The Firm of Girdlestone eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 517 pages of information about The Firm of Girdlestone.

The Firm of Girdlestone eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 517 pages of information about The Firm of Girdlestone.

“I think as we are overhaulin’ of them,” remarked the boy.

“We’re doing that,” his father answered.  “The question is, will we get near enough to stop ’em afore they gets off on the next tack?”

The old merchant was standing in the bows waving the signal in the air.  His son sprang up beside him and flourished his handkerchief.  “They don’t look more than half a mile off.  Let us shout together.”  The two blended their voices in a hoarse roar, which was taken up by the boatman and his son.  “Once again!” cried Ezra; and again their shout resounded over the sea—­a long-drawn cry it was, with a ring of despair and of sorrow.  Still the barque kept steadily on her way.

“If they don’t go about we shall catch them,” the fisherman said.  “If they keep on another five minutes we are right.”

“Do you hear that?” Ezra cried to his father; and they both shouted with new energy and waved their signals.

“They’re goin’ about,” George burst in.  “It’s all up.”  Girdlestone groaned as he saw the mainyard swing back.  They all strained their eyes, waiting for the other to follow.  It remained stationary.

“They have seen us!” cried the fisherman.  “They are waitin’ to pick us up!”

“Then we are saved!” said Ezra, stepping down and wiping the perspiration which poured from his forehead.  “Go down into the cabin, father, and put yourself straight.  You look like a ghost.”

Captain Hamilton Miggs had found the liquor of the Cock and Cowslip so very much to his taste, in spite of its vitriolic peculiarities recorded in a preceding chapter, that he rejoined his ship in a very shaky and demoralized condition.  He was a devout believer in the homoeopathic revelation that like may be cured by like, so he forthwith proceeded to set himself straight by the consumption of an unlimited quantity of ship’s rum.  “What’s the good of having a pilot aboard if I am to keep sober?” he hiccoughed to his mate McPherson.  After which piece of logic he shut himself up in his cabin and roared comic songs all the way from London to Gravesend.  He was so exhausted by his performance that he fell fast asleep, and snored stertorously for fifteen hours, at the end of which time he came on deck and found that the Black Eagle was lying off Deal, and that her anchor was just being hoisted for a start up Channel.

Captain Hamilton Miggs watched the sail-setting with his hands in his pockets, and swore promiscuously at every one, from the mate downwards, in a hearty comprehensive way, which showed a mind that was superior to petty distinctions.  Having run over all the oaths that he could think of, he dived below and helped himself from the rum bottle, a process which appeared to aid his memory or his invention, for he reappeared upon deck and evolved a new many-jointed expletive at the man at the wheel.  He then strode in gloomy majesty up and down the quarter-deck, casting his eyes at the sails and at the clouds in a critical way calculated to impress the crew generally with a sense of their captain’s extraordinary sagacity.

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The Firm of Girdlestone from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.