“I’ll show you your staterooms,” he said, as he joined the boys. “Hey, some of you deck hands, fetch that dunnage this way!”
The members of the crew who had inspected Ted2 and Phil interestedly, because they had been brought to the boat by one of the owners, were even more impressed at the skipper’s words, for seldom does a captain escort passengers to their cabins, usually delegating the task to one of his mates, and several sprang to get the bags and packages.
The boys, however, were before them, and as they picked them up, Phil said:
“We don’t wish to cause any bother, Captain Perkins.”
“You just bet we don’t. Why, we even want you to let us work with the crew,” added Ted, to whom so doing seemed more like a lark3 than real labour.
“We’ll see about that later,” smiled the skipper. “You deck hands, get busy sweeping4 the decks! On the jump now!” And when the sailors obeyed, he led the way to the staterooms in the bow.
“Isn’t this ‘scrumptious’!” cried Ted, as they entered a spacious5 cabin, finished in Flemish oak, with silk-curtained windows, heavy carpet, two brass6 beds in lieu of the traditional bunks7, tables, electric lights and fans, and comfortable lounging chairs. “I never imagined they had such cabins on anything but private yachts or ocean steamers.”
“Every ore carrier has them nowadays for owners and their guests,” smiled the captain, adding with a tinge8 of bitterness which all lake skippers and sailors feel: “Some day people will realize that lake boats are as important and require even more skill to handle than salt-water vessels9. Wait until we go up the Detroit and St. Mary’s rivers, then you will understand what I mean. Why, a salt-water skipper would think he must have a fleet of tugs10 to do what is but a matter of daily routine with us. And a six-hundred-foot boat is no toy to handle in the storms, fogs, and ice we have, either. But maybe you’ll have the chance to see for yourselves. I’m going down to the engine room,—would you like to come?”
Eagerly the boys accepted the invitation, glad to see all the working of the ship they could, but they did not know that the chief danger to the boat lay in the engine and boiler11 rooms from ignorance of the crew in regard to the machinery12 or from faulty firing, burning out the flues of the boilers13, or dynamite14 in the coal.
As they descended the ladder into the engine room, they gasped15 at the heat, while the smell of oil almost sickened them and the clang of the engines made their heads throb16.
In and out among the fast-moving machinery men, shirtless, their faces glistening17 with perspiration18, crawled, long-nosed oil-cans in hand, from which they deftly19 poured the lubricant upon this or that joint20 or bearing or wiped a rod with waste.
“I don’t see what keeps them from being ground to pieces,” exclaimed Phil, when they had stood for several minutes, fascinated by the sight.
“Experience,” replied the captain, “but you can get an idea how necessary it is to have oilers who know their business.”
“How often do they crawl around that way?” inquired Ted.
“All the time, practically. Some bearings use more oil than others, and if one gets dry, it will weld and cause trouble.”
“But don’t they ever sleep?”
“Oh, yes. We have two shifts, you know. Each one works six hours and then rests six hours.
“Ah, here comes Mr. Morris, the chief engineer.” And after introducing the boys, the captain asked: “Men working all right?”
“All but one, Swanson. I’ve had to follow him round.”
From the expression that settled on the skipper’s face, Phil and Ted realized the information was serious.
“Green at the job?” inquired the captain.
“No, ugly.”
“Send him to me in half an hour if he doesn’t get onto his job. Anything else? How are the firemen doing?”
“All right, I reckon. I haven’t had time to go down on account of Swanson.”
“Why didn’t you send your assistant down?”
“He’s there, sir.” Then turning to the boys, he said: “How do you think you would like to work down here?”
“I love machinery. I was building an airship at home. I know I should like it if it weren’t for the heat,” replied Ted.
“If you think this is hot, just go down into the stoke hole,” smiled the chief. Then, as there sounded a discordant21 note in the hum of the machinery, he darted22 away to learn its cause, while the captain led the way across the iron grating, which served as floor, to another ladder leading down to the boiler room.
As Phil put his hand on one of the iron rungs, he drew it back hastily.
“Phe-ew, but that’s hot!” he exclaimed, and, taking out his handkerchief, he used it to protect his hand as he descended—a precaution which his brother also adopted.
When at last the boys stood on the floor, they could scarcely breathe, so terrific was the heat from the furnaces, as men, stripped to the buff, jerked open the iron doors beneath the huge boilers and shovelled23 coal into the roaring flames or levelled the fires with long pokers24.
While the captain was talking with a man whom the young passengers decided25 was the assistant engineer, they followed a line of men with great iron wheelbarrows through a door and found themselves in the coal bunkers.
The men returning with the empty barrows seized shovels26 and began to load, every now and then pausing to pick up a sledge-hammer and break up a huge chunk27 of the soft coal. And as fast as one was loaded, he pushed his barrow, staggering and swaying to meet the pitching of the boat, into the fire room.
“I don’t see how you can keep your feet,” exclaimed Phil to one of the men.
“Oh, this is nothing. You ought to see us when there is a storm and she’s pitching and rolling. Then it is some trick to keep on your ‘pins.’ Why, I’ve seen the time when I had my barrow dump four times in succession before I could get out of the bunkers, and the firemen yelling like Indians for more coal. Yah, this is nothing—after you get used to it.”
Too fierce for the boys to linger long was the combination of heat and coal dust, and, choking and coughing, they returned to the boiler room.
“Think you’d rather be a ‘coal passer’ than an oiler?” smiled the captain, but before either of his passengers could reply, he caught sight of a passer sneaking28 into the bunkers with a pail from which protruded29 a piece of ice. “Hey, you, bring that pail here!” he shouted.
Surlily the passer obeyed.
“Don’t you know better than to take clear ice water in there?” demanded the skipper, sternly.
“Surely; I know that. But if you drink clear ice water in this heat, every passer in your watch will be yelling with cramps31 inside of half an hour.”
“Oh, I’ll risk ’em,” retorted the fellow.
“Well, I won’t. You just set that pail down here, jump up that ladder, go to the steward32, and say I told him to give you three pounds of oatmeal.”
The captain’s manner was not one to brook33 delay or disobedience, and, muttering to himself, the passer went above, returning in due course with the oatmeal, which he gave to the skipper.
“Now you can drink,” said the latter, emptying the oatmeal into the pail, where it quickly formed a thin, milky34 gruel35, “without getting cramps. Mr. Peters,” and he turned to the assistant, “keep your eyes open to see that no clear ice water comes down here. Pass the word that any man drinking clear ice water will be put in irons. I won’t have my passers knocked out on the very first day.”
The assistant started to deliver the order in the bunkers, when he was stopped by a frantic36 whistling at the speaking tube leading down from the engine room.
With a bound he reached it, the captain and the boys joining him.
“What is it?” he called.
While he listened for an answer, the chief fairly slid down the ladder.
“Quick! Draw the fire under number three! She’s almost out of water!” he yelled.
No need was there to tell the firemen that a boiler out of water, with a roaring fire underneath37, would soon explode, probably foundering38 the ship, and while one leaped and threw open the door to the fire box, the assistant and the others seized long-handled iron rakes and pokers and pulled the seething39 mass of burning coal out onto the iron floor.
Terrific before, as the boiler room was transformed into a glowing inferno40, the heat became unbearable41, and first one and then another of the firemen staggered back, gasping42.
“Get back on the job! The fire isn’t half out!” bellowed43 Mr. Morris, snatching a rake and springing to the task.
Inspired by their chiefs example, the men obeyed, only to fall back again.
“Above, there!” yelled the captain, going to the foot of the ladder, and as a face appeared at the hatch, he continued: “Call the off watch. Tell the second mate to form a bucket line and pass water down here. On the jump—if you don’t want to be blown to glory!”
Gathering44 about the door of the bunkers, the coal passers stood, talking in whispers, then suddenly they rushed for the ladder.
Captain Perkins heard the patter of their feet and, divining their purpose, grabbed a bar, beat them to the ladder, faced them and swung the bar, shouting:
“Back into your bunkers and load your barrows!”
The men, with sullen45 snarls46, refused to obey, however, and several of them were sneaking to the back of the ladder, when from above a pail of water was dashed onto their heads.
Surprised, they stopped, and before they recovered from the shock, the second mate was among them, kicking and cuffing47 them back to the bunkers.
“Some one take these pails,” called a voice from the hatch above.
Glad of the opportunity to be of some use, the boys sprang up the ladder and took positions from which Phil could hand the pails to Ted, who, in turn, passed them to the captain, and he threw their contents onto the heads, backs, and breasts of the chief and firemen who were working so desperately48 to rake out the fire.
The water, falling on the live coals, formed clouds of steam, but it revived the men and soon came the voice of the chief:
“Belay the water! She’s raked out.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
descended
|
|
| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
ted
|
|
| vt.翻晒，撒，撒开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
lark
|
|
| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
sweeping
|
|
| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
spacious
|
|
| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
bunks
|
|
| n.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的名词复数 )；空话，废话v.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的第三人称单数 )；空话，废话 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
tinge
|
|
| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
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： |
|
|
|
|
10
tugs
|
|
| n.猛拉( tug的名词复数 )；猛拖；拖船v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
boiler
|
|
| n.锅炉；煮器(壶，锅等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
machinery
|
|
| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
boilers
|
|
| 锅炉，烧水器，水壶( boiler的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
dynamite
|
|
| n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
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： |
|
|
|
|
16
throb
|
|
| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
glistening
|
|
| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
perspiration
|
|
| n.汗水；出汗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
deftly
|
|
| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
joint
|
|
| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
discordant
|
|
| adj.不调和的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
darted
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
shovelled
|
|
| v.铲子( shovel的过去式和过去分词 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
pokers
|
|
| n.拨火铁棒( poker的名词复数 )；纸牌；扑克；（通常指人）（坐或站得）直挺挺的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
shovels
|
|
| n.铲子( shovel的名词复数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份v.铲子( shovel的第三人称单数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
chunk
|
|
| n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
sneaking
|
|
| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
protruded
|
|
| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
growled
|
|
| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
cramps
|
|
| n. 抽筋, 腹部绞痛, 铁箍 adj. 狭窄的, 难解的 v. 使...抽筋, 以铁箍扣紧, 束缚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
steward
|
|
| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
brook
|
|
| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
milky
|
|
| adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
gruel
|
|
| n.稀饭，粥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
frantic
|
|
| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
underneath
|
|
| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
foundering
|
|
| v.创始人( founder的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
seething
|
|
| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
inferno
|
|
| n.火海；地狱般的场所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
unbearable
|
|
| adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
gasping
|
|
| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
bellowed
|
|
| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
gathering
|
|
| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
sullen
|
|
| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
snarls
|
|
| n.（动物的）龇牙低吼( snarl的名词复数 )；愤怒叫嚷（声）；咆哮（声）；疼痛叫声v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的第三人称单数 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
cuffing
|
|
| v.掌打，拳打( cuff的现在分词 )；袖口状白血球聚集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
desperately
|
|
| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |