Out Of Gloucester (1902) (e-book) (used book) | bookbook.eu

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Excerpt: ... she's an able vessel!" breathed Peter, "and her skipper, whoever he is, is a-sockin' it to her. Drive her, drive her, God bless you, drive her. Two tops'ls! By the Lord, but you're the lad to get her home--drive her!" Unconsciously he had spoken the last few words aloud, and now the whole room was at his shoulder. It took such an announcement as that to wake them up. "Two tops'ls did you say? In this breeze? Where ?--where?" "Look," answered Peter with an indicating arm. "Look. See her now? Where's the glasses? Maybe I c'n make her out." He looked, and knew her. "It's the Nannie O, by the Lord! See her now?" They looked and saw her. They did not know her from any other vessel, but they saw the low, black hull with all the white sail. Tearing around the Point she was then, with her lee cat-heads just showing out of water. "Are you sure that's the Nannie, Peter?" inquired a doubting one at his shoulder. "Are you sure? Wasn't it only yesterday some skipper reported leaving her seven or eight hundred miles to the east'ard only a few days ago and she not ready to leave for two or three days. Somewhere up on the Grand Banks she was then--last Thursday, I think it was--and not goin' to leave for two or three days--and now only Tuesday. That skipper got in only yesterday afternoon, Peter, and he made a pretty fair passage himself, they said." "Hush," chided Peter, " there's passages and passages. It's Tommie Ohlsen himself. Ain't he a dog though? Four lowers and two tops'ls, his deck awash to the hatches, two men to the wheel and the rest of the crew huggin' up under the weather-rail--yes, and glad they're so near home, I'll bet. Only yesterday afternoon, Wallie Manning--the Cleopatra--in from a shackin' trip--it's him what one o' you meant, I...