"It's as stiff as cold molasses--how are the sick ones?"
The boy saw Deschaillon grin and twirl his pointed mustache in the faint
illumination. "Zay are very numerous," he laughed. But the Gaul had no
sooner swung his weight against the wheel than his grimace vanished.
"Parbleu! Here, Greer, pull zis wheel with me!"
The two men caught the spokes and set their weight to it. Greer remained
silent.
"Zis ees bad!" exclaimed Deschaillon. "Zis wheel will not go around!"
"What's the matter, do you think?" cried Leonard.
"Zee gear ees clogged, I think me."
"Go get a lantern and some men, Hogan--anybody who isn't lifeless. We've
got to do something!"
The Frenchman obeyed, hurrying off into the darkness. Leonard resumed
his place at the wheel with Greer to aid him. But both men could not
swing the big dock around. The tiller was growing utterly unmanageable.
Nearly every dash of foam brought with it biting bits of seaweed now.
The silent Greer endured the whipping without wincing or speaking. Even
in the midst of their work, Leonard found time to wonder why this fellow
had stolen his medicine chest.
Presently the two helmsmen could barely turn the wheel. Madden could
feel the jerking of the cable even through the great mass of pitching
iron. Then the wheel clamped viselike.
Pages:
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55