"You won't
be able to do any good, and the fewer hands there are on deck the
less there will be to be anxious about. I shall only keep four
hands forward after the first burst is over, and they will be
lashed to the shrouds. Purvis will be there with them. Perry and
Andrews will take the helm, and I shall stay with them.
"We have battened the fore hatch down. One of the men will be in
the after cabin, and if I want to hoist the trysail or make any
change I shall give three knocks, and that will be a signal for
them to send half a dozen hands up. They will come through the
saloon and up the companion. We shan't be able to open the fore
hatch."
"Very well, skipper. I will go down when the hands do. We are going
to have it soon."
It was now indeed so dark that he could scarcely see the face of
the man he was speaking to.
"I really think, captain, that I should send some of them down
below at once. If a flash of lightning were to strike the mast, it
would probably go down the shrouds harmlessly, but might do
frightful damage among the men, crowded as they are up here; or it
might blind some of them. Besides, the weight forward is no
trifle.
Pages:
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311