Part 38 (1/2)
”Can you get up to the crow's-nest, and make a few observations?”
The , and his eyebrows contracted a little
”Yes,” he said ”Shall I take a glass?”
”There!” cried Steve quickly
”You shall go,” said the captain ”I will send him instead, Johannes”
The man's quiet, stolid erous for the boy, sir,” he said ”The rigging is all ice”
”Yes, but I' to be very careful, Johannes,” cried Steve ”Let lass somehow?”
”Don't take that,” said the captain ”Go to the cabin and fetchthat over your shoulder”
Steve ave the doctor a quick look, and then walked slowly to the cabin door, disappeared, and calass over his arh for the purpose,” said the captain quietly ”Now listen: what I want to know is in what directions the lanes of open water lead You will have an excellent view froht up to the land”
”Yes, I see,” said Steve quietly; and he was about to take off his gloves
”Stop! What are you going to do?” cried the captain
”Take off loves I can hold on so much better”
”And perhaps leave the skin of your hands on the ropes You do not feel the cold much now because the air is perfectly still and the sun shi+ning brightly; but the loves on, and be slow and careful Now go”
Steve started oncehimself up on to the bulwark, and instantly had his first lesson in the peril of his task, for all at once a foot glided along the top of the bulwark, and then went off and doard But he had taken a good grip of the shrouds and saved hione overboard, and a curious sensation of heat caan to cli hard and thick like the staves of a ladder, while his hold upon he icy ropes ard and strange And now he began to awaken to the fact that the job was a ined it would be, and felt reatest of caution Glancing down as he heard talking in a low, earnest voice below, he saw that Johannes was speaking to the captain; but it did not occur to him that it was about him till he had reached theon by the ropes
”Hadn't I better kick some of these icicles and this snon, sir?” he cried
”Yes; all you can, my lad,” replied the captain
”Stand from below!” Steve shouted And then there was the rattle and crackling of the pieces of ice he broke away, till he had made some clearance; and he was then about to start upward, when he became aware of the fact that Johannes was three parts of the way up to the top where he stood
”Hullo!” he cried, ”what do you want?” and as he spoke he saw that theto keep you co hi the boy's side
”Oh, but it's too bad!” cried Steve hotly ”It's treating ht this line up to tie ht the line up because it ravely; ”and I've coerous”
”And so did you, and asked him to let you come?”
Johannes was silent
”I knew it!” cried Steve ”I do wish you people wouldn't treat me as if I were a baby”