"Why don't you stop?" he yelled.
"'Cos I can't," wailed the skipper of the Bulldog, as he threaded his
way between a huge steamer and a schooner, who, in avoiding him, were
getting up a little collision on their own account.
"Ahoy, Bulldog! Ahoy!" called the mate. "Stand by to pick us up. We've
got him."
The skipper smiled in an agonised fashion as he shot past, hotly pursued
by his boat. The feeling on board the other craft as they got out of the
way of the Bulldog, and nearly ran down her boat, and then, in avoiding
that, nearly ran down something else, cannot be put into plain English,
but several captains ventured into the domains of the ornamental with
marked success.
"Shut off steam!" yelled the engineer, as the Bulldog went by again.
"Draw the fires, then."
"Who's going to steer while I do it?" bellowed the skipper, as he left
the wheel for a few seconds to try and get a line to throw them.
By this time the commotion in the river was frightful, and the captain's
steering, as he went on his round again, something marvellous to behold.
A strange lack of sympathy on the part of brother captains added to his
troubles. Every craft he passed had something to say to him, busy as
they were, and the remarks were as monotonous as they were insulting.
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