hard cash-第55章

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aptain；　you　saw　the　rate　we　passed　the　revenue　cutter。　That　vessel　was　nearly　stationary；　so　what　we　passed　her　at　was　our　own　rate　of　drifting；　and　our　least　rate。　Putting　all　this　together；　we　can't　be　many　miles　from　the　French　coast；　and；　unless　we　look　sharp　and　beat　to　windward；　I　pronounce　the　ship　in　danger。〃

A　horselaugh　greeted　this　conclusion。

〃We　are　nearer　Yarmouth　sands　than　France；　I　promise　you；　and　nothing　under　our　lee　nearer　than　Rotterdam。〃

A　loud　cry　from　the　deck　above；　〃A　LIGHT　ON　THE　LEE　BOW！〃

〃There！〃　cried　Robarts　with　an　oath：　〃foul　of　_her_　next！　through　me　listening　to　your　nonsense。　He　ran　upon　deck；　and　shouted　through　his　trumpet；　〃All　hands　wear　ship！〃

The　crew；　who　had　heard　the　previous　cry；　obeyed　orders　in　the　presence　of　an　immediate　danger；　and　perhaps　their　growl　had　really　relieved　their　ill…humour。　Robarts　with　delight　saw　them　come　tumbling　up；　and　gave　his　orders　lustily：　〃Brail　up　the　trysel！　up　with　the　helm！　in　with　the　weather　main　brace！　square　the　after　yards！〃

The　ship's　bow　turned　from　the　wind；　and；　as　soon　as　she　got　way　on　her；　Robarts　ran　below　again；　and　entered　the　cabin　triumphant

〃That　is　all　right：　and　now；　Captain　Dodd；　a　word　with　you。　You　will　either　retire　at　once　to　your　cabin；　or　will　cease　to　breed　disaffection　in　my　crew；　and　groundless　alarm　in　my　passengers；　by　instilling　your　own　childish；　ignorant　fears。　The　ship　has　been　underlogged　a　hundred　miles；　sir；　and　but　for　my　caution　in　lying　to　for　clear　weather　we　should　be　groping　among　the　Fern　Isl〃

CRASH！

An　unheard…of　shock　threw　the　speaker　and　all　the　rest　in　a　mass　on　the　floor；　smashed　every　lamp；　put　out　every　light；　and；　with　a　fierce　grating　noise；　the　ship　was　hard　and　fast　on　the　French　coast；　with　her　stern　to　the　sea。

One　awful　moment　of　silence；　then；　amidst　shrieks　of　agony；　the　sea　struck　her　like　a　rolling　rock；　solid　to　crush；　liquid　to　drown；　and　the　comb　of　a　wave　smashed　the　cabin　windows　and　rushed　in　among　them　as　they　floundered　on　the　floor；　and　wetted　and　chilled　them　to　the　marrow。　A　voice　in　the　dark　cried；　〃O　God！　we　are　dead　men。〃


CHAPTER　XIV

〃ON　deck　for　your　lives！〃　cried　Dodd；　forgetting　in　that　awful　moment　he　was　not　the　captain；　and　drove　them　all　up；　Robarts　included；　and　caught　hold　of　Mrs。　Beresford　and　Freddy　at　their　cabin　door　and　half　carried　them　with　him。　Just　as　they　got　on　deck　the　third　wave；　a　high　one；　struck　the　ship　and　lifted　her　bodily　up；　canted　her　round；　and　dashed　her　down　again　some　yards　to　leeward；　throwing　them　down　on　the　hard　and　streaming　deck。

At　this　tremendous　shock　the　ship　seemed　a　live　thing；　shrieking　and　wailing；　as　well　as　quivering　with　the　blow。

But　one　voice　dissented　loudly　from　the　general　dismay。　〃All　right　men；〃　cried　Dodd；　firm　and　trumpet…like。　〃She　is　broadside　on　now。　Captain　Robarts；　look　alive；　sir；　speak　to　the　men！　don't　go　to　sleep！〃

Robarts　was　in　a　lethargy　of　fear。　At　this　appeal　he　started　into　a　fury　of　ephemeral　courage。　〃Stick　to　the　ship；〃　he　yelled；　〃there　is　no　danger　if　you　stick　to　the　ship；〃　and　with　this　snatched　a　life…buoy；　and　hurled　himself　into　the　sea。

Dodd　caught　up　the　trumpet　that　fell　from　his　hand　and　roared；　〃I　command　this　ship。　Officers　come　round　me！　Men　to　your　quarters！　Come；　bear　a　hand　here　and　fire　a　gun。　That　will　show　us　where　we　are；　and　let　the　Frenchmen　know。〃

The　carronade　was　fired；　and　its　momentary　flash　revealed　that　the　ship　was　ashore　in　a　little　bay；　the　land　abeam　was　low　and　some　eighty　yards　off；　but　there　was　something　black　and　rugged　nearer　the　ship's　stern。

Their　situation　was　awful。　To　windward　huge　black　waves　rose　like　tremendous　ruins；　and　came　rolling；　fringed　with　devouring　fire；　and　each　wave　as　it　charged　them；　curled　up　to　an　incredible　height　and　dashed　down　on　the　doomed　shipsolid　to　crush；　liquid　to　drown　with　a　ponderous　stroke　that　made　the　poor　souls　stagger；　and　sent　a　sheet　of　water　so　clean　over　her　that　part　fell　to　leeward；　and　only　part　came　down　on　deck；　foretaste　of　a　watery　death；　and　each　of　these　fearful　blows　drove　the　groaning；　trembling　vessel　farther　on　the　sand；　bumping　her　along　as　if　she　had　been　but　a　skiff。

Now　it　was　men　showed　their　inner　selves。

Seeing　Death　so　near　on　one　hand；　and　a　chance　of　escape　on　the　other；　seven　men　proved　unable　to　resist　the　two　great　passions　of　Fear　and　Hope　on　a　scale　so　gigantic　and　side　by　side。　Bayliss；　a　midshipman；　and　five　sailors　stole　the　only　available　boat　and　lowered　her。

She　was　swamped　in　a　moment

Many　of　the　crew　got　to　the　rum；　and　stupefied　themselves　to　their　destruction。

Others　rallied　round　their　old　captain；　and　recovered　their　native　courage　at　the　brave　and　hopeful　bearing　he　wore　over　a　heart　full　of　anguish。　He　worked　like　a　horse；　encouraging；　commanding；　doing；　he　loaded　a　carronade　with　a　pound　of　powder　and　a　coil　of　rope；　with　an　iron　bar　attached　to　a　cable；　and　shot　the　rope　and　bar　ashore。

A　gun　was　now　fired　from　the　guard…house；　whose　light　Robarts　had　taken　for　a　ship。　But　no　light　being　shown　any　nearer　on　the　coast；　and　the　ship　expected　every　minute　to　go　to　pieces；　Dodd　asked　if　any　one　would　try　to　swim　ashore　with　a　line　made　fast　to　a　hawser　on　board。

A　sailor　offered　to　go　if　any　other　man　would　risk　his　life　along　with　him。　Instantly　Fullalove　stripped；　and　Vespasian　next

〃Two　is　enough　on　such　a　desperate　errand；〃　said　Dodd　with　a　groan。

But　now　emulation　was　up；　and　neither　Briton；　Yankee；　nor　negro　would　give　way。　A　line　was　made　fast　to　the　sailor's　waist；　and　he　was　lowered　to　leeward；　his　venturesome　rivals　followed。　The　sea　swallowed　those　three　heroes　like　crumbs；　and　small　was　the　hope　of　life　for　them。

The　three　heroes　being　first…rate　swimmers　and　divers；　and　going　with　the　tide；　soon　neared　the　shore　on　the　ship's　lee　quarter；　but　a　sight　of　it　was　enough：　to　attempt　to　land　on　that　rock　with　such　a　sea　on　was　to　get　their　skulls　smashed　like　eggshells　in　a　moment。　They　had　to　coast　it；　looking　out　for　a　soft　place。

They　found　one；　and　tried　to　land；　but　so　irresistible　was　the　suction　of　the　retiring　wave；　that；　whenever　they　got　foot　on　the　sand；　and　tried　to　run；　they　were　wrenched　out　to　sea　again；　and　pounded　black　and　blue　and　breathless　by　the　curling　breaker　they　met　coming　in。

After　a　score　of　vain　efforts；　the　negro；　throwing　himself　on　his　back；　went　in　with　a　high　wave；　and；　on　touching　the　sand；　turned；　dug　all　his　ten　claws　into　it　clenched　his　teeth；　and　scrambled　like　a　cat　at　a　wall。　Having　more　power　in　his　toes　than　the　Europeans；　and　luckily　getting　one　hand　on　a　firm　stone；　his　prodigious　strength　just　enabled　him　to　stick　first　while　the　wave　went　back；　and　then；　seizing　the　moment；　he　tore　himself　ashore；　but　bleeding　and　bruised　all　over；　and　with　a　tooth　actually　broken　by　clenching　in　the　convulsive　struggle。

He　found　some　natives　dancing　about　in　violent　agitation　with　a　rope；　but　afraid　to　go　in　and　help　him；　and　no　wonder；　not　being　seagulls。　By　the　light　of　their　lanterns；　he　saw　Fullalove　washing　in　and　out　like　a　log。　He　seized　one　end　of　the　rope；　and　dashed　in　and　grabbed　his　friend；　and　they　were　hauled　ashore　together；　both　breathless；　and　Fullalove　speechless

The　negro　looked　round　for　the　sailor；　but　could　not　see　him。　Soon；　however；　there　was　a　cry　from　some　more　natives　about　fifty　yards　off　and　laterns　held　up；　away　he　dashed　with　the　rope　just　in　time　to　see　Jack　make　a　last　gallant　attempt　to　land。　It　ended　in　his　being　flung　up　like　a　straw　into　the　air　on　the　very　crest　of　a　wave　fifteen　feet　high；　and　out　to　sea　with　his　arms　whirling；　and　a　death　shriek　which　was　echoed　by　every　woman　within　hearing。

In　dashed　Vespasian　with　the　rope；　and　gripped　the　drowning　man's　long　hair　with　his　teeth：　then　jerked　the　rope；　and　they　were　both　pulled　ashore　with　infinite　difficulty。　The　good…natured　Frenchmen　gave　them　all　three　lots　of　_vivats_　and　brandy　and　pats　on　the　back；　and　carried　the　line　for　them　to　a　flagstaff　on　the　rocks　nearer　the　stern　of　the　ship。


The　ship　began　to　show　the　first　signs　of　breaking　up：　hammered　to　death　by　the　sea；　she　discharged　the　oakum　from　her　opening　seams；　and　her　decks　bega