Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 19
Infact,soeagerwereallhandstohelpthatmorethanonewasthusinthewayandclutteredthemovementsoftherowers.
Itwasclosework,butwewentclearbyamatterofahundredyards,sothatIwasabletoturnmyheadandseetheuntimelyendoftheNegociator.Shewascaughtsquarelyinthepinchandshewassqueezedbetweentheiceasasugarplummightbesqueezedbetweenthumbandforefingerofaboy.Intheshoutingofthewindandtheroarofwaterweheardnothing,althoughthecrackofthebrig’sstoutribsanddeckbeamsmusthavebeenenoughtowakenahamletonapeacefulnight.
Silently,easily,thebrig’ssidessqueezedtogether,thedeckbulgedup,andthecrushedremnantdroppeddownandwasgone,whilewhereshehadbeenwasoccupiedbythegrindingconflictoftheice-islands.Ifeltregretatthedestructionofthishavenagainsttheelements,butatthesametimewaswellpleasedatthoughtofmysnugnessinsidemyfourshirtsandthreecoats.
Yetitprovedabitternight,evenforme.Iwasthewarmestcladintheboat.WhattheothersmusthavesufferedIdidnotcaretodwelluponovermuch.Forfearthatwemightmeetupwithmoreiceinthedarkness,webailedandheldtheboatbow-ontotheseas.Andcontinually,nowwithonemitten,nowwiththeother,Irubbedmynosethatitmightnotfreeze.Also,withmemorieslivelyinmeofthehomecircleinElkton,IprayedtoGod.
