"What you call
'eem--zat light? Ze light zere?"
I wondered if I could swing my lead on to him; it was worth trying.
Again came the umbrella; and again the bell of the engine-room clanged.
"Are you ready there with the lead?" came the mate's voice above me.
"All ready with the lead, sir." "What have we now?" I gathered
forward and swung the lead. I could not reach the umbrella-man, even
with my spare line. Once, twice, thrice I swung, and pitched the
plummet well forward into the bow wash.
"By the deep, eight, sir."
Again the bell clanged; the ship seemed to tremble and stop. "Another
cast now, quickly." "And a half, seven, sir." As I hauled in, I again
tasted the umbrella, and another question came to me: "What 'ave you
do? Why 'ave you do zat?" I swore under my breath. "Are you asleep
there leadsman?" The mate was biting his finger-ends. I sent the lead
viciously into the sea. "Quarter less seven, sir." "Another cast,
smartly, now." Rapidly I hauled in, humming an old ballad to myself.
"We'll have the ship ashore," I repeated. There was a step on the deck
behind me, and again came the voice, "Ze man, ze man zere what 'ave he
do? Why 'ave 'e go like so?" "Won't you pass further aft, sir?" said
a suave voice.
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