Bevis: The Story of a Boy
Page 49
if she wasn't all right--"
"She meant her flounces; she thinks of nothing but her flounces. Someof the things are called gores."
"But I began about the rifle, and she said perhaps, but she really hadno influence with Jack."
"O!" said Mark with a snort. "Another buster."
"And she couldn't think why you didn't come home. She had forgiven youa long time, and you were always unkind to her, and she was alwaysforgiving you."
"Busters," said Mark. "She's on telling stories from morning to night."
"I don't see why you should be afraid of her; she can't hurt you."
"Not hurt me! Why if you've done anything--it's niggle-niggle,niggle-naggle, and she'll play you every nasty trick, and set the OldMoke on to look cross; and then when Jack comes, it's `Mark, dear Mark,'and wouldn't you think she was a sweet darling who loved her brother!"
Mark tore off a shaving.
"One thing though," he added. "Won't she serve Jack out when he's gother and obliged to have her. As if I didn't know why she wants me tocome home. All she wants is to send some letters to him."
"Postman. I see," said Bevis.
"But I'll go," said Mark. "I'll go and fetch the sails to-morrow. Ishould like to see the jolly Old Moke; and don't you see? if I take theletters she'll be pleased and get the rifle for us."
It was exceedingly disrespectful of Mark to speak of his governor as theOld Moke; his actual behaviour was very different to his speech, for intruth he was most attached to his father. The following afternoon Markwalked over and got the sails, and as he had guessed Frances gave him anote for Jack, which he had to deliver that evening. They surprised thedonkey; Mark mounted and rode off.
Bevis went on with the mast and the new gaff and bowsprit, and when Markgot back about sunset he had the new mast and rigging fitted up in theshed to see how it looked. The first time they made a mast it took thema long while, but now, having learned exactly how to do it, the secondhad soon been prepared. The top rose above the beam of the shed, andthe mainsail stretched out under the eave.
"Hoist the peak up higher," said the governor. Being so busy they hadnot heard him come. "Hoist it up well, Mark."
Mark gave another pull at the halyard, and drew the peak, or point ofthe gaff, up till it stood at a sharp angle.
"The more peak you can get," said the governor, "the more leverage thewind has, and the better she will answer the rudder."
He was almost as interested in their sailing as they were themselves,and had watched them from the bank of the New Sea concealed behind thetrees. But he considered it best that they should teach themselves, andfind out little by little where they were wrong. Besides which he knewthat the greatest pleasure is always obtained from inferior andincomplete instruments. Present a perfect yacht, a beautiful horse, afine gun, or anything complete to a beginner, and the edge of hisenjoyment is dulled with too speedy possession. The best way to learnto ride is on a rough pony, to sail in an open ill-built boat, becauseby encountering difficulties the learner comes to understand andappreciate the perfect instrument, and to wield or direct it with fiftytimes more power than if he had been born to the purple.
From the shore the governor had watched them vainly striving to tack,and could but just refrain from pointing out the reason. When he sawthem fitting up the enlarged sails and the new mast, he exulted almostas much as they did themselves. "They will do it," he said to himself,"they will do it this time."
Then to Bevis, "Pull the mainsail back as far as you can, and don't letit hollow out, not hollow and loose. Keep it taut. It ought be as flatas a board. There--" He turned away abruptly, fearing he had told themtoo much.
"As flat as a board," repeated Bevis. "So I will. But we thought itwas best hollow, didn't we?" There was still enough light left to seeto step the mast, so they carried the sails and rigging up to the boat,and fitted them the same evening.
Volume Two, Chapter IX.
SAILING CONTINUED--THE PINTA--NEW FORMOSA.
In the morning the wind blew south, coming down the length of the NewSea. Though it was light and steady it brought larger waves than theyhad yet sailed in, because they had so far to roll. Still they were nothalf so high as the day of the battle, and came rolling slowly, withonly a curl of foam now and then. The sails were set, and as theydrifted rather than sailed out of the sheltered harbour, the boat beganto rise and fall, to their intense delight.
"Now it's proper sea," said Mark.
"Keep ready," said Bevis. "She's going. We shall be across in twominutes."
He hauled the mainsheet taut, and kept it as the governor had told him,as flat as a board. Smack! The bow hit a wave, and threw handfuls ofwater over Mark, who knelt on the ballast forward, ready to work theforesheets. He shouted with joy, "It's sea, it's real sea!"
Smack! smack! His jacket was streaked and splotched with spray; hepushed his wet hair off his eyes. Sish! sish! with a bubbling hiss theboat bent over, and cut into the waves like a knife. So much morecanvas drove her into the breeze, and as she went athwart the wavesevery third one rose over the windward bow like a fountain, up the sprayflew, straight up, and then horizontally on Mark's cheek. There werewide dark patches on the sails where they were already wet.
Bevis felt the tiller press his hand like the reins with a strong freshhorse. It vibrated as the water parted from the rudder behind. Theleast movement of the tiller changed her course. Instead of having tohold the tiller in such a manner as to keep the boat's head up to thewind, he had now rather to keep her off, she wanted to fly in the faceof the breeze, and he had to moderate such ardour. The broad mainsailtaut, and flat as a board, strove to drive the bow up to windward.
"Look behind," said Mark. "Just see."
There was a wake of opening bubbles and foam, and the waves for a momentwere smoothed by their swift progress. Opposite the harbour the New Seawas wide, and it had always seemed a long way across, but they hadhardly looked at the sails and the wake, and listened to the hissing andsplashing, than it was time to tack.
"Ready," said Bevis. "Let go."
Mark let go, and the foresail bulged out and fluttered, offering noresistance to the wind. Bevis pushed the tiller over, and the mainsailhaving its own way at last drove the head of the boat into the wind,half round, three-quarters; now they faced it, and the boat pitched.The mainsail shivered; its edge faced the wind.
"Pull," said Bevis the next moment.
Mark pulled the foresheet tight to the other side. It drew directly,and like a lever brought her head round, completing the turn. Themainsail flew across. Bevis hauled the sheet tight. She rolled,heaved, and sprang forward.
"Hurrah! We've done it! Hurrah!"
They shouted and kicked the boat. Wish! the spray flew, soaking Mark'sjacket the other side, filling his pocket with water, and even comingback as far as Bevis's feet. Sish! sish! The wind puffed, and therigging sang; the mast leaned; she showed her blue side; involuntarilythey moved as near to windward as they could.
Wish! The lee gunwale slipped along, but just above the surface of thewater, skimming like a swallow. Smack! Such a soaker. The foresailwas wet; the bowsprit dipped twice. Swish! The mainsail was dottedwith spray. Smack! Mark bent his head, and received it on his hat.
"Ready!" shouted the captain.
The foresheet slipped out of Mark's hand, and flapped, and hit him likea whip till he caught the rope. The mainsail forced her up to the wind;the foresail tightened again levered her round. She rolled, heaved, andsprang forward.
Next time they did it better, and without a word being spoken. Mark hadlearned the exact moment to tighten the sheet, and she came roundquicker than ever. In four tacks they were opposite the bluff, theseventh brought them to the council oak. As the wind blew directly downthe New Sea each tack was just the same.
Bevis began to see that much depended upon the moment he chose forcoming about, and then it did not always answer to go right across. Ifhe waited t
ill they were within a few yards of the shore the windsometimes fell, the boat immediately lost weigh, or impetus, and thoughshe came round it was slowly, and before she began to sail again theyhad made a little leeway.
He found it best to tack when they were sailing full speed, because whenhe threw her head up to windward she actually ran some yards directagainst the wind, and gained so much. Besides what they had gainedcoming aslant across the water at the end of the tack she shot up intothe eye of the wind, and made additional headway like that. So that bywatching the breeze, and seizing the favourable opportunity, he mademuch more than he would have done by merely travelling as far aspossible.
The boat