the cruise of the dolphin-第3节

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which　lay　directly　in　the　course　the　boat　had　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　life…boat；　and　had　rescued　several
persons。　Who　could　tell？

Such　were　the　questions　we　asked　ourselves　again　and　again；　as　we
lay　huddled　together　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　had　chilled　us　to　the　bone。　In　order　to　keep
warm　we　lay　so　closely　that　we　could　hear　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　do　not　know　what　would　have　become　of　us　at　this
crisis　if　it　had　not　been　for　that　omnipresent　bottle　of　hot　stuff。
We　poured　the　stinging　liquid　over　our　sugar；　which　had　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　seano　longer　raging　like　a　maniacsobbed　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　hear　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　upon　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
form　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　persons　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　heard
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　delirium；　I　laughed
aloud　and　shouted　to　my　comrades；　now　the　sky　darkened；　and　the
squall　struck　the　island；　now　I　gave　orders　to　Wallace　how　to
manage　the　boat；　and　now　I　cried　because　the　rain　was　pouring　in　on
me　through　the　holes　in　the　tent。　Towards　evening　a　high　fever　set
in；　and　it　was　many　days　before　my　grandfather　deemed　it　prudent
to　tell　me　that　the　Dolphin　had　been　found；　floating　keel　upwards；
four　miles　southeast　of　Mackerel　Reef。

Poor　little　Binny　Wallace！　How　strange　it　seemed；　when　I　went　to
school　again；　to　see　that　empty　seat　in　the　fifth　row！　How　gloomy
the　playground　was；　lacking　the　sunshine　of　his　gentle；　sensitive
face！　One　day　a　folded　sheet　slipped　from　my　algebra：　it　was　the
last　note　he　ever　wrote　me。　I　could　not　read　it　for　the　tears。

What　a　pang　shot　across　my　heart　the　afternoon　it　was　whispered
through　the　town　that　a　body　had　been　washed　ashore　at　Grave
Pointthe　place　where　we　bathed！　We　bathed　there　no　more！　How　well
I　remember　the　funeral；　and　what　a　piteous　sight　it　was　afterwards
to　see　his　familiar　name　on　a　small　headstone　in　the　Old　South
Burying…Ground！

Poor　little　Binny　Wallace！　Always　the　same　to　me。　The　rest　of　us
have　grown　up　into　hard；　worldly　men；　fighting　the　fight　of　life；
but　you　are　forever　young；　and　gentle；　and　pure；　a　part　of　my　own
childhood　that　time　cannot　wither；　always　a　little　boy；　always　poor
little　Binny　Wallace！





End