“I am glad to see that the captain is sober,” said Stubbs, in a low voice.
“So am I,” answered Harry.
One change, all noticed in Captain Hill. He became silent, reserved, morose4. His orders were given in a quick, peremptory5 tone, and he seemed to cherish a grudge6 against all on board. Some captains add much to the pleasure of the passengers by their social and cheery manners, but whenever Captain Hill appeared, a wet blanket seemed to fall on the spirits of passengers and crew, and they conversed7 in an undertone, as if under restraint.
Between the captain and the mate there was a great difference. Mr. Holdfast had a bluff8, hearty9 way with him, which made him popular with all on board. As an officer, he was strict, and expected his orders to be executed promptly10, but in private he was affable and agreeable. The sailors felt instinctively11 that he was their friend, and regarded him with attachment12, while they respected his seamanship. If a vote had been taken, there was not one but would have preferred him as captain to Captain Hill.
Thus far—I am speaking of a time when the Nantucket was three months out—there had been no serious storm. Rough weather there had been, and wet, disagreeable weather, but the staunch ship had easily overcome all the perils13 of the sea, and, with the exception of Montgomery Clinton, no one had been seriously alarmed. But one afternoon a cloud appeared in the hitherto clear sky, which would have attracted no attention from a landsman. Mr. Holdfast observed it, however, and, quietly calling the captain, directed his attention to it.
“I think we are going to have a bad storm, Captain Hill,” he said. “That’s a weather breeder.”
The captain watched the cloud for a moment, and then answered, quietly: “I think you are right, Mr. Holdfast. You may give your orders accordingly.”
The sails were reefed, and the vessel14 was prepared for the warfare15 with the elements which awaited it.
The little cloud increased portentiously in size. All at once a strong wind sprang up, the sea roughened, and the billows grew white with fury, while the good ship, stanch16 as she was, creaked and groaned17 and was tossed as if it were a toy boat on the wrathful ocean.
The passengers were all seriously alarmed. They had never before realized what a storm at sea was. Even a man of courage may well be daunted18 by the terrific power of the sea when it is roused to such an exhibition.
“Harry,” said the professor, “this is terrible.”
“Yes, indeed,” answered the boy, gravely.
It became so rough and difficult to stand on deck, on account of the vessel being tossed about like a cockleshell, that Harry felt constrained19 to go below.
As he passed the cabin of Montgomery Clinton, he heard a faint voice call his name.
Entering, he saw the dude stretched out in his berth20, with an expression of helpless terror in his weak face.
“Oh! Mr. Vane,” he said; “do you think we are going to the bottom?”
“I hope not, Mr. Clinton. Our officers are skillful men. They will do all they can for us.”
It was a terrible night. None of the passengers ventured upon deck. Indeed, such was the motion that it would have been dangerous, as even the sailors found it difficult to keep their footing. Harry was pale and quiet, unlike his friend from Brooklyn, whose moans were heard mingled21 with the noise of the tempest.
It was about three o’clock in the morning when those below heard, with terror, a fearful crash, and a trampling22 of feet above. One of the masts had fallen before the fury of the storm, and the shock made the good ship careen to a dangerous extent. What happened, however, was not understood below.
He got out of his berth, but only to be pitched helpless to the other end of the cabin.
“This is terrible!” he said, as he picked himself up.
“I will try my luck, professor,” said Harry.
One glance told him what had occurred. The crippled ship was laboring26 through the sea. It seemed like a very unequal combat, and Harry might be excused for deciding that the ship was doomed27. All about the sea wore its fiercest aspect. Harry returned cautiously to his cabin.
“Well?” said the professor.
“One of the masts is gone,” answered the boy. “The ship is having a hard time.”
“Is there danger?” asked the professor, anxiously.
“I am afraid so,” said Harry, gravely.
At length the night wore away. The violence of the storm seemed to have abated28, for, after a time, the motion diminished. More enterprising than the rest of the passengers, Harry resolved to go on deck.
“Won’t you come with me, Mr. Clinton?” he asked.
“I—I couldn’t, ‘pon my honor. I’m as weak as a rag. I don’t think I could get out of my berth, really, now.”
“I’ll go with you, my young friend,” said Mr. Stubbs.
Harry and his Yankee friend set foot cautiously on deck. The prospect29 was not reassuring30. The ship rolled heavily, and from the creaking it seemed that the timbers of the hull31 were strained. The sailors looked fagged out, and there was a set, stern look on the face of the captain, whom, nevertheless, Mr. Stubbs ventured to accost32.
“What’s the prospect, captain?” he asked.
“You’d better make your will,” said the captain, grimly.
“That’s cheerful,” commented Stubbs, turning to Harry.
“Yes, sir,” answered Harry, soberly.
“Don’t tell our foppish33 friend below, or he’ll rend34 our ears with his howls. But you, my young friend, it’s rather rough on you. How old are you?”
“Sixteen.”
“And I’m rising fifty. Even if I am taken away, I’ve a good thirty years the advantage of you. I’ve had a good time, on the whole, and enjoyed myself as well as the average. Still, I don’t quite like going to the bottom in the Nantucket. I was looking forward to at least twenty years or so more of life.”
“We must submit to the will of God,” said Harry.
“You are quite right, my boy! It is easy to see that you have been well trained. Mr. Holdfast”—for they had reached the place where the mate was standing—“shall we outlive the storm?”
“It is hard to say, Mr. Stubbs. It depends on the stanchness of the ship. We’ll do all we can.”
Ten minutes later there was a sinister35 answer to the inquiry36 of Mr. Stubbs. A sailor, who had been sent down into the hold, came with the information that the ship had sprung a leak.
Then commenced the weary work at the pumps. The sailors were already worn out with fighting the storm under the direction of the captain and mate, and it seemed almost more than flesh and blood could stand to undertake the additional labor25.
Harry and Mr. Stubbs had a hurried conference.
“Well thought of, my boy! I am with you. I will speak to the captain.”
But Mr. Holdfast, the mate, chanced to be nearer, and to him Mr. Stubbs put the question:
“Can’t I help at the pumps?”
“And I, too, Mr. Holdfast,” put in Harry.
“I accept your offer with thanks. The men are very tired.”
So Harry and Mr. Stubbs helped at this necessary work, and when the professor and the Melbourne merchant heard of it they, too, volunteered. But Marmaduke Timmins, the valetudinarian39, and Montgomery Clinton felt quite inadequate40 to the task.
Harry found his work tiresome41 and fatiguing42, but he had the comfort of feeling that he was relieving the exhausted sailors, and doing something to save his own life and the lives of his companions.
“Jack, you must be very tired,” he said, in a tone of deep sympathy.
“If I stood still I should drop on the deck fast asleep,” said Jack.
“Can’t you lie down for an hour? I am taking your place.”
“Jack, my lad, go below and catch a little nap. I will call you when I want you.”
So Jack, much relieved, went below, and, without a thought of the danger, so fatigued45 was he, fell asleep the moment he got into his bunk46, and was not called up for four hours.
After a while they reduced the flow of water, but ascertained47 that the ship was badly strained, and by no means safe. It was not till the next day, however, that an important decision was reached.
All were called on deck.
“It is my duty to tell you,” said Captain Hill, “that the ship is so damaged by the recent storm that it is liable to sink at any time. Those who choose to run the risk may remain, however. I propose, with such as choose to join me, to take to the boats. I will give you fifteen minutes to decide.”
Excitement and dismay were painted on the faces of all. The ship might be insecure, but to launch out upon the great ocean in a frail48 boat seemed to involve still greater danger.
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1
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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morose
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| adj.脾气坏的，不高兴的 | |
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peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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daunted
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| 使（某人）气馁，威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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scrambled
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| 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 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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laboring
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| 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 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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accost
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| v.向人搭话，打招呼 | |
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foppish
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| adj.矫饰的，浮华的 | |
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rend
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| vt.把…撕开，割裂；把…揪下来，强行夺取 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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valetudinarian
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| n.病人；健康不佳者 | |
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inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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fatiguing
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| a.使人劳累的 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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