第68章

Ifirmlybelievethewatercamethroughthewood。Firstitbegantoooze，thentotrickle。Itwasliketryingtocarrymoistsugarinathinpaperbag。Soonweweretakinginwaterasthoughwehadopenedadoorinherbottom。

Onceitbegan，thethingwentaheadbeyondallfighting。Foradayorsowedidourbest，andIcanstillrememberinmylimbsandbackthepumping——thefatigueinmyarmsandthememoryofaclearlittledribbleofwaterthatjerkedasonepumped，andofknockingoffandthebeingawakenedtogoonagain，andoffatiguepilingupuponfatigue。Atlastweceasedtothinkofanythingbutpumping；onebecameathingoftormentenchanted，doomedtopumpforever。IstillrememberitaspurereliefwhenatlastPollackcametomepipeinmouth。

“Thecaptainsaysthedamnedthing’sgoingdownrightnow；’heremarked，chewinghismouthpiece。“Eh？”

“Goodidea！”Isaid。“Onecan’tgoonpumpingforever。”

Andwithouthurryoralacrity，sullenlyandwearilywegotintotheboatsandpulledawayfromtheMaudMaryuntilwewereclearofher，andthenwestayedrestingonouroars，motionlessuponaglassysea，waitingforhertosink。Wewereallsilent，eventhecaptainwassilentuntilshewentdown。Andthenhespokequitemildlyinanundertone。

“DatisthefirstshipIhafeverlost。Anditwasnotafairgame！Itwassnotacargoanymanshouldtake。No！”

IstaredatthesloweddiesthatcircledabovethedepartedMaudMary，andthelastchanceofBusinessOrganisations。I

feltwearybeyondemotion。IthoughtofmyheroicstoBeatriceandmyuncle，ofmyprompt“I’LLgo。”andofalltheineffectualmonthsIhadspentafterthisheadlongdecision。Iwasmovedtolaughteratmyselfandfate。

Butthecaptainandthemendidnotlaugh。Themenscowledatmeandrubbedtheirsoreandblisteredhands，andsetthemselvestorow。

AsalltheworldknowswewerepickedupbytheUnionCastleliner，PortlandCastle。

Thehairdresseraboardwasawonderfulman，andheevenimprovisedmeadresssuit，andproducedacleanshirtandwarmunderclothing。Ihadahotbath，anddressedanddinedanddrankabottleofBurgundy。

“Now。”Isaid，“arethereanynewspapers？Iwanttoknowwhat’sbeenhappeningintheworld。”

Mystewardgavemewhathehad，butIlandedatPlymouthstilllargelyignorantofthecourseofevents。IshookoffPollack，andleftthecaptainandmateinanhotel，andthemeninaSailor’sHomeuntilIcouldsendtopaythemoff，andImademywaytothestation。

ThenewspapersIbought，theplacardsIsaw，allEnglandindeedresoundedtomyuncle’sbankruptcy。

ThateveningItalkedwithmyuncleintheHardinghamforthelasttime。Theatmosphereoftheplacehadalteredquiteshockingly。Insteadofthecrowdofimportunatecourtierstherewerejusthalfadozenuninvitingmen，journalistswaitingforaninterview。Roppertheb