the cruise of the dolphin-第2章

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blow；　and　we'll　be　as　snug　as　a　bug　in　a　rug；　here　in　the　tent；
particularly　if　we　have　that　lemonade　which　some　of　you　fellows
were　going　to　make。

By　an　oversight；　the　lemons　had　been　left　in　the　boat。　Binny
Wallace　volunteered　to　go　for　them。

〃Put　an　extra　stone　on　the　painter；　Binny；〃　said　Adams；　calling
after　him；　〃it　would　be　awkward　to　have　the　Dolphin　give　us　the
slip　and　return　to　port　minus　her　passengers。〃　

〃That　it　would；〃　answered　Binny；　scrambling　down　the　rocks。

Sandpeep　Island　is　diamond…shapedone　point　running　out　into　the
sea；　and　the　other　looking　towards　the　town。　Our　tent　was　on　the
river…side。　Though　the　Dolphin　was　also　on　the　same　side；　she　lay
out　of　sight　by　the　beach　at　the　farther　extremity　of　the　island。

Binny　Wallace　had　been　absent　five　or　six　minutes　when　we　heard　him
calling　our　several　names　in　tones　that　indicated　distress　or
surprise；　we　could　not　tell　which。　Our　first　thought　was；　〃The　boat
has　broken　adrift！〃

We　sprung　to　our　feet　and　hastened　down　to　the　beach。　On　turning
the　bluff　which　hid　the　mooring…place　from　our　view；　we　found　the
conjecture　correct。　Not　only　was　the　Dolphin　afloat；　but　poor
little　Binny　Wallace　was　standing　in　the　bows　with　his　arms
stretched　helplessly　towards　usdrifting　out　to　sea！

〃Head　the　boat　inshore！〃　shouted　Phil　Adams。

Wallace　ran　to　the　tiller；　but　the　slight　cockle…shell　merely　swung
round　and　drifted　broadside　on。　Oh；　if　we　had　but　left　a　single
scull　in　the　Dolphin！

〃Can　you　swim　it？〃　cried　Adams　desperately；　using　his　hand　as　a
speaking…trumpet；　for　the　distance　between　the　boat　and　the　island
widened　momently。

Binny　Wallace　looked　down　at　the　sea；　which　was　covered　with　white
caps；　and　made　a　despairing　gesture。　He　knew；　and　we　knew；　that　the
stoutest　swimmer　could　not　live　forty　seconds　in　those　angry
waters。

A　wild；　insane　light　came　into　Phil　Adam's　eyes；　as　he　stood　knee…
deep　in　the　boiling　surf；　and　for　an　instant　I　think　he　meditated
plunging　into　the　ocean　after　the　receding　boat。

The　sky　darkened；　and　an　ugly　look　stole　rapidly　over　the　broken
surface　of　the　sea。

Binny　Wallace　half　rose　from　his　seat　in　the　stern；　and　waved　his
hand　to　us　in　token　of　farewell。　In　spite　of　the　distance；
increasing　every　moment；　we　could　see　his　face　plainly。　The　anxious
expression　it　wore　at　first　had　passed。　It　was　pale　and　meek　now；
and　I　love　to　think　there　was　a　kind　of　halo　about　it；　like　that
which　painters　place　around　the　forehead　of　a　saint。　So　he　drifted
away。

The　sky　grew　darker　and　darker。　It　was　only　by　straining　our　eyes
through　the　unnatural　twilight　that　we　could　keep　the　Dolphin　in
sight。　The　figure　of　Binny　Wallace　was　no　longer　visible；　for　the
boat　itself　had　dwindled　to　a　mere　white　dot　on　the　black　water。
Now　we　lost　it；　and　our　hearts　stopped　throbbing；　and　now　the　speck
appeared　again；　for　an　instant；　on　the　crest　of　a　high　wave。

Finally　it　went　out　like　a　spark；　and　we　saw　it　no　more。　Then　we
gazed　at　one　another；　and　dared　not　speak。

Absorbed　in　following　the　course　of　the　boat；　we　had　scarcely
noticed　the　huddled　inky　clouds　that　sagged　heavily　all　around　us。
From　these　threatening　masses；　seamed　at　intervals　with　pale
lightning；　there　now　burst　a　heavy　peal　of　thunder　that　shook　the
ground　under　our　feet。　A　sudden　squall　struck　the　sea；　ploughing
deep　white　furrows　into　it；　and　at　the　same　instant　a　single
piercing　shriek　rose　above　the　tempestthe　frightened　cry　of　a
gull　swooping　over　the　island。　How　it　startled　us！

It　was　impossible　any　longer　to　keep　our　footing　on　the　beach。　The
wind　and　the　breakers　would　have　swept　us　into　the　ocean　if　we　had
not　clung　to　one　another　with　the　desperation　of　drowning　men。
Taking　advantage　of　a　momentary　lull；　we　crawled　up　the　sands　on
our　hands　and　knees；　and；　pausing　in　the　lee　of　the　granite　ledge
to　gain　breath；　returned　to　the　camp；　where　we　found　that　the　gale
had　snapped　all　the　fastenings　of　the　tent　but　one。　Held　by　this；
the　puffed…out　canvas　swayed　in　the　wind　like　a　balloon。　It　was　a
task　of　some　difficulty　to　secure　it；　which　we　did　by　beating　down
the　canvas　with　the　oars。

After　several　trials；　we　succeeded　in　setting　up　the　tent　on　the
leeward　side　of　the　ledge。　Blinded　by　the　vivid　flashes　of
lightning；　and　drenched　by　the　rain；　which　fell　in　torrents；　we
crept；　half　dead　with　fear　and　anguish；　under　our　flimsy　shelter。
Neither　the　anguish　nor　the　fear　was　on　our　own　account；　for　we
were　comparatively　safe；　but　for　poor　little　Binny　Wallace；　driven
out　to　sea　in　the　merciless　gale。　We　shuddered　to　think　of　him　in
that　frail　shell；　drifting　on　and　on　to　his　grave；　the　sky　rent
with　lightning　over　his　head；　and　the　green　abysses　yawning　beneath
him。　We　suddenly　fell　to　crying；　and　cried　I　know　not　how　long。

Meanwhile　the　storm　raged　with　augmented　fury。　We　were　obliged　to
hold　on　to　the　ropes　of　the　tent　to　prevent　it　blowing　away。　The
spray　from　the　river　leaped　several　yards　up　the　rocks　and　clutched
at　us　malignantly。　The　very　island　trembled　with　the　concussions　of
the　sea　beating　upon　it；　and　at　times　I　fancied　that　it　had　broken
loose　from　its　foundation　and　was　floating　off　with　us。　The
breakers；　streaked　with　angry　phosphorus；　were　fearful　to　look　at。

The　wind　rose　higher　and　higher；　cutting　long　slits　in　the　tent；
through　which　the　rain　poured　incessantly。　To　complete　the　sum　of
our　miseries；　the　night　was　at　hand。　It　came　down　abruptly；　at
last；　like　a　curtain；　shutting　in　Sandpeep　Island　from　all　the
world。

It　was　a　dirty　night；　as　the　sailors　say。　The　darkness　was
something　that　could　be　felt　as　well　as　seenit　pressed　down　upon
one　with　a　cold；　clammy　touch。　Gazing　into　the　hollow　blackness；
all　sorts　of　imaginable　shapes　seemed　to　start　forth　from　vacancy
brilliant　colors；　stars；　prisms；　and　dancing　lights。　What　boy；
lying　awake　at　night；　has　not　amused　or　terrified　himself　by
peopling　the　spaces　around　his　bed　with　these　phenomena　of　his　own
eyes？

〃I　say；〃　whispered　Fred　Langdon；　at　last；　clutching　my　hand；　〃don't
you　see　thingsout　therein　the　dark？〃

〃Yes；　yesBinny　Wallace's　face！〃

I　added　to　my　own　nervousness　by　making　this　avowal；　though　for　the
last　ten　minutes　I　had　seen　little　besides　that　star…pale　face　with
its　angelic　hair　and　brows。　First　a　slim　yellow　circle；　like　the
nimbus　round　the　dark　moon；　took　shape　and　grew　sharp　against　the
darkness；　then　this　faded　gradually；　and　there　was　the　Face；
wearing　the　same　sad；　sweet　look　it　wore　when　he　waved　his　hand　to
us　across　the　awful　water。　This　optical　illusion　kept　repeating
itself。

〃And　I　too；〃　said　Adams。〃　I　see　it　every　now　and　then；　outside
there。　What　wouldn't　I　give　if　it　really　was　poor　little　Wallace
looking　in　at　us！　O　boys；　how　shall　we　dare　to　go　back　to　the　town
without　him？　I've　wished　a　hundred　times；　since　we've　been　sitting
here；　that　I　was　in　his　place；　alive　or　dead！〃

We　dreaded　the　approach　of　morning　as　much　as　we　longed　for　it。　The
morning　would　tell　us　all。　Was　it　possible　for　the　Dolphin　to
outride　such　a　storm？　There　was　a　lighthouse　on　Mackerel　Reef；
which　lay　directly　in　the　course　the　boat　had　taken　when　it
disappeared。　If　the　Dolphin　had　caught　on　this　reef；　perhaps　Binny
Wallace　was　safe。　Perhaps　his　cries　had　been　heard　by　the　keeper　of
the　light。　The　man　owned　a　life…boat；　and　had　rescued　several
persons。　Who　could　tell？

Such　were　the　questions　we　asked　ourselves　again　and　again；　as　we
lay　huddled　together　waiting　for　daybreak。　What　an　endless　night　it
was！　I　have　known　months　that　did　not　seem　so　long。

Our　position　was　irksome　rather　than　perilous；　for　the　day　was
certain　to　bring　us　relief　from　the　town；　where　our　prolonged
absence；　together　with　the　storm；　had　no　doubt　excited　the
liveliest　alarm　for　our　safety。　But　the　cold；　the　darkness；　and　the
suspense　were　hard　to　bear。

Our　soaked　jackets　had　chilled　us　to　the　bone。　In　order　to　keep
warm　we　lay　so　closely　that　we　could　hear　our　hearts　beat　above　the
tumult　of　sea　and　sky。

After　a　while　we　grew　very　hungry；　not　having　broken　our　fast　since
early　in　the　day。　The　rain　had　turned　the　hard…tack　into　a　sort　of
dough；　but　it　was　better　than　nothing。

We　used　to　laugh　at　Fred　Langdon　for　always　carrying　in　his　pocket
a　small　vial　of　essence　of　peppermint　or　sassafras；　a　few　drops　of
which；　sprinkled　on　a　lump　of　loaf…sugar；　he　seemed　to　consider　a
great　luxury。　I　do　not　know　what　would　have　become　of　us　at　this
crisis　if　it　had　not　been　for　that　omnipresent　bottle　of　hot　stuff。
We　poured　the　stinging　liquid　over　our　sugar；　which　had　kept　dry　in
a　sardine…box；　and　warmed　ourselves　with　frequent　doses。

After　four　or　five　hours　the　rain　ceased；　the　wind　died　away　to　a
moan；　and　the　seano　longer　raging　like　a　maniacsobbed　and
sobbed　with　a　piteous　human　voice　all　along　the　coast。　And　well　it
might；　after　that　night's　work。　Twelve　sail　of　the　Gloucester
fishing　fleet　had　gone　down　with　every　soul　on　board；　just　outside
of　Whale's…Back　Light。　Think　of　the　wide　grief　that　follows　in　the
wake　of　one　wreck；　then　think　of　the　despairing　women　who　wrung
their　hands　and　wept；　the　next　morning；　in　the　streets　of
Gloucester；　Marblehead；　and　Newcastle！

Though　our　strength　was　nearly　spent；　we　were　too　cold　to　sleep。
Once　I　sunk　into　a　troubled　doze；　when　I　seemed　to　hear　Charley
Marden's　parting　words；　only　it　was　the　Sea　that　said　them。　After
that　I　threw　off　the　drowsiness　whenever　it　threatened　to　overcome
me。

Fred　Langdon　was　the　earliest　to　discover　a　filmy；　luminous　streak
in　the　sky；　the　first　glimmering　of　sunrise。

〃Look；　it　is　nearly　daybreak！〃

While　we　were　following　the　direction　of　his　finger；　a　sound　of
distant　oars　fell　upon　our　ears。

We　listened　breathlessly；　and　as　the　dip　of　the　blades　became　more
audible；　we　discerned　two　foggy　lights；　like　will…o'…the…wisps；
floating　on　the　river。

Running　down　to　the　water's　edge；　we　hailed　the　boats　with　all　our
might。　The　call　was　heard；　for　the　oars　rested　a　moment　in　the
row…locks；　and　then　pulled　in　towards　the　island。

It　was　two　boats　from　the　town；　in　the　foremost　of　which　we　could
now　make　out　the　figures　of　Captain　Nutter　and　Binny　Wallace's
father。　We　shrunk　back　on　seeing　him。

〃Thank　God！〃　cried　Mr。　Wallace　fervently；　as　he　leaped　from　the
wherry　without　waiting　for　the　bow　to　touch　the　beach。

But　when　he　saw　only　three　boys　standing　on　the　sands；　his　eye
wandered　restlessly　about　in　quest　of　the　fourth；　then　a　deadly
pallor　overspread　his　features。

Our　story　was　soon　told。　A　solemn　silence　fell　upon　the　crowd　of
rough　boatmen　gathered　round；　interrupted　only　by　a　stifled　sob
form　one　poor　old　man　who　stood　apart　from　the　rest。

The　sea　was　still　running　too　high　for　any　small　boat　to　venture
out；　so　it　was　arranged　that　the　wherry　should　take　us　back　to
town；　leaving　the　yawl；　with　a　picked　crew；　to　hug　the　island　until
daybreak；　and　then　set　forth　in　search　of　the　Dolphin。

Though　it　was　barely　sunrise　when　we　reached　town；　there　were　a
great　many　persons　assembled　at　the　landing　eager　for　intelligence
from　missing　boats。　Two　picnic　parties　had　started　down　river　the
day　before；　just　previous　to　the　gale；　and　nothing　had　been　hear