Thats your sort, Phila long pull, and a strong pull, and a pull all together, cried Dick Barnes, hurrying forward, with a bundle of garments in his arms. Heres dry clos for him.
Have a care, Phil, shouted Gurney, who stood behind Glynn and held him by the shoulders; itll give way.
Niver a taste, replied the reckless Irishman. But the result proved that Gurney was right, for the words had scarce escaped his lips when the garment parted at the knee, and Phil Briant went crashing back among a heap of tin pannikins, pewter plates, blocks, and cordage. A burst of laughter followed, of course, but the mens spirits were too much roused to be satisfied with this, so they converted the laugh into a howl, and prolonged it into a cheer; as if their comrade had successfully performed a difficult and praiseworthy deed.
Hold on, lads, cried Glynn. Im used up, I cant stand it.
Here you are, shouted Nickel Sling, pushing the men violently aside, and holding a steaming tumbler of hot brandy-and-water under Glynns nose. Down with it; thats the stuff to get up the steam fit to bust yer biler, I calclate.
The men looked on for a moment in silence, while Glynn drank, as if they expected some remarkable chemical change to take place in his constitution.
Och! aint it swate? inquired Phil Briant, who, having gathered himself up, now stood rubbing his shoulder with the fragment of the riven garment. Av I wasnt a taytotaler, its meself would like some of that same.
In a few minutes our hero was divested of his wet garments, rubbed perfectly dry by his kind messmates, and clad in dry costume, after which he felt almost as well as if nothing unusual had happened to him. The men meanwhile cut their jokes at him or at each other as they stood round and watched, assisted, or retarded the process. As for Tim Rokens, who had been in the boat and witnessed the rescue, he stood gazing steadfastly at Glynn without uttering a word, keeping his thumbs the while hooked in the arm-holes of his vest, and his legs very much apart. By degreesas he thought on what had passed, and the narrow escape poor little Ailie had had, and the captains tears, things he had never seen the captain shed before and had not believed the captain to have possessedas he pondered these things, we say, his knotty visage began to work, and his cast-iron chin began to quiver, and his shaggy brows contracted, and his nose, besides becoming purple, began to twist, as if it were an independent member of his face, and he came, in short, to that climax which is familiarly expressed by the words bursting into tears.
But if anybody thinks the act, on the part of Tim Rokens, bore the smallest resemblance to the generally received idea of that sorrowful affection, anybody, we take leave to tell him, is very much mistaken. The bold harpooner did it thushe suddenly unhooked his right hand from the arm-hole of his vest, and gave his right thigh a slap which produced a crack that would have made a small pistol envious; then he uttered a succession of ferocious roars, that might have quite well indicated pain, or grief, or madness, or a drunken cheer, and, un-hooking the left hand, he doubled himself up, and thrust both knuckles into his eyes. The knuckles were wet when he pulled them out of his eyes, but he dried them on his pantaloons, bolted up the hatchway, and rushing up to the man at the wheel, demanded in a voice of thunderHows er head?
Sou-sou-east-and-by-east, replied the man, in some surprise.
Sou-sou-east-and-by-east! repeated Mr Rokens, in a savage growl of authority, as if he were nothing less than the admiral of the Channel Fleet. Thats two points and a half off yer course, sir. Luff, luff, youyou
At this point Tim Rokens turned on his heel, and began to walk up and down the deck as calmly as if nothing whatever had occurred to disturb his equanimity.
The captain wants Glynn Proctor, said the second mate, looking down the fore-hatch.
Ay, ay, sir, answered Glynn, ascending, and going aft.
Ailie wants to see you, Glynn, my boy, said Captain Dunning, as the former entered the cabin; and I want to speak to you myselfto thank you Glynn. Ah, lad! you cant know what a fathers heart feels when Go to her, boy. He grasped the youths hand, and gave it a squeeze that revealed infinitely more of his feelings than could have been done by words.
Glynn returned the squeeze, and opening the door of Ailies private cabin, entered and sat down beside her crib.
Oh, Glynn, I want to speak to you; I want to thank you. I love you so much for jumping into the sea after me, began the child, eagerly, and raising herself on one elbow while she held out her hand.
Ailie, interrupted Glynn, taking her hand, and holding up his finger to impose silence, you obeyed me in the water, and now I insist on your obedience out of the water. If you dont, Ill leave you. Youre still too weak to toss about and speak loud in this way. Lie down, my pet.
Glynn kissed her forehead, and forced her gently back on the pillow.
Well, Ill be good, but dont leave me yet, Glynn. Im much better. Indeed, I feel quite strong. Oh! it was good of you
There you go again.
I love you, said Ailie.
Ive no objection to that, replied Glynn, but dont excite yourself. But tell me, Ailie, how was it that you managed to keep afloat so long? The more I think of it the more I am filled with amazement, and, in fact, Im half inclined to think that God worked a miracle in order to save you.
I dont know, said Ailie, looking very grave and earnest, as she always did when our Makers name happened to be mentioned. Does God work miracles still?
Men say not, replied Glynn.
Im sure I dont quite understand what a miracle is, continued Ailie, although Aunt Martha and Aunt Jane have often tried to explain it to me. Is floating on your back a miracle?
No, said Glynn, laughing; it isnt.
Well, thats the way I was saved. You know, ever since I can remember, I have bathed with Aunt Martha and Aunt Jane, and they taught me how to floatand its so nice, you cant think how nice it isand I can do it so easily now, that I never get frightened. But, oh!when I was tossed over the side of the ship into the sea I was frightened just. I dont think I ever got such a fright. And I splashed about for some time, and swallowed some water, but I got upon my back somehow. I cant tell how it was, for I was too frightened to try to do anything. But when I found myself floating as I used to do long ago, I felt my fear go away a little, and I shut my eyes and prayed, and then it went away altogether; and I felt quite sure you would come to save me, and you did come, Glynn, and I know it was God who sent you. But I became a good deal frightened again when I thought of the sharks, and
Now, Ailie, stop! said Glynn. Youre forgetting your promise, and exciting yourself again.
So she is, and I must order you out, Master Glynn, said the doctor, opening the door, and entering at that moment.
Glynn rose, patted the childs head, and nodded cheerfully as he left the little cabin.
The captain caught him as he passed, and began to reiterate his thanks, when their conversation was interrupted by the voice of Mr Millons, who put his head in at the skylight and saidSquall coming, sir, I think.
So, so, cried the captain, running upon deck. Ive been looking for it. Call all hands, Mr Millons, and take in sailevery rag, except the storm-trysails.