James Fenimore Cooper Jack Tier, Volume 2

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Dry Tortugas. It appeared to be the prevalent opinion among the people, that
the late event foreboded evil to the Swash, and long as most of these men had
served in the brig, and much as they had become attached to her, had she gone
into port that night, nearly every man forward would have run before morning.
But fatigue and wonder, at length, produced their effect, and the vessel was
silent as was usual at that hour. Spike himself lay down in his clothes, as he
had done ever since Mulford had left him; and the brig continued to toss the
spray from her bows, as she bore gallantly up against the trades, working her
way to windward. The light was found to be of great service, as it indicated
the position of the reef, though it gradually sunk in the western horizon,
until near morning it fell entirely below it.
At this hour Spike appeared on deck again, where, for the first time since
their interview on the morning of Harry s and Rose s escape, he laid his eyes
on Jack Tier. The little dumpling-looking fellow was standing in the waist,
with his arms folded sailor-fashion, as composedly as if nothing had occurred
to render his meeting with the captain any way of a doubtful character. Spike
approached near the person of the steward, whom he surveyed from head to foot,
with a sort of contemptuous superiority, ere he spoke.
So, Master Tier, at length the captain commenced, you have deigned to turn
out at last, have you? I hope the day s duty you ve forgotten, will help to
pay for the light-house boat, that I understand you ve lost for me, also.
What signifies a great clumsy boat that the brig could n t hoist in nor
tow, answered Jack, coolly, turning short round at the same time, but not
condescending to uncoil his arms as he did so, a mark of indifference that
would probably have helped to mystify the captain, had he even actually
suspected that anything was wrong beyond the supposed accident to the boat in
question. If you had had the boat astarn, Captain Spike, an order would have
been given to cut it adrift the first time the brig made sail on the wind.
Nobody knows, Jack; that boat would have been very useful to us while at
work about the wreck. You never even turned out this morning to let me know
where that craft lay, as you promised to do, but left us to find it out by our
Page 81
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
wits.
There was no occasion for my tellin you anything about it, sir, when the
mast-heads was to be seen above water. As soon as I heard that them ere
mast-heads was out of water, I turned over and went to sleep upon it. A man
can t be on the doctor s list and on duty at the same time.
Spike looked hard at the little steward, but he made no further allusion to
his being off duty, or to his failing to stand pilot to the brig as she came
through the passage in quest of the schooner s remains. The fact was, that he
had discovered the mast-heads himself, just as he was on the point of ordering
Jack to be called, having allowed him to remain in his berth to the last
moment after his watch, according to a species of implied faith that is seldom
disregarded among seamen. Once busied on the wreck, Jack was forgotten, having
little to do in common with any one on board, but that which the captain
termed the women s mess.
Come aft, Jack, resumed Spike, after a considerable pause, during the whole
of which he had stood regarding the little steward as if studying his person,
and through that his character. Come aft to the trunk; I wish to catechise
you a bit.
Catechise! repeated Tier, in an under tone, as he followed the captain to
the place mentioned. It s a long time since I ve done anything atthat!
Ay, come hither, resumed Spike, seating himself at his ease on the trunk,
while Jack stood near by, his arms still folded, and his rotund little form as
immovable, under the plunges that the lively brig made into the head-seas that
she was obliged to meet, as if a timber-head in the vessel itself. You keep
your sea-legs well, Jack, short as they are.
No wonder for that, Captain Spike; for the last twenty years I ve scarce
passed a twelvemonth ashore; and what I did before that, no one can better
tell than yourself, since we was ten good years shipmates.
So you say, Jack, though I do not rememberyou as well as you seem to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Pokrewne