下载辰思小说免费APP
“Ihaveit。”hebrokeout，andranondeck。“Here，boys！”hecried，“wedidn’tcomehereontheeleventh；wecameinhereontheeveningofthesixth，andlayhereeversincebecalmed。Assoonasyou’vedonewiththesechests。”headded，“youcanturntoandrolloutbeefandwaterbreakers；it’lllookmoreshipshape——likeasifweweregettingreadyfortheboatvoyage。”
Andhewasbackagaininamoment，cookingthenewlog。
Goddedaal’swasthencarefullydestroyed，andahuntbeganfortheship’spapers。Ofalltheagoniesofthatbreathlessmorning，thiswasperhapsthemostpoignant。Hereandtherethetwomensearched，cursing，cannoningtogether，streamingwithheat，freezingwithterror。Newswasbawleddowntothemthattheshipwasindeedaman-of-war，thatshewascloseup，thatshewasloweringaboat；andstilltheysoughtinvain。Bywhataccidenttheymissedtheironboxwiththemoneyandaccounts，ishardtofancy；buttheydid。AndthevitaldocumentswerefoundatlastinthepocketofTrent’sshore-goingcoat，wherehehadleftthemwhenlasthecameonboard。
Wickssmiledforthefirsttimethatmorning。“Nonetoosoon。”
saidhe。“Andnowforit！Taketheseothersforme；I’mafraidI’llgetthemmixedifIkeepboth。”
“Whatarethey？”Carthewasked。
“They’retheKirkupandCurrencyLasspapers。”hereplied。
“PrayGodweneed’emagain！”
“Boat’sinsidethelagoon，sir。”haileddownMac，whosatbytheskylightdoingsentrywhiletheothersworked。
“Timewewereondeck，then，Mr。Goddedaal。”saidWicks。
Astheyturnedtoleavethecabin，thecanaryburstintopiercingsong。
“MyGod！”criedCarthew，withagulp，“wecan’tleavethatwretchedbirdtostarve。ItwaspoorGoddedaal’s。”
“Bringtheballythingalong！”criedthecaptain。
Andtheywentondeck。
Anuglybruteofamodernman-of-warlayjustwithoutthereef，nowquiteinert，nowgivingaflaportwowithherpropeller。
Nearerhand，andjustwithin，abigwhiteboatcameskimmingtothestrokeofmanyoars，herensignblowingatthestern。
“Onewordmore。”saidWicks，afterhehadtakeninthescene。
“Mac，you’vebeeninChinaports？Allright；thenyoucanspeakforyourself。TherestofyouIkeptonboardallthetimewewereinHongkong，hopingyouwoulddesert；butyoufooledmeandstucktothebrig。That’llmakeyourlyingcomeeasier。”
Theboatwasnowcloseathand；aboyinthesternsheetswastheonlyofficer，andapooroneplainly，forthemenweretalkingastheypulled。
“ThankGod，they’veonlysentakindofamiddy！”ejaculatedWicks。“Hereyou，Hardy，standfor’ard！I’llhavenodeckhandsonmyquarter-deck。”hecried，andthereproofbracedthewholecrewlikeacolddouche。
Theboatcamealongsidewithperfectneatness，andtheboyofficersteppedonboard，wherehewasrespectfullygreetedbyWicks。
“Youthemasterofthisship？”heasked。
“Yes，sir。”saidWicks。“Trentismyname，andthisistheFlyingScudofHull。”
“Youseemtohavegotintoamess。”saidtheofficer。
“Ifyou’llstepaftwithmehere，I’lltellyouallthereisofit。”
saidWicks。
“Why，man，you’reshaking！”criedtheofficer。
“Sowouldyou，perhaps，ifyouhadbeeninthesameberth。”
returnedWicks；andhetoldthewholestoryoftherottenwater，thelongcalm，thesquall，theseamendrowned；gliblyandhotly；talking，withhisheadinthelion’smouth，likeonepleadinginthedock。IheardthesametalefromthesamenarratorinthesalooninSanFrancisco；andeventhenhisbearingfilledmewithsuspicion。Buttheofficerwasnoobserver。
“Well，thecaptainisinnoendofahurry。”saidhe；“butIwasinstructedtogiveyoualltheassistanceinmypower，andsignalbackforanotherboatifmorehandswerenecessary。
WhatcanIdoforyou？”
“O，wewon’tkeepyounotime。”repliedWickscheerily。
“We’reallready，blessyou——men’schests，chronometer，papersandall。”
“Doyoumeantoleaveher？”criedtheofficer。“Sheseemstometolienicely；can’twegetyourshipoff？”
“Sowecould，andnomistake；buthowwe’retokeepherafloat’sanotherquestion。Herbowsisstovein
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