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Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling
page 57 of 217 (26%)

"No. Where are we going?"

"Fish and make berth, as you'll find out 'fore you've bin a week
aboard. It's all new to you, but we never know what may come to
us. Now, take me - Tom Platt - I'd never ha' thought -"

"It's better than fourteen dollars a month an' a bullet in your
belly," said Troop, from the wheel. "Ease your jumbo a grind."

"Dollars an' cents better," returned the man-o'-war's man, doing
something to a big jib with a wooden spar tied to it. "But we
didn't think o' that when we manned the windlass-brakes on the
'Miss Jim Buck',1 outside Beaufort Harbor, with Fort Macon heavin'
hot shot at our stern, an' a livin' gale atop of all. Where was
you then, Disko?"

"Jest here, or hereabouts," Disko replied, "earnin' my bread on
the deep waters, and dodgin' Reb privateers. 'Sorry I can't
accommodate you with red-hot shot, Tom Platt; but I guess we'll
come aout all right on wind 'fore we see Eastern Point."

There was an incessant slapping and chatter at the bows now,
varied by a solid thud and a little spout of spray that clattered
down on the fo'c'sle. The rigging dripped clammy drops, and the
men lounged along the lee of the house - all save Uncle Salters,
who sat stiffly on the main-hatch nursing his stung hands.

1 The Gemsbok, U. S. N.?

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