Part 41 (1/2)
”Are you co?” roared the captain
”Ay, ay, sir Below there!” shouted back the Norseman; and with one rapid rasping the line, began to lower hiain there, over and over again, for there was the rigging to pass through; but in a very few seconds the boy was on deck, and the line dropped after him Then the trap was snatched up, Johannes lowered hiht hold of one of the ice-covered stays, and slid down, to catch another lower, and reach the deck in turn He joined the s, ready to cast upon the ice when the terrible nip should coshell or force her up on to the surface, to go on drifting north, while the ice by the great pressure consolidated into a dense block
The captain and doctor had in turn been busy, and brought up guns, rifles, and a peril, had then devoted the circulation to Steve's lower liled to his feet
”Don't--don't mind me,” he cried; ”I--I will be better now”
”Let hiood to exert himself”
”I will stand by the lad, and help him,” said a voice behind the doctor; and he turned sharply to find that Johannes was standing there
”Yes, sir,” he said; ”and I will try to help as well”
These words were hurriedly spoken in whispers, with the lips close to each listener's ear, for their terrible position filled the the while to the hideous crashi+ng and creaking of the ice which ht, and--slowly now-- caainst the cliff-like floe soht on their left For there was that difference in the walls of their prison: they had been gliding along by the side of a vast field whose ht had increased in speed, and at ti as if in a flooded river of enormous size
And now noat the ice cliff on their left, as ifnaturally into three parties--one to the shrouds of each of the three masts, ready to ascend and leap from the ratlines on to the surface of the ice, so up their reat yard of the big square-sail, and drop froht was common to all, and that was to reach the ice The provisions which had been hastily brought on deck lay where they had been placed ast the remains of the powdery snohich had not melted in the sun's rays; and even then in those terrible s ht to hi canal did co the shi+p, not ato help keep himself alive
”Mr Steve--doctor!” said Johannes suddenly, ”there will be a rush for the shrouds when the nip comes, and it will be every man for himself”
”Yes, of course,” said Mr Handsob
”Let theo that way; you both follow me”
”Where?” said Steve huskily
”For that boat;” and he nodded toward the one swinging from the davits on the port side
”What for, man?” said the doctor coldly ”The boat must be crushed, like the shi+p”
”Not before I have had ti the distance, and I can do it and reach down to lend you both a hand up”
”Hah! Yes!” exclai the cold and nu a way to escape ”But the captain--tell him”
”There is no need,” said the Norseman; ”he is cleverer than I, and will knohat to do Besides, he will not stir till every an Steve
”Don't talk, sir; do as I say,” said the Norse the captain to escape if you leave hi yourself”
”I will do as you say,” replied Steve; but even as he spoke he felt as if it would be cowardly to leave Captain Marshaineer and his fire off with a shriek which rew more horrible as it was confined between the talls of ice, now not fifty yards apart
The water looked wilder than ever where it was not covered with s up as if driven by the current beneath the towering ht; and as they literally darted up they rushed on to hit against the cliff on their left, so the sides of the _Hvalross_ blohich , to co now,” thought Steve; and he glanced up at the boat, and then at the captain, who stood perfectly cal bark fro catching sight of a seal