He reddened and went off, but I believe made some jeering remark to
the carpenter as to the sensible practice of ventilating a ship's
quarter-deck. I know he popped into the mate's cabin to impart the fact
to him because the whiskers came on deck, as it were by chance, and
stole glances at me from below--for signs of lunacy or drunkenness, I
suppose.
A little before supper, feeling more restless than ever, I rejoined,
for a moment, my second self. And to find him sitting so quietly was
surprising, like something against nature, inhuman.
I developed my plan in a hurried whisper.
|
"I shall stand in as close as I dare and then put her round. I will
presently find means to smuggle you out of here into the sail locker,
which communicates with the lobby. But there is an opening, a sort
of square for hauling the sails out, which gives straight on the
quarter-deck and which is never closed in fine weather, so as to give
air to the sails. When the ship's way is deadened in stays and all the
hands are aft at the main braces you will have a clear road to slip out
and get overboard through the open quarter-deck. I've had them both
fastened up. Use a rope's end to lower yourself into the water so as
to avoid a splash--you know. It could be heard and cause some beastly
complication."
|