Part 30 (1/2)
Mark thought of his previous experience in an open boat, as he looked at their position, lying there with a crew suffering from the effects of their encounter--two men seriously injured, and neither provisions nor water As to weapons, some of the men had preserved theirs, but others were unarmed
Tom Fillot watched his officer as he looked round, and then ventured an observation
”Looks lively, sir, don't it?”
”It's horrible, Toht, sir, and we're ready Four on us can take an oar well enough, if you'll give the word”
”Wetill we come to a stream”
”Not row out after the shi+p, sir?”
”Without food or water? Have you forgotten our last trip?” cried Mark
”No, sir, and never shall forget it,” said the ht, sir, of course Water wean officer with you, clever as you may think yourself”
Fivesteadily toward the land, while Mark rejoiced at the only piece of good fortune he had encountered since the previous night when he lay down, and that was in the fact that to get rid of the party who had captured the schooner, the slaver captain had not scrupled to send theht, swift, strong, and aded the shore
Mark's ti his patients, and keeping a look-out for an inlet into which the boat could be run So as not to weary the one south soht not to turn back, when there were signs ahead of the ns proved to be correct, and in half an hour the boat was steered into a narrow canal-like channel arowth, , drank eagerly of the swiftly rushi+ng water, forgetting its muddiness in the delicious coolness it i officer busied the trees, in bathing the heads of the two sufferers, in each case winning for reward sighs of satisfaction and content
”Hah!” ejaculated To down his face close to the water, and drinking for some time like a horse, he sat up with a tin baler in his hands, sipping fro comments for his comrades to hear
He had tried to smile, but the effort consequent upon the state of his swollen face was too painful, and he gave that up
”Yer health,us all out of our difficulties”
He took another sip of the muddy fluid, and nodded as he passed the tin to the next man
”Drink hearty,like water Reg'lar strong slab stuff as has got plenty o' victuals in it as well as drink Reg'lar meaty water, like soup”
”Why, it's on'y mud, mate,” said the man who held the tin; ”hadn't we better let it settle?”
”What for? Drink, my hearty What's mud but dust o' the earth made wet? Well, we're all made o' the dust o' the earth, ain't we, and consequently wet dust's just the stuff to ain
Deal better than salt junk and pickled pig and biscuit, I can tell yer
There, tip it up It's wonderful filling at the price”
The hed, and emptied the baler
”'Tarn't bad, mate,” he said, as he leaned over the side to refill the tin
”Bad? I should think not I feel like a noo rinning ”I shouldn't ha' knowed you with that boiled duff fizz-et?”