the story of a bad boy-第21节

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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　each　other；　and　dared　not　speak。

Absorbed　in　following　the　course　of　the　boat；　we　had　scarcely　noticed　the　huddled　inky　clouds　that　sagged　down　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　tempest…the　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　each　other　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　fell　to　crying；　the　three　of　us；　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　suddenly；　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　seen…it　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　length；　clutching　my　hand；　〃don't　you　see　things…out　there…in　the　dark？'　20

〃Yes；　yes…Binny　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　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　light…house　on　Mackerel　Reef；　which　lay　directly　in　the　course　the　boat　bad　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　lifeboat；　and　had　rescued　several　people。　Who　could　tell？

Such　were　the　questions　we　asked　ourselves　again　and　again；　as　we　lay　in　each　other's　arms　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　bad　chilled　us　to　the　bone。　To　keep　warm；　we　lay　huddled　together　so　closely　that　we　could　bear　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　don't　know　what　would　have　become　of　us　at　this　crisis；　if　it　hadn't　been　for　that　omnipresent　bottle　of　hot　stuff。　We　poured　the　stinging　liquid　over　our　sugar；　which　bad　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　sea…no　longer　raging　like　a　maniac…sobbed　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　bear　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　on　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　from　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　people　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　beard　of　them。　It　turned　out　that　the　pleasure…seekers　saw　their　danger　in　time；　and　ran　ashore　on　one　of　the　least　exposed　islands；　where　they　passed　the　night。　Shortly　after　our　own　arrival　they　appeared　off　Rivermouth；　much　to　the　joy　of　their　friends；　in　two　shattered；　dismasted　boats。

The　excitement　over；　I　was　in　a　forlorn　state；　physically　and　mentally。　Captain　Nutter　put　me　to　bed　between　hot　blankets；　and　sent　Kitty　Collins　for　the　doctor。　I　was　wandering　in　my　mind；　and　fancied　myself　still　on　Sandpeep　Island：　now　we　were　building　our　brick…stove　to　cook　the　chowder；　and；　in　my　de