Морской волк

Chapter 27

           Asnightdrewon,thecloudsdarkenedandthewindfreshened,sothatwhenMaudandIatesupperitwaswithourmittensonandwithmestillsteeringandeatingmorselsbetweenpuffs.

           Bythetimeitwasdark,windandseahadbecometoostrongfortheboat,andIreluctantlytookinthesailandsetaboutmakingadragorsea-anchor.Ihadlearnedofthedevicefromthetalkofthehunters,anditwasasimplethingtomanufacture.Furlingthesailandlashingitsecurelyaboutthemast,boom,sprit,andtwopairsofspareoars,Ithrewitoverboard.Alineconnecteditwiththebow,andasitfloatedlowinthewater,practicallyunexposedtothewind,itdriftedlessrapidlythantheboat.Inconsequenceitheldtheboatbowontotheseaandwindthesafestpositioninwhichtoescapebeingswampedwhentheseaisbreakingintowhitecaps.

           "Andnow?"Maudaskedcheerfully,whenthetaskwasaccomplishedandIpulledonmymittens.

           "AndnowwearenolongertravellingtowardJapan,"Ianswered."Ourdriftistothesouth-east,orsouth-south-east,attherateofatleasttwomilesanhour."

           "Thatwillbeonlytwenty-fourmiles,"sheurged,"ifthewindremainshighallnight."

           "Yes,andonlyonehundredandfortymilesifitcontinuesforthreedaysandnights."

           "Butitwon’tcontinue,"shesaidwitheasyconfidence."Itwillturnaroundandblowfair."

           "Theseaisthegreatfaithlessone."

           "Butthewind!"sheretorted."Ihaveheardyougroweloquentoverthebravetrade-wind."

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