"Heave together and keep the stick straight--heave, and his head
is afloat!--Haul, haul away in the boat!--heave all at once, and as if you
were giants!--you gained three feet that tug, my hearties--try him again,
gentlemen, as you are--and move together, like girls in a
_cotillion_--Away with it!--What the devil are you staring at, in the
fore-top there? Have you nothing better to do than to amuse yourself in
seeing us heave our insides out?"
The intense interest attached to the securing of this spar had extended to
the look-out in the top, and instead of keeping his eye on the desert, as
ordered, he was looking down at the party on the beach, and betraying his
sympathy in their efforts by bending his body, and appearing to heave in
common with his messmates. Admonished of his neglect by this sharp
rebuke, he turned round quickly towards the desert, and gave the fearful
alarm of "The Arabs!"
Every man ceased his work, and the Whole were on the point of rushing in a
body towards their arms, when the greater steadiness of Captain Truck
prevented it.
"Whereaway?" he demanded sternly.
"On the most distant hillock of sand, may be a mile and a half inland."
"How do they head?"
"Dead down upon us, sir."
"How do they travel?"
"They have camels, and horses: all are mounted, sir.
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