"
"Well, who's having the little game now?" inquired a voice.
"Somebody else'll be sacked as well as the mate," said another.
"We must take her back," said the captain, raising his voice to drown
these mutterings. "Stand by there!"
The bewildered crew went to their posts, the captain gave his orders in
a voice which had never been so subdued and mellow since it broke at the
age of fourteen, and the Mary Ann took in sail, and, dropping her
anchor, waited patiently for the turning of the tide.
* * * * * * *
The church bells in Wapping and Rotherhithe were just striking the hour
of mid-day, though they were heard by few above the noisy din of workers
on wharves and ships, as a short stout captain, and a mate with red
whiskers and a pimply nose, stood up in a waterman's boat in the centre
of the river, and gazed at each other in blank astonishment.
"She's gone, clean gone!" murmured the bewildered captain.
"Clean as a whistle," said the mate. "The new hands must ha' run away
with her."
Then the bereaved captain raised his voice, and pronounced a pathetic
and beautiful eulogy upon the departed vessel, somewhat marred by an
appendix in which he consigned the new hands, their heirs, and
descendants, to everlasting perdition.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50