Hishht, a sea's coming!--I can tell by the lull."
Then the two landsmen cowered involuntarily, and looked in each other's
eyes with a wild surmise, for a shock came which made the vessel quiver
like a tuning-fork in every fibre; the very pannikins on the cabin floor
rattled, and all the things in the pantry went like rapidly chattering
teeth. It was not like an ordinary blow of the sea. The skipper rushed
aft, hoping to get on deck through Ferrier's cabin, but he met a
cataract of water which blinded him, and he came back saying, "I doubt
her deck won't stand another like that. Now, gentlemen, it's for you to
decide."
"Skipper, send Bill up to help me with the boat. That last's drove her
abreast the skylight."
The one look-out man had saved himself. How, only a smacksman can tell.
The skipper came down again.
"Now, gentlemen, shall I run or not?" "Well, skipper, if we get through
this we shall be more needed than ever."
"Yes, sir; but if that last sea hadn't glanced a bit on our starboard
bow, we _shouldn't_ have got through. We've saved the boat, but she was
snapped from the grips like a rotten tooth."
"But, skipper, we may be pooped in running, or we may do some damage to
the rudder and broach-to. Then we should be worse off than here."
"Very well, gentlemen. I'm not concerned for myself. My duty's done now,
and I'll do my best. I advise you to take some coffee, and try to get a
few hours' rest before the pinch comes.
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