"I think, Master," said Kari, "that some have entered the sun-room at
your house."
I nodded and watched the men who galloped and waved. For some minutes I
watched them till suddenly I saw that the ship was altering her course
so that her bow pointed first one way and then another, as though she
were no longer being steered. We ran aft to learn the cause, and found
this.
That crew of dastards, every man of them and the captain with them, had
drawn up the boat in which Kari and I came aboard, that was still tied
to the ship's stern, and slid down the rope into her, purposing to
win ashore before it was too late. Kari smiled as though he were not
astonished, but in my rage I shouted at them, calling them curs and
traitors. I think that the captain heard my words for I saw him turn
his head and look away as though in shame, but not the others. They were
engaged in hunting for the oars, only to find them gone, for it would
seem that they had been washed or had fallen overboard.
Then they tried to set some kind of sail by aid of a boathook, but while
they were doing this, the boat, which had drifted side on to the great
waves raised by the gale upon the face of the broad river, overturned.
Pages:
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188