A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 150: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A QUEER RACER, 147 were all in the saloon. She had lost her hat; her dishev- eled hair was damp with spray; her face flushed with ex- posure to the storm, her eyes aglow with excitement; and as she stood there near the swinging-lamp, erect and fearless, she looked wondrously handsome. “The only thing more we can do,’ I said, ‘‘is to hang a lantern in the mizzen-top; not that I think it will be of any use. No boat could live in this sea; but it is well not to throw away a chance.” ‘‘ How long do you suppose we shall have to remain here, then?” “That depends on how long the storm lasts; but at any rate until sunrise.” : ‘‘In that case I may as well resume my interrupted novel. If any change takes place either for the better or worse, Mr. Erle, kindly let me know.” And with that she sat down and went on with her reading as un- concernedly as if she had been in her own room ai Fair- haven, As for me, I lighted another lantern, and after at least three narrow escapes of falling overboard, succeeded in fixing it securely in the mizzen-top. - This done, I returned to the quarter-deck and remained there—I cannot say on the lookout, as there was nothing to be seen—for [ had an uneasy feeling that something would happen, and not for the better. The wind con- tinued to blow in gusts so fierce that I was more than once nearly carried over the taffrail. I could not have made my way to the forepart of the ship to save my life; and though the cable was invisible, J knew that the strain on it must be terrific. And the wind did not always come from the same quarter. Several times it veered completely round, the ship veering with it, till at last (being unable to see the compass) I had not the most remote idea in which direction lay the land. ‘his went on some hours, and about midnight (as nearly as I could tell) what I dreaded came to pass—the anchor began to drag. At first J thought I might be mistaken, bat when IT felt sure that the ship moved I went below and in- formed Mab, : ‘‘T am not surprised,” she said, laying down her book. . ‘¢This wind would move anything. What shall we do?” ‘Wait the issue of events. What else can we do? Gomicbooks (eo)