"
"Yes, sir," Mr. Pike responded, then turned on the man. "Come on,
all of you! There's three devils to tie down this time."
But the men shrank away from the order and from him.
"For two cents . . . " I heard Mr. Pike growl to himself, then choke
off utterance.
He flung about on his heel and started for the bridge. In the same
order as on the previous trip, Mr. Mellaire second, and I bringing up
the rear, we followed. It was a similar journey, save that we caught
a ducking midway on the first span of bridge as well as a ducking on
the 'midship-house.
We halted on top the for'ard-house. In vain Mr. Pike flashed his
light-stick. Nothing was to be seen nor heard save the white-flecked
dark water on our deck, the roar of the gale in our rigging, and the
crash and thunder of seas falling aboard. We advanced half-way
across the last span of bridge to the f ore-castle head, and were
driven to pause and hang on at the foremast by a bursting sea.
Between the drives of spray Mr. Pike flashed his stick. I heard him
exclaim something.
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