large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_06_ballou_64kb_2
large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_06_ballou_64kb
English
3098
"Steady, all," said the mate, calmly, as he saw another approaching swell, which he knew must cause the vessel to lift and settle again, and probably this time prove the signal for her final plunge altogether. "Steady, I say, and hold on to the boat stoutly now. Don't let go, ladies, for an instant!" STEADY ALL SAID THE MATE CALMLY AS HE SAW ANOTHER APPROACHING SWELL WHICH HE KNEW MUST CAUSE THE VESSEL TO LIFT AND SETTLE AGAIN AND PROBABLY THIS TIME PROVED THE SIGNAL FOR HER FINAL PLUNGE ALTOGETHER STEADY I SAY AND HOLD ON TO THE BOAT STOUTLY NOW DON'T LET GO LADIES FOR AN INSTANT
me way connect the boat with the wreck, so as to draw them under when the floundering mass should at last go down. The crisis which they now expected seemed strangely protracted, and their fearful suspense was almost unbearable. The mate had placed one of his hands at the bows, another amidships, while himself and the two passengers occupied the stern; the precaution having also been taken to secure the ladies by ropes to the boat. The weather had now entirely moderated, and the sea was comparatively calm, except that now and then a heavy swell would lift the waterlogged craft and surge about the hull, causing it to groan as though conscious of its approaching fate. Moments assumed the length of hours now, and the countenance of each was a picture of agonized suspense and momentary expectation, no one spoke above their breath. Again the heavy swell caused the hull to lurch and pitch until her bows were almost buried, and the water was even with the scuppers--the moment was approaching. ROPE MIGHT IN SOME WAY CONNECT THE BOAT WITH THE WRECK SO AS TO DRAW THEM UNDER WHEN THE FLOUNDERING MASTS SHOULD AT LAST GO DOWN THE CRISIS WHICH THEY NOW EXPECTED SEEMED STRANGELY PROTRACTED AND THEIR FEARFUL SUSPENSE WAS ALMOST UNBEARABLE THE MATE HAD PLACED ONE OF HIS HANDS AT THE BOWS ANOTHER AMIDSHIPS WHILE HIMSELF AND THE TWO PASSENGERS OCCUPIED THE STERN THE PRECAUTION HAVING ALSO BEEN TAKEN TO SECURE THE LADIES BY ROPES TO THE BOAT THE WEATHER HAD NOW ENTIRELY MODERATED AND THE SEA WAS COMPARATIVELY CALM EXCEPT THAT NOW AND THEN A HEAVY SWELL WOULD LIFT THE WATER LOGGED CRAFT AND SURGE ABOUT THE HULL CAUSING IT TO GROAN AS THOUGH CONSCIOUS OF ITS APPROACHING FATE MOMENTS ASSUMED THE LENGTH OF HOURS NOW AND THE COUNTENANCE OF EACH WAS A PICTURE OF AGONIZED SUSPENSE AND MOMENTARY EXPECTATION NO ONE SPOKE ABOVE THEIR BREATH AGAIN THE HEAVY SWELL CAUSED THE HULL TO LURCH AND PITCH UNTIL HER BOWS WERE ALMOST BURIED AND THE WATER WAS EVEN WITH THE SCUPPERS THE MOMENT WAS APPROACHING
large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_06_ballou_64kb
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