a simpleton-第47章

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very　politely；　but　with　a　sly；　comical　grin。

Dr。　Staines　got　from　the　carpenter　some　sheets　of　zinc　and　spare
copper；　and　some　flannel：　these　he　cut　into　three…inch　squares；　and
soaked　the　flannel　in　acidulated　water。　　He　then　procured　a
quantity　of　bell…wire；　the　greater　part　of　which　he　insulated　by
wrapping　it　round　with　hot　gutta　percha。　　So　eager　was　he；　that　he
did　not　turn　in　all　night。

In　the　morning　he　prepared　what　he　called　an　electric　fusehe
filled　a　soda…water　bottle　with　gunpowder；　attaching　some　cork　to
make　it　buoyant；　put　in　the　fuse　and　bung；　made　it　water…tight；
connected　and　insulated　his　main　wiresenveloped　the　bottle　in
porktied　a　line　to　it；　and　let　the　bottle　overboard。

The　captain　and　officers　shook　their　heads　mysteriously。　　The　tars
peeped　and　grinned　from　every　rope　to　see　a　doctor　try　and　catch　a
shark　with　a　soda…water　bottle　and　no　hook；　but　somehow　the　doctor
seemed　to　know　what　he　was　about；　so　they　hovered　round；　and
awaited　the　result；　mystified；　but　curious；　and　showing　their　teeth
from　ear　to　ear。

〃The　only　thing　I　fear；〃　said　Staines；　〃is　that；　the　moment　he
takes　the　bait；　he　will　cut　the　wire　before　I　can　complete　the
circuit；　and　fire　the　fuse。〃

Nevertheless；　there　was　another　objection　to　the　success　of　the
experiment。　　The　shark　had　disappeared。

〃Well；〃　said　the　captain；　〃at　all　events；　you　have　frightened　him
away。〃

〃No；〃　said　little　Tadcaster；　white　as　a　ghost；　〃he　is　only　under
water；　I　know；　waitingwaiting。〃

〃There　he　is；〃　cried　one　in　the　ratlines。

There　was　a　rush　to　the　taffrailgreat　excitement。

〃Keep　clear　of　me；〃　said　Staines　quietly　but　firmly。　　〃It　can　only
be　done　at　the　moment　before　he　cuts　the　wire。〃

The　old　shark　swam　slowly　round　the　bait。

He　saw　it　was　something　new。

He　swam　round　and　round　it。

〃He　won't　take　it；〃　said　one。

〃He　suspects　something。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　he　will　take　the　meat　somehow；　and　leave　the　pepper。　　Sly
old　fox！〃

〃He　has　eaten　many　a　poor　Jack；　that　one。〃

The　shark　turned　slowly　on　his　back；　and；　instead　of　grabbing　at
the　bait；　seemed　to　draw　it　by　gentle　suction　into　that　capacious
throat；　ready　to　blow　it　out　in　a　moment　if　it　was　not　all　right。

The　moment　the　bait　was　drawn　out　of　sight；　Staines　completed　the
circuit；　the　bottle　exploded　with　a　fury　that　surprised　him　and
everybody　who　saw　it；　a　ton　of　water　flew　into　the　air；　and　came
down　in　spray；　and　a　gory　carcass　floated；　belly　uppermost；　visibly
staining　the　blue　water。

There　was　a　roar　of　amazement　and　applause。

The　carcass　was　towed　alongside；　at　Tadcaster's　urgent　request；　and
then　the　power　of　the　explosion　was　seen。　　Confined；　first　by　the
bottle；　then　by　the　meat；　then　by　the　fish；　and　lastly　by　the
water；　it　had　exploded　with　tenfold　power；　had　blown　the　brute's
head　into　a　million　atoms；　and　had　even　torn　a　great　furrow　in　its
carcass；　exposing　three　feet　of　the　backbone。

Taddy　gloated　on　his　enemy；　and　began　to　pick　up　again　from　that
hour。

The　wind　improved；　and；　as　usual　in　that　latitude；　scarcely　varied
a　point。　　They　had　a　pleasant　time；private　theatricals　and　other
amusements　till　they　got　to　latitude　26　deg。　S。　and　longitude　27
deg。　W。　　Then　the　trade　wind　deserted　them。　　Light　and　variable
winds　succeeded。

The　master　complained　of　the　chronometers；　and　the　captain　thought
it　his　duty　to　verify　or　correct　them；　and　so　shaped　his　course　for
the　island　of　Tristan　d'Acunha；　then　lying　a　little　way　out　of　his
course。　　I　ought；　perhaps；　to　explain　to　the　general　reader　that
the　exact　position　of　this　island　being　long　ago　established　and
recorded；　it　was　an　infallible　guide　to　go　by　in　verifying　a　ship's
chronometers。

Next　day　the　glass　fell　all　day；　and　the　captain　said　he　should
double…reef　topsails　at　nightfall；　for　something　was　brewing。

The　weather；　however；　was　fine；　and　the　ship　was　sailing　very　fast；
when；　about　half　an　hour　before　sunset；　the　mast…head　man　hailed
that　there　was　a　bulk　of　timber　in　sight；　broad　on　the　weather…bow。

The　signalman　was　sent　up；　and　said　it　looked　like　a　raft。

The　captain；　who　was　on　deck；　levelled　his　glass　at　it；　and　made　it
out　a　raft；　with　a　sort　of　rail　to　it；　and　the　stump　of　a　mast。

He　ordered　the　officer　of　the　watch　to　keep　the　ship　as　close　to
the　wind　as　possible。　　He　should　like　to　examine　it　if　he　could。

The　master　represented；　respectfully；　that　it　would　be　unadvisable
to　beat　to　windward　for　that。　　〃I　have　no　faith　in　our
chronometers；　sir；　and　it　is　important　to　make　the　island　before
dark；　fogs　rise　here　so　suddenly。〃

〃Very　well；　Mr。　Bolt；　then　I　suppose　we　must　let　the　raft　go。〃

〃MAN　ON　THE　RAFT　TO　WINDWARD！〃　hailed　the　signalman。

This　electrified　the　ship。　　The　captain　ran　up　the　mizzen　rigging；
and　scanned　the　raft；　now　nearly　abeam。

〃It　IS　a　man！〃　he　cried；　and　was　about　to　alter　the　ship's　course
when；　at　that　moment；　the　signalman　hailed　again；

〃IT　IS　A　CORPSE。〃

〃How　d'ye　know？〃

〃By　the　gulls。〃

Then　succeeded　an　exciting　dialogue　between　the　captain　and　the
master；　who；　being　in　his　department；　was　very　firm；　and　went　so
far　as　to　say　he　would　not　answer　for　the　safety　of　the　ship；　if
they　did　not　sight　the　land　before　dark。

The　captain　said；　〃Very　well；〃　and　took　a　turn　or　two。　　But　at　last
he　said；　〃No。　　Her　Majesty's　ship　must　not　pass　a　raft　with　a　man
on　it；　dead　or　alive。〃

He　then　began　to　give　the　necessary　orders；　but　before　they　were
all　out　of　his　mouth；　a　fatal　interruption　occurred。

Tadcaster　ran　into　Dr。　Staines's　cabin；　crying；　〃A　raft　with　a
corpse　close　by！〃

Staines　sprang　to　the　quarter　port　to　see；　and　craning　eagerly　out；
the　lower　port　chain；　which　had　not　been　well　secured；　slipped；　the
port　gave　way；　and　as　his　whole　weight　rested　on　it；　canted　him
headlong　into　the　sea。

A　smart　seaman　in　the　forechains　saw　the　accident；　and　instantly
roared　out；　〃MAN　OVERBOARD！〃　a　cry　that　sends　a　thrill　through　a
ship's　very　ribs。

Another　smart　fellow　cut　the　life…buoy　adrift　so　quickly　that　it
struck　the　water　within　ten　yards　of　Staines。

The　officer　of　the　watch；　without　the　interval　of　half　a　moment；
gave　the　right　orders；　in　the　voice　of　a　stentor；

〃Let　go　life…buoy。

〃Life…boat's　crew　away。

〃Hands　shorten　sail。

〃Mainsel　up。

〃Main　topsel　to　mast。〃

These　orders　were　executed　with　admirable　swiftness。　　Meantime
there　was　a　mighty　rush　of　feet　throughout　the　frigate；　every
hatchway　was　crammed　with　men　eager　to　force　their　way　on　deck。

In　five　seconds　the　middy　of　the　watch　and　half　her　crew　were　in
the　lee　cutter；　fitted　with　Clifford's　apparatus。

〃Lower　away！〃　cried　the　excited　officer；　〃the　others　will　come　down
by　the　pendants。〃

The　man　stationed；　sitting　on　the　bottom　boards；　eased　away
roundly；　when　suddenly　there　was　a　hitchthe　boat　would　go　no
farther。

〃Lower　away　there　in　the　cutter！　　Why　don't　you　lower？〃　screamed
the　captain；　who　had　come　over　to　leeward　expecting　to　see　the　boat
in　the　water。

〃The　rope　has　swollen；　sir；　and　the　pendants　won't　unreeve；〃　cried
the　middy　in　agony。

〃Volunteers　for　the　weather…boat！〃　shouted　the　first　lieutenant；
but　the　order　was　unnecessary；　for　more　than　the　proper　number　were
in　her　already。

〃Plug　inlower　away。〃

But　mishaps　never　come　singly。　　Scarcely　had　this　boat　gone　a　foot
from　the　davit；　than　the　volunteer　who　was　acting　as　coxswain；　in
reaching　out　for　something；　inadvertently　let　go　the　line；　which；
in　Kynaston's　apparatus；　keeps　the　tackles　hooked；　consequently；
down　went　the　boat　and　crew　twenty　feet；　with　a　terrific　crash；　the
men　were　struggling　for　their　lives；　and　the　boat　was　stove。

But；　meantime；　more　men　having　been　sent　into　the　lee　cutter；　their
weight　caused　the　pendants　to　render；　and　the　boat　got　afloat；　and
was　soon　employed　picking　up　the　struggling　crew。

Seeing　this；　Lieutenant　Fitzroy　collected　some　hands；　and　lowered
the　life…boat　gig；　which　was　fitted　with　common　tackles；　got　down
into　her　himself　by　the　falls；　and　pulling　round　to　windward；
shouted　to　the　signalman　for　directions。

The　signalman　was　at　his　post；　and　had　fixed　his　eye　on　the　man
overboard；　as　his　duty　was；　but　his　mess…