All eyes were turned upon the captain, as Mr. Holdfast was now called.
“If I had had men enough to stand watch, this would not have happened,” he said.
“Is there any hope, Mr. Holdfast?” asked Montgomery Clinton, clasping his hands in terror.
Under his direction the remaining boat—for Captain Hill and his companions had only taken away one—was lowered. Steering3 clear of the reef, they found themselves in a cove4, bordered on three sides by land. By the light, now rapidly increasing, they saw grass and trees, and the sight gladdened them in spite of the grave peril5 that menaced them.
They put in the boat as large a supply of stores as they dared, and then rowed ashore6. Landing the passengers, Holdfast selected Jack7 and Harry8, and went back to the ship for a further supply.
“We must lay in as much as we can, for we don’t know how long we are to remain here,” he said.
The little group gathered on a bluff10 looking out to sea, and, sitting down, ate heartily11. By this time the sun had made its appearance, and it bade fair to be a pleasant day.
“Have you any idea where we are, Mr. Holdfast?” asked Mr. Stubbs.
“I only know that we are on an island. There is no mainland near here,” answered the commander.
“It seems to be a large one, then. While you were gone with the boys, I ascended12 a tree, and, looking inland, could not see the ocean in that direction.”
“I feel like exploring the island,” said Harry; “who will go with me?”
Curious to see what kind of a new home they had, all set out. First, however, the professor asked:
“How long before the ship is likely to go to pieces, Mr. Holdfast?”
“Not under a day or two in this weather,” was the answer. “Later in the day I will board her again.”
They struck inland and walked for about two miles. There were trees and plants such as they had never seen before, and the songs of unknown birds floated out upon the air. It was certainly a delightful13 change from the contracted life they had been leading upon shipboard.
“Do you think the island is inhabited?” asked Harry.
“I know no more about it than you do, my lad,” answered Holdfast.
“Suppose we should meet with a pack of savages14 armed with spears!” suggested Harry, with a side look at Clinton, who was walking by him.
“We must do the best we can. I take it we are all brave, and would be willing to fight.”
After a considerable walk, they reached a grove16 of trees, bearing a different leaf from any to which they were accustomed. They did not appear to produce fruit of any kind, but were comely17 and afforded a grateful shade. This was the more appreciated, because the sun had begun to make its heat felt, and a feeling of languor18 diffused19 itself over all.
“Very well,” said the mate. “We have all day before us, and I am afraid a great many more to come, in which we may explore the island.”
All threw themselves on the grass without ceremony.
They returned to the shore about noon, and sitting down on the bluff, ate heartily of the stores they had brought with them from the ship. They had brought no water, but, fortunately, discovered a spring on their homeward walk, which promised a constant supply of refreshing21 drink.
“This seems a great deal like a picnic,” said Harry, as they sat down on the grass with the food in the center.
“I am afraid it will prove a larger picnic than we care for,” remarked the professor.
“I think we had better make another trip to the ship, and bring back what we can. We shall need a further supply of provisions, and there will be other things that will occur to us as likely to be needed.”
“May I go with you, Mr. Holdfast?” asked Harry.
“Yes,” answered the mate; “I will take you and Jack, and Mr. Stubbs, too, may come, if he will.”
“I am quite at your command, captain,” said the Yankee.
Nothing suited Harry better than to make one of the expeditions. He and Jack clambered up the ship’s sides, and chased each other in boyish fun. Jack had no fear of a stern rebuke23 from Mr. Holdfast, who had a sympathy with the young. He would not have dared to take such liberties with Captain Hill.
“How long do you think the ship will hold together, Mr. Holdfast?” asked Stubbs.
“For a week, perhaps, unless the sea becomes rough, and dashes her against the reef with violence.”
“At present she seems motionless.”
“Yes, she is not at present receiving any damage. It will be a sad day when she goes to pieces,” continued the mate, gravely.
“Yes, but it will hardly make our position worse. There is no chance of our making any use of her, I take it.”
“You don’t quite understand me,” said Holdfast. “A sailor gets to feel an attachment24 for the craft he sails on, and she seems to him something like a living creature. This is my first voyage on the old Nantucket, but it will grieve me to see her disappear.”
It was not easy to decide of what the boat’s load should consist. In the main, provisions were taken as an article of first necessity. Some clothing, also, was selected, and among the rest, at Harry’s instance, an extra pair of Mr. Clinton’s trousers.
It was decided not to make another trip to the ship that day. Mr. Holdfast expressed the opinion that the Nantucket was not in any immediate25 danger of going to pieces, and there was much other work in hand.
“Do you know anything about the climate here, Mr. Holdfast?” asked the professor.
“I don’t think it is ever cold. It is too far south for that.”
“I mean as to the chance of rain. I am told that in these tropical places, rain comes on very suddenly at times.”
“I suspect that this is the dry season, professor.”
“Still, it may be wise to provide ourselves with some shelter.”
“True; have you anything to suggest?”
“It occurred to me that we might procure26 some of the sails, and use as a roof covering to shield us from the heat of the sun, and from any unexpected showers.”
“A good idea. I am glad you mentioned it. On the whole, I think I will make one more trip to the ship this afternoon for the special purpose of bringing back materials for a roof. Then we can put it up to-night.”
“Also well thought of. You are a practical man, professor.”
“We shall all have to think for the general benefit. I am sorry I can’t do more work, but I never was handy with tools.”
“I am,” said Stubbs. “In fact, most Yankees are, and I am a Yankee. You can command my services, Mr. Holdfast, in any way that you see fit.”
Mr. Holdfast made another trip to the vessel28, and brought back quite an expanse of sailcloth. All hands, with the exception of Mr. Clinton, went to work at once, and by sunset a considerable space was roofed over, which the little company regarded with complacency.
“Aren’t you going to have any sides or doors?” asked Clinton.
“That can be considered hereafter,” said Holdfast. “I don’t think we shall need any, since the probability is that the island is not inhabited.”
The next morning a great surprise awaited them.
It might have been because it was the first night on land, or perhaps because they were unusually fatigued29, but at any rate the little party slept unusually late. The first one to awake was Harry Vane. It took very little time for him to dress, since he had only taken off his coat. He glanced at his slumbering30 companions, who were scattered31 about in different postures32.
“I’ll go up to the spring, and have a wash,” Harry decided. “I won’t wake anybody, for there’s no hurry about waking up.”
Returning from the spring, Harry for the first time looked in the direction of the ship. What he saw filled him with amazement33. The wreck34 which he had thought deserted35, was alive with men. He saw a dozen on deck, including two who were obviously not sailors. He could not immediately discern the figures, and ran hastily to the top of the bluff. Then he made the startling discovery that these intruders were the captain and his companions, who had abandoned the ship in the expectation that it was doomed36, and, after floating about in the long boat, had by a wonderful coincidence drifted to the very point which they themselves had reached.
The news was too important to keep, and he returned to the encampment, and entering, approached the mate, who was sleeping soundly. He leaned over and shook him gently.
“Mr. Holdfast!” he cried.
The mate slowly opened his eyes and started up.
“What’s the matter?” he asked. “Has anything happened?”
“I’ve got great news for you, Mr. Holdfast. Captain Hill has arrived.”
“What!” exclaimed the mate, in amazement. “Arrived—where?”
“He is at this moment on the Nantucket, with all the men that accompanied him in the long boat.”
Uttering an expression of amazement, Mr. Holdfast sprang from the ground, and hastily made his way to the edge of the bluff.
“By Jove!” said he, “you’re right. I never heard of anything more wonderful.”
Harry could not tell from the expression of his face whether he considered the news good or not.
“Go and wake up the rest, Harry,” he said. “They will be surprised, too.”
It is needless to say that the news produced surprise and excitement. All hurried to the edge of the bluff.
“Will they come on shore, do you think?” asked Harry of the mate.
“They will have to; but I shall at once go out to the ship and report to my superior officer. You and Jack may go with me.”
It is needless to say that both boys were very glad to accept this invitation. The rest of the party remained on shore and watched the boat’s course.
“What will be the issue of this, Mr. Stubbs?” asked the professor, thoughtfully.
“I am afraid there will be friction37. The captain is a natural despot, and he will undertake to control us.”
“He will claim it, as sure as my name is Stubbs. The fact is, I am rather sorry he hadn’t managed to drift to another island. Mr. Holdfast is a much more agreeable man to deal with.”
“I agree with you. As a passenger, I shall not recognize the captain’s authority on shore.”
“Nor I.”
Meanwhile, the mate and the two boys had pulled to the ship, and, securing the boat, scrambled39 on deck.
“Good-morning, Captain Hill; I am glad to meet you once more,” said the mate.
“Yesterday morning.”
“Where are the rest of the party?”
“We have a little camp just back of the bluff.”
“I see you have been removing articles from the ship,” continued the captain, in a tone of disapproval41.
“Certainly,” answered the mate. “We need them, and I didn’t know how long the ship would last.”
“It seems in no immediate danger of going to pieces.”
“Things look more favorable than they did yesterday morning. What sort of a trip did you have in the boat?”
“A curious question to ask,” said the captain, captiously42. “We were in danger of being swamped more than once.”
“We had better have remained on board the Nantucket with you, Mr. Holdfast,” said Appleton, the Melbourne merchant.
“You were quite at liberty to stay, Mr. Appleton,” he said. “I didn’t urge you to go with me.”
“True, Captain Hill; but I trusted to your opinion that the ship was unsafe.”
The captain looked angry, but did not make any reply.
By the sailors Mr. Holdfast was warmly greeted. He was much better liked than the captain, being a man of even temper and reasonable in his demands.
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1
descry
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| v.远远看到；发现；责备 | |
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curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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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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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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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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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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languor
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| n.无精力，倦怠 | |
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diffused
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| 散布的，普及的，扩散的 | |
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squat
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| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
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refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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rebuke
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| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
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attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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hatchets
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| n.短柄小斧( hatchet的名词复数 )；恶毒攻击；诽谤；休战 | |
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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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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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slumbering
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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postures
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| 姿势( posture的名词复数 )； 看法； 态度； 立场 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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friction
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| n.摩擦，摩擦力 | |
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wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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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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40
growled
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| 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 | |
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disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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captiously
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offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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