"Jump in!" shouted Aleck, and leaped aboard, with Tug6 beside him. "Try to steady her!" they heard him cry, and each seized an oar5, or a boat-hook, or whatever was nearest. But it was of little use. Slowly but gently the hinder part of the ice-cake rose, and the front part tipped down. As the slant7 deepened, the speed of the sliding boat increased, until it went with a rush, and struck the water with a plunging8 splash that would surely have swamped them had it not been for the tight half-deck forward; this shed the water, and caused the little craft to rise upon an even keel as soon as she had fairly left the surface of the ice. It was evident in an instant, however, that she would sink in a very short time unless freed of the great sledge that was dragging upon her bottom. Already the water was pouring over her sides, and Aleck knew that they were in imminent9 danger of sinking or capsizing, or both. Tug had leaped in forward, and to him Aleck shouted, "Cut those bands!"
"Haven't any knife."
One stroke of Tug's arm parted one of the bands, and he raised his hatchet for the second one, for there were two straps12 forward. As it descended13, Aleck drew his pocket-knife across the strained band astern, which parted with a loud ripping noise. The idea was that both straps should be severed14 at the same instant; but in the darkness Tug partly missed his aim, and the poor boat, held to the sledge by a single strap11, began to yaw and jerk and ship water in a most alarming manner—a strain she could not have borne one moment had not the half-cut band of canvas broken, setting the boat free. Aleck had intended to hold to the strap and take the sledge aboard; but this struggle, which came so near wrecking15 them all, wrenched16 it out of his hand, and the first wave washed the bobs beyond recovery—a loss whose full force did not strike them at once, for they had too much else to think of.
The weight and awkwardness of the sledge having been taken away, the boat rode much more lightly in the face of the ice-clogged sea, and showed how stanch17 and trim she really was, though much cold water splashed over her rails.
"Now," said Aleck, cheerfully, though it was fortunate the darkness could conceal19 how anxious was the expression of his face, "now we shall get along. Jim, get out your oars20 (the stroke); and look out for floating ice forward, Tug. Katy, my little steersman, are you very, very cold?"
"Better say you are, for you can't hide it, poor child. Wait a minute till I get this strap off my roll of bedding, and I will wrap a blanket around you."
Doubling a large blanket, he put it carefully over her head and shoulders like an immense hood23. Then he buckled24 around her the strap which had held the roll together, leaving only a fold out of which she might grasp the tiller, and another crevice25 through which to peep and breathe.
"We've got to have that lantern lit, because you must see the compass."
Taking some matches from his pocket, he knelt down, placed the lantern under the skirt of Katy's blanket robe, crouched over it as close as he could, and struck a match. It went out. A second fizzed a while, which only warmed the wicking, but at the third the oil in the wick took fire, and the lantern was soon shining gayly into the bright face of the compass at Katy's feet.
"Now, Youngster, for the oars. Lie low, and let me crawl over you to my seat."
Aleck got there and was ready, but Jim was still fumbling26 about on each side, and feeling under the thwart27.
"What's the matter? Why don't you go to work?"
"Can't find but one oar."
"Only one oar? Sure?"
Then the two searched, but to no purpose. It had been dropped overboard, evidently, during the excitement about losing the sledge.
"Well, Jim, it's your fault, but it can't be helped now. You take this quilt, and cuddle down as close to Katy as you can get, and try to keep each other warm. I'll row alone. Ready, forward?"
"Ay, ay, sir."
Then they began to move ahead through the water, which came in long rollers, not in breaking waves, because there was so much ice around them that the wind could not get hold of it. It was very cold. Occasionally Tug would fend28 away a cake of ice, or they would stop and steer21 clear of a big piece; but pretty soon he called out in a shaky voice that he was too stiff to stand there any longer, where the spray was blowing over him, and that he should be good for nothing in a few minutes unless he could row awhile to get warm. So Aleck took his place, fixing the spare canvas into a kind of shield to keep off the spattering drops. It was very forlorn and miserable29, and to say that all wished themselves back on shore would be but the faintest expression of their distress30.
Little was said. Pushing their way slowly through the cakes of ice, which had grown denser31 now; changing every little while from oars to boat-hook and back again, while Katy, protected from freezing by her double blanket and Jim's close hugging, kept the yawl's head due north; fighting fatigue32, hunger, cold, and a great desire to sleep, these brave boys worked hour after hour for their lives and the lives in their care.
When they were beginning to think it almost morning they came squarely against a field of ice which stretched right and left into the darkness farther than it was possible to see. Whether this was the edge of a stationary33 field or only a large raft they couldn't tell; but they were too exhausted34 to go farther, and they decided35 to tie up and wait for daylight. Tug struck his hook into the ice until it held firmly, then lashed18 it to the bow. Aleck also stepped out and drove one of the short railway spikes36 into the ice near the stern, around which a rope was hitched37. Then both the boys opened a second roll of bedding, and snuggled down as well as they could to get what rest they were able to while waiting for sunrise. Crowded together in the straw (though it was damp with snow), and covered with quilts and blankets, they could keep tolerably warm, and even caught little naps. The snow had stopped now, and the stars began to appear, first in the north, then overhead, then gradually everywhere. The wind still blew, but the boat rose and fell more and more slowly upon the rollers, until at last it stood perfectly38 still. This happened so suddenly, and was followed by so complete steadiness, that it aroused Tug's curiosity. Poking39 his head from under the covering, he said, "I think we are frozen in." Nobody answered him, for they were asleep, or too stupid to care; but the gray daylight which came at last showed that he was right. On their right hand was a great sheet of new, thin ice; on their left a mass of thick old ice, white with snow. Straight ahead, so well had Katy steered40, towered the rocks and trees of a high, wooded shore, coming momently into greater and greater distinctness as the red streamers of the morning shot higher and higher into the eastern sky.
Tug was the first to catch this sight, and roused his fellows with a shout:
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1
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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3
sledge
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| n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往 | |
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4
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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5
oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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7
slant
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| v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向 | |
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8
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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10
hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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11
strap
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| n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎 | |
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12
straps
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| n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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13
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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14
severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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15
wrecking
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| 破坏 | |
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16
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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17
stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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18
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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20
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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21
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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22
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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23
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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24
buckled
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| a. 有带扣的 | |
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crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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thwart
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| v.阻挠，妨碍，反对；adj.横(断的) | |
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28
fend
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| v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开 | |
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29
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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30
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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31
denser
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| adj. 不易看透的, 密集的, 浓厚的, 愚钝的 | |
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32
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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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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36
spikes
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| n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划 | |
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37
hitched
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| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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38
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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39
poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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40
steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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41
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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