Part 23 (2/2)
”All right, sorr, I',” said Ti; ”faix I'll go up et none av the hands to volunteer I couldn't order 'eet on a yard with this wind”
”Very good, Rooney, do your best,” replied Mr Mackay ”Only don't run into any danger We can't afford to loose you, bo'sun”
”Troth I'll take care av that sah
”I wants another jollification ashore afore I'd be after losin' the noomber av me mess”
I had co by his side, watched with anxiety Tim's movements
He had no lack of volunteers, however, for the ticklish work of laying out on the yard, Joe Fergusson's previous exa; and, alot for several of the handsthe least dangerous, as there was no chance of their being blown into the sea against the wind
But Tio aloft alone, his stalwart figure being the first to be seen leading the way up the shrouds, with Joe Fergusson close behind, not satisfied apparently with his previous atteht, which just then streamed out full for a few minutes, had their jack-knives between their teeth, ready for any es of the foresail, ”sea-gaskets” having been laced over the regular ones so as to bind the sail tighter to the yard
As they went up, the creere flattened like pancakes against the ratlines; and Mr Mackay and I held our breath when they got on the foot-rope fro on to the yard and jack-stay, with the wind swaying them to and fro in the most perilous erous position, as he ht be swept off in an instant into the foa at hiusson worked his way out to the end of the weather yard- ar step he took
Then, when all were at their posts, Tinal to the four others whoaskets were severed, parties ofon the sheets by degrees By thisbeen double-reefed fortunately before being furled, was set satisfactorily, without a split as all of us below expected, the hands getting down fro the tack aboard
The effect of this additional sail power on the shi+p washer plunge h the billowy ocean, now all covered with foa the bit between his teeth and bolting
”She wants so over the poop rail, although he held on tightly enough to it the while, and calling out to Mr Mackay, who remained with et so up”
Mr Mackay ments of the main trysail, which, it may be remembered, had been carried away by the first blast of the typhoon
”Aye,” roared back ”Old Jock,” understanding hi that if the first mate had spoken he couldn't have heard a word he said, froone, but try a staysail”
”Bedad, he bates Bannagher!” said Tim Rooney, who had returned aft and joined Mr Mackay and I under the break of the poop, where ere sheltered ale ”I niver did say sich a chap for carryin' on, fair weather an' foul, loike 'Ould Jock Sayins an'
Mayins' Sure, he wants to be there afore hi up a stor at the other's reot Ask Adams, he'll soon find one; and, mind you, send it up 'wift' fashi+on, so as to lessen the risk of its getting bloay, bosun”
”Aye, aye, sorr,” said Ti a sail like a pilot's signal, and starting to work his way forward again along the weather side of the deck ”Begorra, you're the boy, sure, Misther Mackay, for sayin' through a stone hidge as well as e succeeded all the sa the vessel, which did not roll nearly so much when the after sail was hoisted, with the sheet hauled in to leeward; although, the Silver Queen bent over when she felt it, as if running on a bowline, notwithstanding that the as alht caether and the sky becory clouds; while heavy showers of cold rain pelted down on us at intervals froht till ”four bells” in the middle watch
Then the rain ceased and the heavens cleared a bit, a few stars peeping out; and the phosphorescent light fro waves around us, still heaving and tossing as far as the eye could reach, although the as perceptibly lessening
An hour later its force had fallen to that of a strong breeze, and the captain had the topsails andon still full pitch to the north-east, notwithstanding that just before dawn it becath ahead
The starboard watch had been relieved shortly before this, but Mr Saunders remained up, as indeed had most of us since the previous afternoon; while Captain Gillespie, indeed, never left the deck once since the first suspicion of the typhoon
He noned, however, the long strain and fatigue beginning to tell on hi to Mr Mackay, all a carried his point of ”carrying on”
successfully in spite of the first mate's caution, he reht and ers, and it'll puzzle those blessed pirates, if they're yet in the land of the living, to find us at daybreak!”
Just as he uttered these words, however, there was a tremendous shock forwards that threw us all off our feet, succeeded by a peculiar grating feeling under the shi+p's keel, after which, her heaving and rolling ceased as if she had suddenly sailed from amidst the waves into the calm water of some sheltered harbour A second shock followed soon, but not so violent as the first; and then, all round!” snorted out ”Old Jock,” scra to his feet by the assistance of Mr Saunders' outstretched hand ”Where on earth can we've got to? there's no land here”
Mr Mackay said nothing, although he had his suspicions, which indeed had led in the original instance to his re the shi+p to rush onillumined the eastern sky and ere able to see the shi+p's position, a sudden cry of alarnition burst from both--