with lee in virginia-第14节

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up　and　waved　his　cap；　and　a　minute　later　the　ship　was　brought　up

into　the　wind　and　her　sails　thrown　aback。　　The　captain　appeared　at

the　side　and　shouted　to　the　boat　now　but　fifty　yards　away：



〃What　do　you　want　there？〃



〃I　have　a　passenger　for　England；〃　Vincent　replied。　〃Will　you　take

him？〃



〃Come　alongside；〃　the　captain　said。　　〃Why　didn't　he　come　on　hoard

before　I　started？〃



The　boat　was　rowed　alongside；　and　Vincent　climbed　on　board。　

The　captain　greeted　him　as　a　stranger　and　led　the　way　to　his　cabin。



〃You　have　managed　that　well；〃　he　said　when　they　were　alone；　〃and

I　am　heartily　glad　that　you　have　succeeded。　I　made　you　out　two

hours　ago。　　We　will　stop　here　another　two　or　three　minutes　so　that

the　men　may　think　you　are　bargaining　for　a　passage　for　the　negro；

and　then　the　sooner　he　is　on　board　and　you　are　on　your　way　back

the　better；　for　the　wind　is　rising；　and　I　fancy　it　is　going　to　blow　a

good　deal　harder　before　night。〃



〃And　won't　you　let　me　pay　for　the　man's　passage；　cap　tam？　It　is

only　fair　anyhow　that　I　should　pay　for　what　he　will　eat。〃



〃Oh；　nonsense！〃　the　captain　replied。　　〃He　will　make　himself　useful

and　pay　for　his　keep。　　I　am　only　too　glad　to　get；　the　poor　fellow

off。　　Now；　we　will　have　a　glass　of　wine　together　and　then　say

good…by。〃



Two　minutes　later　they　returned　to　the　deck　　Vincent　went　to　the

side。



Jump　on　board；　Tony。　　I　have　arranged　for　your　passage。〃



The　negro　climbed　up　the　side。



〃Good…by；　captain；　and　thank　you　heartily。　　Good…by；　Tony。〃



The　negro　could　not　speak；　but　he　seized　the　hand　Vincent　held

out　to　him　and　pressed　it；　to　his　lips。　　Vincent　dropped　lightly　into

his　boat；　and　pushed　off　from　the　side　of　the　vessel。　　As　he　did　so

he　heard　orders　shouted；　the　yards　swung　round；　and　the　vessel

almost；　at　once　began　to　move　through　the　water。



〃Now；　Dan；　up　with　the　mast；　and　sail　again；　but　let　me　put　two

reefs　in　first；　the　wind　is　getting　up。〃



In　five　minutes　the　sail　was　hoisted；　and　with　Vincent　at　the　helm

and　Dan　sitting　up　to　windward；　was　dashing　through　tile　water。　

Although　Vincent　understood　the　management　of　a　sailing…boat　on

the　calm　waters　of　the　rivers；　this　was　his　first　experience　of

sea…sailing；　and　although　the　waves　were　still　but　small；　he　felt　at

first　somewhat　nervous　as　the　boat　dashed　through　them；　sending

up　at　times　a　sheet　of　spray　from　her　bows。　　But　he　soon　got　over

this　sensation；　and　enjoyed　the　lively　motion　and　the　fresh　wind。　

Tile　higher　points　of　the　laud　were　still　visible；　but　even　had　they

not　been　so　it　would　have　mattered　little；　as　be　had　taken　the

precaution　to　bring　with　him　a　small　pocket…compass。　　The　wind

was　from　tile　southwest；；　and　he　was　therefore　able；　with　the　sheet

hauled　in；　to　make　for　a　point　where　he　judged　the　mouth　of　the

York　River　lay。



〃Golly；　massa！　how　do　boat　do　jump　up　and　down。〃



〃She　is　lively；　Dan；　and　it　would　be　just　as　well　if　we　had　some

ballast　on　board；　however；　she　has　a　good　beam　and　walks　along

splendidly。　　If　the　wind　keeps　as　it　is；　we　shall　be　back　at　the

mouth　of　the　York　in　three　or　four　hours。　　You　'nay　as　well　open

that　basket　again　and　hand　me　that；　cold　chicken　and　a　piece　of

bread；　cut　the　meat　off　the　bones　and　put　it　on　the　bread；　for　I　have

only　one　hand　disengaged；　and　hand　me　that　bottle　of　cold　tea。

That's　right。　　Now　you　had　better　take　something　your…self。　　You

must　be　hungry。　　We　forgot　all　about　the　basket　in　our　interest　in

the　ship。〃



Dan　shook　his　head。



〃A　little　while　ago；　massa；　me　seem　berry　hungry；　now　me　doesn't

feel　hungry　at　all。〃



〃That's　bad；　Dan。　I　am　afraid　you　are　going　to　be　seasick。〃



Me　no　feel　seasick；　massa；　only　me　don't　feel　hungry。〃　But　in　a

few　minutes　Dan　was　forced　to　confess　that；　lie　did　feel　ill；　and　a

few　moments　afterward　was　groaning　in　the　agonies　of

seasickness。



〃Never　mind；　Dan；〃　Vincent　said　cheerfully。　　〃You　will　be　better

after　this。〃



〃Me　not　seasick；　massa；　de　sea　have　nuffin　to　do　with　it；。　　It's　de

boat　dat　will　jump　up　and　down　instead　of　going　quiet。〃



〃It's　all　the　same　thing；　Dan；　and　I　hope　she　won't　jump　about　more

before　we　get　into　the　river。〃



But；　in　another　half　hour　Vincent　had　to　bring　the　boat's　head　up　to

the　wind；　lower　the　lug；　and　tie　down　the　last；　reef。



〃There；　she　goes　easier　now；　Dan；〃　he　said；　as　the　boat　resumed

her　course；　but　Dan；　who　was　leaning　helplessly　over　the　side　of

the　boat；　could　see　no　difference。



Vincent；　however；　felt　that；　under　her　close　sail　the　boat　was　doing

better；　and　rising　more　easily　on　the　waves；　which　were　now

higher　and　farther　apart　than　before。　　In　another　hour　the　whole　of

the　shore…line　was　visible；　but　the　wind　had　risen　so　much　that；

even　under　her　reduced　sail；　the　boat　had　as　much　as　she　could

carry；　and　often　heeled　over　until　her　gunwale　was　nearly　under

water。　Another　hour　and　the　shore　was　but　some　four　miles　away；

but　Vincent　felt；　he　could　no　longer　hold　on。



In　the　hands　of　an　experienced　sailor；　who　would　have　humored

the　boat　and　eased　her　up　a　little　to　meet　the　seas；　the　entrance　to

the　York　River　could　no　doubt；　have　been　reached　with　safety；　but

Vincent　was　ignorant　of　the　art　of　sailing　a　boat　in　the　sea；　and　she

was　shipping　water　heavily。　　Dan　had　for　some　time　been　bailing；

having　only　undertaken　the　work　in　obedience　to　Vincent's　angry

orders；　being　too　ill　to　care　much　what　became　of　them。



〃Now；　Dan；　I　am　going　to　bring　her　head　up　to　the　wind；　so　get

ready　to　throw　off　that　halyard　and　gather　in　the　sail　as　it；　comes

down。　　That's　right；　man；　now　down　with　the　mast；。〃



Vincent　had　read　that；　the　best；　plan　when　caught　in　an　open　boat

in　a　gale；　was　to　tie　the　oars　and　mast；　if　she　had　one；　together；　and

to　throw　them　overboard　with　the　head　rope　tied　to　them；　as　by

that　means　the　boat　would　ride　head　to　sea。　　The　oars；　sculls；　mast；

and　sail　were　firmly　tied　together　and　launched　overboard；　the

rope　being　first　taken　off　the　anchor　and　tied　round　the　middle　of

the　clump　of　spars。



Vincent　carefully　played　out　the　rope　till　some　fifteen　yards　were

over；　then　he　fastened　it　to　the　ring　of　the　head　rope；　and　had　the

satisfaction　of　finding　that　the　boat　rode　easily　to　the　floating

anchor；　rising　lightly　over　the　waves；　and　not　shipping　a　drop　of

water。　　He　then　took　the　baler　and　got　rid　of　the　water　that　had

found　its　way　on　board；　Dan；　after　getting　down　the　sail；　having

collapsed　utterly。



〃Now；　Dan；　sit　up；　there；　man；　the　motion　is　much　easier　now；　and

we　are　taking　no　water　on　board。　I　will　give　you　a　glass　of　rum；

that　will　put　new　strength　into　you。　　It's　lucky　we　put　it　in　the

basket　in　ease　of　emergency。〃



The　negro；　whose　teeth　were　chattering　from　cold；　fright；　and

exhaustion；　eagerly　drank　off　the　spirit。　　Vincent；　who　was　wet　to

the　skin　with　the　spray；　took　a　little　himself；　and　then　settled

himself　as　comfortably　as　he　could　on　the　floor…hoards　in　the　stern

of　the　boat；　and　quietly　thought　out　the　position。　　The　wind　was

still　rising；　and　a　thick　haze　obscured　the　land。　　He　had　no　doubt

that　by　night　it　would　be　blowing　a　gale；　but　the　boat　rode　so　easily

and　lightly　that　he　believed　she　would　get　through　it。



They　might；　it　was　true；　he　blown　many　miles　off　the　shore；　and

not　be　able　to　get　back　for　some　time；　for　the　gale　might　last　two

or　three　days。　　The　basket　of　provisions　was；　however；　a　large　one。　

Dan　had　received　orders　to　bring　plenty　and　had　obeyed　them

literally；　and　Vincent　saw　that　the　supply　of　food；　if　carefully

husbanded；　would　last；　without　difficulty　for　a　week。　　The　supply

of　liquor　was　less　satisfactory。　　There　was　the　bottle　of　rum；　two

bottles　of　claret；　and　a　two…gallon　jar；　nearly　half　empty；　of　water。　

The　cold　tea　was　finished。



〃That　would　be　a　poor　supply　for　a　week　for　two　of　us；〃　Vincent；

muttered；　as　he　removed　the　contents　of　the　basket　and　stored

them　carefully　in　the　locker；　〃however；　if　it's　going　to　be　a　gale

there　is　sure　to　be　some　rain　with　it；　so　1　think　we　shall　manage

very　well。〃



By　night　it　was　blowing　really　heavily；　but　although　the　waves

were　high　the　boat　shipped　but　little　water。　　Dan　had　fallen　off　to

sleep；　and　Vincent　had　been　glad　to　wrap　himself　in　the　thick　coat

he　had　brought　with　him　as　a　protection　against　the　heavy　dews

when　sleeping　on　the　river。　　At；　times　sharp　rain　squalls　burst　upon

them；　and　Vincent　had　no　difficulty　in　filling　up　the　water…bottle

again　with　the　baler。



The　water　was　rather　brackish；　but　nor　sufficiently　so　to　be　of

consequence。　　All　night　the　heat　was　tossed　heavily　on　the　waves。　

Vincent　dozed　off　at　times；　rousing　himself　occasionally　and

baling　out　the　water；　which　came　in　the　shape　of　spray　and　rain。　

The　prospect；　in　the　morning　was　not　cheering。　　Gray　clouds

covered　the　sky　and　seemed　to　come　down　almost　on　to　the　water；

the　angry　sea