Chapter 10 Chapter 10 The Northeast Wind

The little passengers leaned on the railing and stared into the distance seriously.They were so impatient to leave the anchorage that they no longer saw land! Looks like the weather is about to change soon.A few clouds have risen to the east.The wind is likely to blow from the coast before sunset. When there is wind, you have to make good use of it.No matter what wind blows, even a storm, if it can drag the Spirit twenty miles out of anchorage and into the vast Atlantic Ocean. Will this hope be dashed? ...these clouds won't disappear with the glow! …Will Harry Markle use the boat he has to go to sea? ...

At this time, the little passengers stood under the canopy of the rear deck, watching closely the ships passing by the entrance and exit of St. George's Channel.Not only were there ships going south to the Atlantic and north to Irish waters, but there were also several sailing ships pulled by tugboats from the Queenstown wharf. what!If Harry Markle had the guts, he'd call in a tugboat and offer to send him out to sea for an extra tow fee! Tony Reynolds also suggests this approach.Who can be sure that the sea breeze will not be encountered at a place five or six nautical miles away from the entrance area of ​​St. George's Strait? ...

Harry Markle flatly rejected Tony Renault's proposal, his tone can not but be surprising.In short, as the captain of a ship, he knew what he had to do and didn't need to ask anyone's advice. No matter how much Harry Markle benefits his friends and himself from leaving the perilous coast, he just won't agree to charter a tugboat.What if the owner of the tugboat knew Captain Paxson, or one of his sailors, and they couldn't be found on the Spirit? ...Don't act rashly!Better to wait. Nearly three o'clock in the afternoon, billows of smoke rose from the southwest.It was the signal for the steamer coming in soon, and it was a delight to watch!

This boat is going fast.In another half hour, everyone will definitely find that it is a warship speeding towards St. George's Strait. The pocket binoculars were all aimed at the direction the warship was coming from.Tony Reynolds made a bet with the other classmates to see who would be the first to see the nationality of the ship. Louis Crody had the honor of being the first to see the nationality of the ship.After seeing clearly the triangular pennant fluttering from the flagpole's ball headpiece, Louis Clodilon said aloud: "This is a French warship, a state-owned ship..."

"If it's a French frigate," exclaimed Tony Renaud, "we'll salute it as it passes!" Immediately, he went to ask Harry Markle for permission to salute a warship representing France. Harry Markle refused for no reason and not only agreed, but also said that the French warship would certainly return the HMS Ingenuity's salute.Isn't there such a habit in all fleets? ... This warship is a second-class armored cruiser, with a draft of seven to eight thousand tons, and two flagpoles with military flags on its back.The French tricolor fluttered in the wind at the stern, the sea was quiet, and the warship galloped like lightning, its slender prow plowing through the calm waters, leaving a long, waveless trail, all thanks to the immaculate waterline.

Since the little passengers all had pocket binoculars, the armored cruiser had no problem seeing the name of the ship when it passed in front of the Spirit. This is the Corvette, one of the most beautiful cruisers in the French Navy fleet. Louis Clodijon and Tony Raynor stayed on the quarterdeck, hoisted next to the sternsplint.When the cruiser Steed was only a quarter of a nautical mile from the Ingenuity, they pulled on the slings and the Union Jack was lowered three times to chants of "Viva de France" as British, Danish and Dutch students chanted "Viva de France" , to congratulate their French classmates, the flag of the Steed was lowered and raised along the flagpole.

The same tribute was paid an hour later when the British flag was raised on the flagstaff of an ocean liner. This is the ocean liner City of London, which runs the Gunnar route between Liverpool and New York.As a rule, the City of London brought its courier letters to Queenstown, which made them arrive half a day earlier than the regular flight. The passenger liner City of London greets the Spirit.John Howard and Huber Perkins hoisted the flag of the Spirit to the loud cheers of the young passengers. At about five o'clock, the cloud cluster in the northeast direction became larger and covered the high slopes behind Cockle Bay.The current weather conditions are significantly different from the weather conditions at the same time in the previous few days.

That evening, if the sun sets and meets the pure horizon again, it is estimated that it will be covered by thick mist when it comes out the next day. Harry Markle and John Carpenter are talking on the bow of the boat.As a matter of prudence they refrained from appearing on the after-deck, where it was unsafe to be spotted and recognized, either from the cliffs, or from the black, rocky shore. "It's windy in there! . . . " said the bosun, pointing to the corner of the rock. "I believe..." Harry Markle replied. "We won't lose control of the situation if the wind decides to blow... Captain Paxon... yes, Captain Paxon!... Shouldn't I call you that... at least for the next few hours? ...Tomorrow...tonight, I sincerely hope that you will finally become Captain Markle again, Captain...Ah! By the way, I'm going to think of a name for our ship!...Not the Spirit to re-operate our ship in the Pacific Ocean Old business!..."

Harry Markle had been listening to his subordinates, but he didn't say a word, and suddenly asked: "Are you ready for the sailing work?..." "Everything is ready, Captain," said the boatswain, "just anchoring the Sompa! A ship with a slender front and a high-stern stern can fly without too much sea wind..." "Tonight," said Harry Markle primly, "I'd be surprised if we didn't drive five or six nautical miles toward Robekoff..." "I'm not surprised, but angry!" John Carpenter said tit for tat. "Look, our two passengers are here to talk to you..."

"What do they have to say to me?..." Harry Markle whispered. Magnu Anders and Tony Raynor - midshipmen as their classmates called them - had just left the quarterdeck and were heading for the foredeck.Harry Markle and John Carpenter are talking below the forecastle. Tony Leno said as soon as he opened his mouth: "Captain Paxson, the students sent Magnu and me to ask you, are there any signs of weather change?" "It sure has!" said Harry Markle. "So the Spirit may set sail tonight?..." Magnu Anders asked impatiently. "Possibly. That's what John Carpenter and I were talking about."

"We've found," continued Tony Raynor, "that these clouds are not breaking up, and may be dropping very, very low, even below sea level... Captain Paxson, that's probably what makes you think that weather changes are Is it possible?..." Harry Markle nodded in agreement, and the boatswain was the first to say: "Yes, my young gentlemen, I think we'll be able to steer with the wind this time! . . . The wind will push us westward, which is a good thing . . . Please bear with me a little longer, the Spirit is leaving the coast of Ireland after all!  … Before that, you have time for a supper. Ranya Coker has used all his culinary skills to prepare you a last supper... the last supper away from land, of course!  …" Harry Markle frowned at the overtones of John Carpenter's venomous words, but it wasn't easy stopping the villain from rambling.John Carpenter was cruel but kind, or kind and cruel, whichever way you describe it. "Okay," said Magnu Anders, "supper is ready, we'll have it..." "If you are not told to set sail after dinner, don't worry about disturbing us..." Tony Reynolds emphasized, "In order to set sail, we are all willing to stay where we are." After negotiating, the two young men returned to the rear deck, chatting and observing the sky until a sailor named Waja came to ask them to eat. This Waja was sent to entertain on the quarterdeck.He seems to be the waiter on the ship, and he manages all the affairs of the crew's restaurant and cockpit. Vaja was a young man of thirty-five, and God had mistaken him when he gave him a frank countenance, a pleasing countenance: he was not as capable as his accomplice.His flattery was not necessarily without deceit.He's not used to looking people in the face. The passengers probably did not notice these details because they were too young and inexperienced to detect these clues of human evil. It is self-evident that Vagga particularly fascinated Mr. Horatio Pattenson, who, in spite of his age, was as inexperienced as Louis Clodijon and his classmates. In fact, Waja may have won the favor of a certain person through his careful work and feigned enthusiasm.Harry Markle has been lucky in his life to pick Wagga for jobs like waitressing.No matter who came to serve as a waiter, it was not as good as Wajia.Mr. Horatio Pattenson would never have suspected the fellow if he had carried on during the Spirit's voyage.However, people know very well that this position will not exist in a few hours. Mr. Horatio Pattenson, the leader, however, was so pleased with his steward that he gave instructions as to where to put his various toiletries and clothes in the cabin.Mr. Horatio Pattenson was thinking that if he got seasick--which was unlikely, for he had weathered the journey from Bristol to Onston--he would have Wagga's best care.Therefore, he has let it go, and he is going to use some money from the travel expenses to thank Waja for his warm and considerate care. On the same day, Mr. Pattenson chatted with Waja and talked about his concerns about the Spirit and its crew, and the topic turned to Harry Markle unconsciously.Perhaps he found "Captain" - as he called him - a little cold, a little reserved.In short, I felt that I was not very talkative, so I just said it out of my head. "Your observation is very accurate, Mr. Pattenson," Vaja said firmly. "These are indeed the basic advantages of being a seaman... Captain Paxson is engrossed in his own affairs... he knows the great responsibility on his shoulders, and he can only think about it." Do your duty.... If the Ingenuity comes into bad weather, you'll see the tenacity with which he works! . . . He is one of the best sailors on our merchant ships, and he is as capable as a British Lord of the Admiralty Commanding a warship..." "He lives up to his name, Vaja," said Mr. Horatio Pattenson. "That's the kind of praise he's been told to us! When the generous Mrs. Karen Seymour gives us When the Ingenuity was prepared, we learned that Captain Paxon was a great man, the man at the helm, and I don't mean the man at the helm of any other machine, but the man at the helm of this machine, the marvelous machine that can stand the sea. A steamship on a stormy sea!" What makes this special, and what makes Mr. Horatio Pattenson so obvious, is that the waiter, Vaja, pretends to understand him, even if he doesn't understand a few Latin quotations, he pretends to understand.So Mr. Horatio Pattenson praised this Wagga.So Mr. Horatio Pattenson's lads have no reason not to take his word for it. The atmosphere at Wanpi was as lively as at lunch, and everyone agreed that the meal was good and full.So I said a lot of compliments to the chef Lanya Coke, and the words delicious and nutritious were mixed with Mr. Horatio Pattenson's high-sounding compliments. But it has to be admitted that Tony Raynor couldn't sit still in his impatience, ignored the honourable Chief Steward and Mr. Horatio Pattenson's high-spirited speeches, and often left the sailor's dining room and ran to the busy deck of the crew to see what was going on.The first time he went to see if the wind direction remained in a good direction, the second time he wanted to confirm whether the wind was blowing stronger or weaker, and the third time he wanted to see if he could start making preparations for sailing. I went four times to remind Captain Paxson that it was time to turn the anchor capstan, and don't forget to inform them. It is useless to say that Tony Leno always brought satisfactory information to his fellow students, who were just as anxious as he was.The Spirit was to set sail without further delay, but not before seven-thirty at low tide, which would quickly carry the ship out to sea. The passengers thus had ample time to eat their supper without having to gobble it up, which might have greatly annoyed Mr. Horatio Pattenson.Mr. Horatio Pattenson was troubled not only by the management of his affairs, but also by the care of his stomach.Mr. Horatio Pattenson ate at a moderate pace, taking small bites and drinking small bites, always taking care to chew first and then swallow slowly. Mr. Horatio Pattenson, for the education of the boarders at the Antilles High School, used to take pains to say: "The mouth is responsible for the first contact with food...the mouth has teeth suitable for chewing...but the stomach doesn't...have the mouth to chew, the stomach should digest, and the body of life benefits the most!" The insights are brilliant.Mr. Horatio Pattenson's only regret is that no ancient Roman poet, including Horace and Virgil, has not translated this aphorism into Latin verse. In this way, the dinner was finished at the new anchorage of the Spirit, in an environment where Waja put a non-slip table. So, at dessert, Roger Hinsdal proposed to his classmates a toast to Captain Paxson's health, though he regretted that he should not have been in charge of the meals in the crew's mess.As for Niels Alber, he wished you all the best of luck during your cross-ocean journey...   "Why should we lack appetite? . . . " retorted Mr. Horatio Pattenson, with some excitement over a glass of port, "won't the fresh, salty air of the ocean restore the appetite at once? . . . " "Hi! Hi!" said Tony Raynor, looking at Mr. Horatio Pattenson with a mocking look. "Seasickness can't be ignored!" "Bah! . . . " said John Howard disapprovingly, "I've only been sick for a while and that's all." "Besides," pointed out Albertus Lewin, "I don't yet know whether the best remedy for seasickness is with food or with an empty stomach..." "Fasting is good..." Huber Perkins affirmed. "Well fed..." Axel Wickburn promised. "My young friends," interceded Mr. Horatio Pattenson, "believe my old experience, it is best to get used to the roughness of the steamer. . . After experiencing it, I think we should not be afraid of seasickness anymore! There is nothing terrible about seasickness, just get used to it, everything in this world is a habit!" Obviously, this is the experience of a wise man.Mr Horatio Pattenson added: "Ah, my young friends, I shall never forget an instance in support of my thesis..." "Put it out...Put it up!..." Everyone at the dining table shouted in unison. "I'll do it right away." Mr. Pattenson threw his head back slightly, and continued, "There is an ichthyologist, whose name I don't remember, who did the last test on fish just because of habit. A conclusive experiment. He had a fish tank with a carp in it, and the carp lived a carefree life in the tank. One day, the ichthyologist had an ingenuity to make the carp adapt to the living environment outside the water. He Take the carp out of the tank and put it outside the tank, first for a few seconds, then for a few minutes, then for a few hours. After a few more days, the clever animal will finally breathe in free air..." "It's unbelievable!..." Magnu Anders said. "Not only are there facts," asserts Mr. Pattenson, "but they are also scientifically valuable." "It seems," Louis Clodiron, who was very skeptical, asked Pattenson, "if these methods are followed, will human beings be able to live in water in the future? . . . " "It is absolutely possible, my lord Mr. Louis." "Can you tell me what happened to this lovely carp? . . . " Tony Leno asked, "Did the carp live? . . . " "No, it died after being a meaningful experiment." Mr. Pattenson concluded, "The carp died in an accident, which may be a strange thing... One day, it accidentally fell into the fish tank. , drowned in it! . . . If this foolish thing hadn't happened, it would have lived a hundred years like its kind! . . . " At this moment, everyone heard such an order: "Everyone, please get on deck!" The real story of Mr. Horatio Pattenson is about to be cheered on, Harry.An order from Markle interrupted Mr Horatio Pattenson's narration.Passengers participated in the launch operation activities. The wind is now blowing from the northeast, with a moderate force, and the wind seems to be stable. There were already four men at the anchor capstan, ready to turn the capstan, and the passengers lined up in front of the capstan rod, ready to help them.John Carpenter and several crew members were busy loosening the topsail, topsail, jib, and lower sail, and then hoisted the beam. tension. "Anchor!" Harry Markle ordered after a moment. After the anchor winch turns a few times at last, the iron anchor is pulled onto the anchor frame and placed horizontally on it. "Unbolt the fore and bottom stays of all sails and sail southwest." Harry Markle gave the command. After the Spirit entered the inertial taxi and began to leave Robekoff, the young passengers held the British flag and cheered Robekoff. Mr Horatio Pattenson next to Harry Markle, who stood in front of the binnacle.Horatio Pattenson added after declaring that he had finally embarked on his great tour: "Great and lucrative, Captain Paxson! . . . Mrs. Karen Seymour was exceptionally generous, promising us £700 each in pocket money when we left Barbados!" Harry Markle knew nothing about the matter, looked at Mr. Pattenson, and left without saying a word. It's half past eight.The little passengers could still dimly see the lights of Kinsall-Harper's Wanjia and the beacon lights of Cragili Bay. John Carpenter walked up to Harry Markle at this point and said to Harry Markle: "Is it tonight?..." "Not this night, nor any other night! . . . " said Harry Markle. "Our passengers will be returning with well over seven hundred pounds each!"