Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 19
QuickerinhisleapwasAaronNorthrup.Idelayedamoment,evenastheboatwasshovingaway,inordertoselectaspotamidshipswherethemenwerethickest,sothattheirbodiesmightbreakmyfall.Iwasnotmindedtoembarkwithabrokenmemberonsohazardousavoyageinthelongboat.Thatthemenmighthaveroomattheoars,Iworkedmywayquicklyaftintothesternsheets.Certainly,Ihadotherandsufficientreasons.Itwouldbemorecomfortableinthesternsheetsthaninthenarrowbow.Andfurther,itwouldbewelltobeneartheafterguardinwhatevertroublesthatweresuretoariseundersuchcircumstancesinthedaystocome.
Inthesternsheetswerethemate,WalterDrake,thesurgeon,ArnoldBentham,AaronNorthrup,andCaptainNicholl,whowassteering.ThesurgeonwasbendingoverNorthrup,wholayinthebottomgroaning.Notsofortunatehadhebeeninhisill-consideredleap,forhehadbrokenhisrightlegatthehipjoint.
Therewaslittletimeforhimthen,however,forwewerelabouringinaheavyseadirectlybetweenthetwoiceislandsthatwererushingtogether.NicholasWilton,atthestrokeoar,wascrampedforroom;soIbetterstowedthebarrels,and,kneelingandfacinghim,wasabletoaddmyweighttotheoar.For’ard,IcouldseeJohnRobertsstrainingatthebowoar.Pullingonhisshouldersfrombehind,ArthurHaskinsandtheboy,BennyHardwater,addedtheirweighttohis.
