on the principle that "you never know when it may be wanted", he took his automatic pistol to pieces and carefully cleaned the mechanism27, sparingly oiling the working parts with a few drops of oil from the lamp.
"Do you know how this thing works?" inquired Peter casually28.
"Yes," replied the girl promptly29. "You have to pull back the hammer for the first shot, and as long as the trigger is pressed the pistol goes on firing until the magazine is empty."
"I wonder how you know," thought Mostyn.
He shook his head.
"This pistol doesn't," he explained. "Some simply act automatically as long as the trigger is pressed. That's rather a drawback if a fellow's a bit jumpy. He's apt to let fly a hail of bullets indiscriminately. No! This pistol of mine cocks itself after every shot, and it requires another pull on the trigger to fire each of the succeeding cartridges31."
"The one I saw was different," rejoined the girl. "It was my brother's. He was killed at Ypres in '18."
Peter politely murmured regrets, but inwardly he felt relieved that the fellow who had instructed Olive into the mysteries of automatic pistols was only a brother.
Just then Preston roused slightly and asked for water.
"Better, old man?" asked Mostyn, as he poured a few precious drops into the baler, and held the rim30 to the Acting32 Chief's dry lips.
"Hocussed an' sandbagged, that's what's happened to me," mumbled33 Preston thickly. "Where the hooligan Harry34 am I?" And, with a sudden movement, he jerked the baler out of Peter's hand.
The man was obviously still delirious35. Before Mostyn could decide what to reply, Preston shut his eyes and went to sleep again.
Mostyn picked up the baler from where it had fallen under the stern-bench. A couple of spoonfuls of fresh water had been wasted.
"Is that land?" suddenly inquired Olive, pointing away on the port bow, where a low, dark line was just visible on the horizon, looking very much like a chain of serrated mountains.
"Cloud bank," replied Peter briefly36. Then in explanation he added: "There's wind behind that lot, Miss Baird; probably more than we want. It may head us too."
Glancing into the compass hood37 to see that the girl was steering38 a correct course, Mostyn rapped on the thwart39 immediately abaft40 the canvas shelter in which Mrs. Shallop was either resting or brooding over more or less imaginary grievances41.
"We'll have to unrig the tent," he announced. "There's a stiff breeze bearing down on us."
"I don't like stiff breezes," retorted the lady promptly. "I'd rather have the tent up to keep the wind out."
"Sorry," replied the Wireless Officer. "It can't be done. In two minutes the lascars will commence unrigging the tent."
Mostyn allowed a good three minutes to elapse before signing to Mahmed and the lascars to take down the canvas. It was an absolutely necessary step, in order to allow unimpeded access to the working canvas, should it be required either to reef the sail or stow it altogether.
Having seen the task carried out, Peter proceeded to rig up a sea-anchor.
"It may come in jolly useful," he remarked to Miss Baird. "If we don't want it I won't complain about useless work."
With the assistance of the three Indians Mostyn bent42 a rope span to the yard and boom of the mizzen sail. Through the centre of each span he secured a stout43 grass warp44, weighting the yard with the grapnel, so that, if it became necessary to ride to the improvised45 sea-anchor, the grapnel would keep the sail taut46 and in a vertical47 plane.
By the time these preparations were completed the bank of ragged-edged clouds had covered most of the sky to wind'ard. The sun was beginning to become obscured, while there was an appreciable48 drop in the temperature of the air. The wind had fallen away utterly49, leaving the sail hanging idly from the yard. The water no longer rippled50 under the boat's forefoot. All was silent save for the creaking of the mast and spars as the boat rolled sluggishly51 in the long, gentle swell52.
Keenly on the alert, Peter had taken over the helm, and was keeping a sharp look-out to wind'ard.
"Down sail!" he ordered.
The canvas was lowered and stowed. As a precautionary measure Mostyn had the sea-anchor hove overboard, trusting that at the first squall the high, freeboarded boat would drift rapidly until brought head to wind by the drag of the improvised floating breakwater.
"It's coming," said Olive in a low voice, as a long-drawn shriek53 could be faintly heard—the harbinger of a vicious squall.
By now it was almost dusk, so dense54 were the clouds overhead. The tropical sun had no power to penetrate55 the sombre masses of vapour. Less than half a mile to wind'ard the hitherto tranquil56 water was white with wind-lashed foam57; while, in strange contrast, the sea-anchor was rubbing gently alongside the boat in the perfectly58 smooth sea.
Louder and louder grew the volume of sound, until with a vicious rush the squall swept down upon the boat. For a few seconds, while she lay broadside on, the boat heeled to such an extent, under the wind-pressure upon her high sides, that the water was actually pouring in over the lee gunwale. Then, spinning round as the grass rope attached to the sea-anchor tautened, the boat rode head to wind and sea.
In a brief space of time the terrific gusts59 had raised quite a mountainous sea, with deep troughs and short, sharp crests60 which, torn by the blasts into clouds of spindrift, flew completely over the boat. So far she had ridden it out splendidly, the sea-anchor breaking the more dangerous waves in a manner that was quite astonishing. Yet the while the grass rope was snubbing wickedly in spite of its natural springiness. Through the clouds of spray Peter could see that the lascars for'ard were betraying considerable uneasiness lest the rope should part.
Mostyn too realized the danger. He regretted that he had not doubled the rope, but now nothing could be done beyond putting a temporary "parcelling" round it where it passed through the bow fairlead.
More than once the Wireless Officer gave a hurried glance at Miss Baird. Outwardly the girl seemed perfectly self-possessed, and, with her natural thoughtfulness, she was sitting on the stern-gratings and doing her best to keep the still delirious Preston from sliding from side to side with the erratic61 and disconcerting motion of the boat.
The squall lasted for perhaps five minutes. Then, after a lull62, came another series of vicious blasts from a different point, that was almost at right angles to the direction of the initial squall. This had the effect of raising a nasty cross-sea, accompanied by a torrential downpour of rain.
Suddenly, at less than a couple of cable-lengths to windward, appeared the misty63 outlines of a tramp steamer. She was labouring badly, rolling almost rail under and throwing up showers of spray high above her bridge.
Standing64 up and keeping his feet with difficulty Mostyn frantically65 waved to the vessel66. Mahmed followed his example and also hailed in his high-pitched key. Shouting was useless. No volume of sound short of that of a fog-horn could possibly have carried that distance in the face of the howling elements.
The next instant the temporary clearing of the downpour gave place to a blinding deluge67. The steamer vanished as utterly as if she had suddenly plunged68 to the bed of the ocean.
"Has she seen us?" inquired Olive, raising her voice.
"'Fraid not," replied Peter, still staring in the direction where he had last seen the tramp. "Couldn't do much if she did in this dust-up. I'll risk a rocket, any old way."
Some time elapsed before a rocket could be taken from its airtight case, and the touch-paper ignited. Then with a hiss69 the detonating signal soared obliquely70 upwards71, its intended course deflected72 by the terrific wind.
It burst at less than a hundred feet in the air, but the report was so faint and the flash so weak that Mostyn could only reiterate73 his doubts as to whether the tramp could see or hear anything.
"It's lucky she didn't run us down," he added. "I know those blighters. They think they've got the whole ocean to themselves and carry on at full speed. In fog it's often the same, the idea being to get into better weather as soon as possible."
For another ten minutes it blew hard, but, thanks to the improvised sea-anchor, the boat was making very little leeway and riding head to wind. Occasionally the crested74 tops of the cross-seas flopped75 in over the gunwale, and the two lascars were kept baling steadily76. Olive and Mahmed were tending the still delirious Preston, the former holding him to prevent further injuries to his badly damaged head, while the boy kept a strip of painted canvas over the Acting Chief's body to shelter him from the rain and spray. Mrs. Shallop was the only idler. Refusing Peter's offer of his oilskin, she sat huddled77 up on the bottom-boards, with the water swirling78 over her feet and her clothing saturated79 with the torrential rain. Too dispirited to use her voice in complaint, she sat and shivered in morose80 silence, posing as a martyr81 and yet getting no sympathy from anyone.
At length the wind ceased, although the rain continued in violence. This had the effect of calming the water considerably82, and Peter took the opportunity of ordering the lascars to spread out the square of painted canvas, and catch as much rain as possible to augment83 the precious store of fresh water.
Within an hour the sky cleared and the wind freshened into a one-reef breeze. The sea-anchor was taken in and sail again set; but there was the disquieting84 knowledge that the wind was dead in their teeth. Either the boat must be kept "full and bye", gaining little or nothing on each tack85, or Mostyn must "up helm" and retrace86 his course on the chance of making the now far-distant Mozambique shore, which meant that the previous sixteen-hour run was utterly wasted.
"If only we had a motor!" he exclaimed.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
economize
|
|
| v.节约，节省 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
scorching
|
|
| adj. 灼热的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
immersion
|
|
| n.沉浸；专心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
cramped
|
|
| a.狭窄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
pangs
|
|
| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
entrust
|
|
| v.信赖，信托，交托 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
remarkably
|
|
| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
tractable
|
|
| adj.易驾驭的；温顺的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
wireless
|
|
| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
lashed
|
|
| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
fouling
|
|
| n.（水管、枪筒等中的）污垢v.使污秽( foul的现在分词 )；弄脏；击球出界；（通常用废物）弄脏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
propped
|
|
| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
crutch
|
|
| n.T字形拐杖；支持，依靠，精神支柱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
lashing
|
|
| n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
joint
|
|
| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
deigned
|
|
| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
inspection
|
|
| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
contriving
|
|
| （不顾困难地）促成某事( contrive的现在分词 )； 巧妙地策划，精巧地制造（如机器）； 设法做到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
conceal
|
|
| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
peremptorily
|
|
| adv.紧急地，不容分说地，专横地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
nag
|
|
| v.(对…)不停地唠叨；n.爱唠叨的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
disposition
|
|
| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
steer
|
|
| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
relinquished
|
|
| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
mechanism
|
|
| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
casually
|
|
| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
rim
|
|
| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
cartridges
|
|
| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
acting
|
|
| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
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： |
|
|
|
|
34
harry
|
|
| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
delirious
|
|
| adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
briefly
|
|
| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
hood
|
|
| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
steering
|
|
| n.操舵装置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
thwart
|
|
| v.阻挠，妨碍，反对；adj.横(断的) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
abaft
|
|
| prep.在…之后；adv.在船尾，向船尾 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
grievances
|
|
| n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
warp
|
|
| vt.弄歪，使翘曲，使不正常，歪曲，使有偏见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
improvised
|
|
| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
taut
|
|
| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
vertical
|
|
| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
appreciable
|
|
| adj.明显的，可见的，可估量的，可觉察的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
utterly
|
|
| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
rippled
|
|
| 使泛起涟漪（ripple的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
sluggishly
|
|
| adv.懒惰地；缓慢地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
swell
|
|
| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
shriek
|
|
| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
dense
|
|
| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
penetrate
|
|
| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
tranquil
|
|
| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
foam
|
|
| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
gusts
|
|
| 一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
crests
|
|
| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
erratic
|
|
| adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
lull
|
|
| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
misty
|
|
| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
frantically
|
|
| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
deluge
|
|
| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
plunged
|
|
| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
hiss
|
|
| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
obliquely
|
|
| adv.斜； 倾斜； 间接； 不光明正大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
upwards
|
|
| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
deflected
|
|
| 偏离的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
reiterate
|
|
| v.重申，反复地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
crested
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
flopped
|
|
| v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
steadily
|
|
| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
huddled
|
|
| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
swirling
|
|
| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
saturated
|
|
| a.饱和的，充满的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
morose
|
|
| adj.脾气坏的，不高兴的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
martyr
|
|
| n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
considerably
|
|
| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
augment
|
|
| vt.(使)增大，增加，增长，扩张 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
disquieting
|
|
| adj.令人不安的，令人不平静的v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
tack
|
|
| n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
retrace
|
|
| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |