"Don't tell our foppish friend below, or he'll rend our ears with his
howls. But you, my young friend, it's rather rough on you. How old are
you?"
"Sixteen."
"And I'm rising fifty. Even if I am taken away, I've a good thirty
years the advantage of you. I've had a good time, on the whole, and
enjoyed myself as well as the average. Still, I don't quite like going
to the bottom in the Nantucket. I was looking forward to at least
twenty years or so more of life."
"We must submit to the will of God," said Harry.
"You are quite right, my boy! It is easy to see that you have been
well trained. Mr. Holdfast"--for they had reached the place where the
mate was standing--"shall we outlive the storm?"
"It is hard to say, Mr. Stubbs. It depends on the stanchness of the
ship. We'll do all we can."
Ten minutes later there was a sinister answer to the inquiry of
Mr. Stubbs. A sailor, who had been sent down into the hold, came with
the information that the ship had sprung a leak.
Then commenced the weary work at the pumps. The sailors were already
worn out with fighting the storm under the direction of the captain
and mate, and it seemed almost more than flesh and blood could stand
to undertake the additional labor.
Harry and Mr.
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