Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XIX. Land?
Inanothertwenty-fourhours,orforty-eightatthemost,ifthelanddoesnotappear,CaptainLenGuywillsteertothenorthagain!”
HadIconvincedthecrew,oroughtItotakeadvantageofHearne’sabsenceandofthefactthathecouldnotcommunicatewiththemtomakethemunderstandthattheywerebeingdeceived,andtorepeattothemthatitwouldendangertheschoonerifourcoursewerenowtobereversed.
Theboatswaincametomyhelp,andinagood-humouredvoiceexclaimed,—
“Verywellreasoned,andformypartIacceptMr.Jeorling’sopinion.Assuredly,landisnear!Ifweseekitbeyondthoseicebergs,weshalldiscoveritwithoutmuchhardwork,orgreatdanger!Whatisonedegreefarthersouth,whenitisaquestionofputtingahundredadditionaldollarsintoone’spocket?Andletusnotforgetthatiftheyareacceptablewhentheygoin,theyarenonethelesssowhentheycomeout!”
Uponthis,Endicott,thecook,cametotheaidofhisfriendtheboatswain.
“Yes,verygoodthingsindeedaredollars!”criedhe,showingtworowsofshiningwhiteteeth.
DidthecrewintendtoyieldtoHurliguerly’sargument,orwouldtheytrytoresistiftheHalbranewentoninthedirectionoftheicebergs?
CaptainLenGuytookuphistelescopeagain,andturnedituponthesemovingmasses;heobservedthemwithmuchattention,andcriedoutinaloudvoice,—
“Steersouth-sou’-west!”
Westgaveorderstoexecutethemanoeuvres.Thesailorshesitatedaninstant.
