The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 09, No. 55, May, 1862. Various

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                             What next?

      THE SOUTH BREAKER

      PART I

      Just a cap-full of wind, and Dan shook loose the linen, and a straight shining streak with specks of foam shot after us. The mast bent like eel-grass, and our keel was half out of the water. Faith belied her name, and clung to the sides with her ten finger-nails; but as for me, I liked it.

      "Take the stick, Georgie," said Dan, suddenly, his cheeks white. "Head her up the wind. Steady. Sight the figurehead on Pearson's loft. Here's too much sail for a frigate."

      But before the words were well uttered, the mast doubled up and coiled like a whip-lash, there was a report like the crack of doom, and half of the thing crashed short over the bows, dragging the heavy sail in the waves.

      Then there came a great laugh of thunder close above, and the black cloud dropped like a curtain round us: the squall had broken.

      "Cut it off, Dan! quick!" I cried. "Let it alone," said he, snapping together his jack-knife; "it's as good as a best bower-anchor. Now I'll take the tiller, Georgie. Strong little hand," said he, bending so that I didn't see his face. "And lucky it's good as strong. It's saved us all.—My God, Georgie! where's Faith?"

      I turned. There was no Faith in the boat. We both sprang to our feet, and so the tiller swung round and threw us broadside to the wind, and between the dragging mast and the centre-board drowning seemed too good for us.

      "You'll have to cut it off," I cried again; but he had already ripped half through the canvas and was casting it loose.

      At length he gave his arm a toss. With the next moment, I never shall forget the look of horror that froze Dan's face.

      "I've thrown her off!" he exclaimed. "I've thrown her off!"

      He reached his whole length over the boat, I ran to his side, and perhaps our motion impelled it, or perhaps some unseen hand; for he caught at an end of rope, drew it in a second, let go and clutched at a handful of the sail, and then I saw how it had twisted round and swept poor little Faith over, and she had swung there in it like a dead butterfly in a chrysalis. The lightnings were slipping down into the water like blades of fire everywhere around us, with short, sharp volleys of thunder, and the waves were more than I ever rode this side of the bar before or since, and we took in water every time our hearts beat; but we never once thought of our own danger while we bent to pull dear little Faith out of hers; and that done, Dan broke into a great hearty fit of crying that I'm sure he'd no need to be ashamed of. But it didn't last long; he just up and dashed off the tears and set himself at work again, while I was down on the floor rubbing Faith. There she lay like a broken lily, with no life in her little white face, and no breath, and maybe a pulse and maybe not. I couldn't hear a word Dan said, for the wind; and the rain was pouring through us. I saw him take out the oars, but I knew they'd do no good in such a chop, even if they didn't break; and pretty soon he found it so, for he drew them in and began to untie the anchor-rope and wind it round his waist. I sprang to him.

      "What are you doing, Dan?" I exclaimed.

      "I can swim, at least," he answered.

      "And tow us?—a mile? You know you can't! It's madness!"

      "I must try. Little Faith will die, if we don't get ashore."

      "She's dead now, Dan."

      "What! No, no, she isn't. Faith isn't dead. But we must get ashore."

      "Dan," I cried, clinging to his arm, "Faith's only one. But if you die so,—and you will!—I shall die too."

      "You?"

      "Yes; because, if it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't have been here at all."

      "And is that all the reason?" he asked, still at work.

      "Reason enough," said I.

      "Not quite," said he.

      "Dan,—for my sake"–

      "I can't, Georgie. Don't ask me. I mustn't"—and here he stopped short, with the coil of rope in his hand, and fixed me with his eye, and his look was terrible—"we mustn't let Faith die."

      "Well," I said, "try it, if you dare,—and as true as there's a Lord in heaven, I'll cut the rope!"

      He hesitated, for he saw I was resolute; and I would, I declare I would have done it; for, do you know, at the moment I hated the little dead thing in the bottom of the boat there.

      Just then there came a streak of sunshine through the gloom where we'd been plunging between wind and water, and then a patch of blue sky, and the great cloud went blowing down river. Dan threw away the rope and took out the oars again.

      "Give me one, Dan," said I; but he shook his head. "Oh, Dan, because I'm so sorry!"

      "See to her, then,—fetch Faith to," he replied, not looking at me, and making up with great sturdy pulls.

      So I busied myself, though I couldn't do a bit of good. The instant we touched bottom, Dan snatched her, sprang through the water and up the landing. I stayed behind; as the boat recoiled, pushed in a little, fastened the anchor and threw it over, and then followed.

      Our house was next the landing, and there Dan had carried Faith; and when I reached it, a great fire was roaring up the chimney, and the tea-kettle hung over it, and he was rubbing Faith's feet hard enough to strike sparks. I couldn't understand exactly what made Dan so fiercely earnest, for I thought I knew just how he felt about Faith; but suddenly, when nothing seemed to answer, and he stood up and our eyes met, I saw such a haggard, conscience-stricken face that it all rushed over me. But now we had done what we could, and then I felt all at once as if every moment that I effected nothing was drawing out murder. Something flashed by the window, I tore out of the house and threw up my arms, I don't know whether I screamed or not, but I caught the СКАЧАТЬ