"Martain Rattler" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ballantyne R.M)

"Come, let's see her start. I say, Martin, isn't your friend, Barney
O'Flannagan., on board?"
"Yes, he is. He tries to get me to go out every voyage, and I wish I could. Come
quickly; I want to say good-bye to him before he starts."
"Why don't you run away, Rattler?" enquired Bob, as they hurried round the docks
to where the vessel was warping out.
"Because I don't need to. My aunt has given me leave to go if I like; but she
says it would break her heart if I do, and I would rather be screwed down to a
desk for ever than do that, Bob Croaker."
The vessel, upon the deck of which the two boys now leaped, was a large,
heavily-built barque. Her sails were hanging loose, and the captain was giving
orders to the men, who had their attention divided between their duties on board
and their mothers, wives, and sisters, who still lingered to take a last
farewell.
"Now, then, those who don't want to go to sea had better go ashore," roared the
captain.
There was an immediate rush to the side.
"I say, Martin," whispered Barney, as he hurried past, "jump down below for'ard;
you can go out o' the harbour mouth with us, and get ashore in one o' the
shore-boats alongside. They'll not cast off till we're well out. I want to speak
to you --.
"Man the fore-top-sail halyards," shouted the first mate.
"Ay, ay, sir-r-r!" and the men sprang to obey. Just then the ship touched on the
bar at the mouth of the harbour, and in another moment she was aground.
"There, now, she's hard and fast! " roared the captain, as he stormed about the
deck in a paroxysm of rage. But man's rage could avail nothing. They had missed
the passage by a few feet, and now they had to wait the fall and rise again of
the tide ere they could hope to get off.
In the confusion that followed, Bob Croaker suggested that Martin and he should
take one of the punts, or small boats, which hovered round the vessel, and put
out to sea, where they might spend the day pleasantly in rowing and fishing.
"Capital! " exclaimed Martin. "Let's go at once. Yonder's a little fellow who
will let us have his punt for a few pence. I know him. - Hallo, Tom!"
"Ay, ay," squeaked a boy, who was so small that he could scarcely lift the oar,
light though it was, with which he sculled his punt cleverly along.
"Shove alongside, like a good fellow; we want your boat for a little to row out
a bit."
"It's a-blowin' too hard," squeaked the small boy, as he ranged alongside. "I'm
afeard you'll be blown out."
"Nonsense!" cried Bob Croaker, grasping the rope which the boy threw to him.
"Jump on board, younker; we don't want you to help us, and you're too heavy for
ballast. Slip down the side, Martin, and get in while I hold on to the rope. All
right? Now I'll follow. Here, shrimp, hold the rope till I'm in, and then cast
off Look alive!"
As Bob spoke, he handed the rope to the little boy, but in doing so let it
accidentally slip out of his hand.
"Catch hold 0' the main chains, Martin - quick!" But Martin was too late. The
current that swept out of the harbour whirled the light punt away from the
ship's side and carried it out seaward. Martin instantly sprang to the oar, and
turned the boat's head round. He was a stout and expert rower, and would soon