The Veiled Lady and Other Men and Women by Francis Hopkinson Smith
page 227 of 276 (82%)
page 227 of 276 (82%)
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and the tide making flood, any man who would leave
the protection of the spar buoy for the purpose of unloading was fit for a lunatic asylum. Captain Joe had straightened up and was screening his eyes with his hand when I reached his side, his gaze rivetted on the loosened sloop, which had now hauled in her tether line and was drifting clear of the buoy. The captain was still incredulous. "No, he ain't comin'," he said to me. "He's all right,--he'll port his helm in a minute,--but he'd better send up his jib"--and he swept his eye around, --"and that quick, too." At this instant the sloop wavered and lurched heavily. The outer edge of the insuck had caught her bow. Men's minds work quickly in times of great danger, --minds like Captain Joe's. In a flash he had taken in the fast-approaching roller, froth-capped by the sudden squall; the surging vessel and the scared face of Baxter, who, having realized his mistake was now clutching wildly at the tiller and shouting orders to his men, none of which could be carried out. Captain Joe knew what would happen,--what had happened before, and what would happen again with fools like Baxter,--now,--in a minute,--before he could reach the edge of the stone pile, hampered |
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