But the wind devoured the reply, out of which Jukes heard only the one
word, pronounced with great energy ". . . . Always. . . ."
Captain MacWhirr released Jukes, and bending over the boatswain, yelled,
"Get back with the mate." Jukes only knew that the arm was gone off
his shoulders. He was dismissed with his orders--to do what? He was
exasperated into letting go his hold carelessly, and on the instant
was blown away. It seemed to him that nothing could stop him from being
blown right over the stern. He flung himself down hastily, and the
boatswain, who was following, fell on him.
"Don't you get up yet, sir," cried the boatswain. "No hurry!"
A sea swept over. Jukes understood the boatswain to splutter that the
bridge ladders were gone. "I'll lower you down, sir, by your hands,"
he screamed. He shouted also something about the smoke-stack being
as likely to go overboard as not. Jukes thought it very possible, and
imagined the fires out, the ship helpless. . . . The boatswain by his
side kept on yelling. "What? What is it?" Jukes cried distressfully; and
the other repeated, "What would my old woman say if she saw me now?"
In the alleyway, where a lot of water had got in and splashed in the
dark, the men were still as death, till Jukes stumbled against one of
them and cursed him savagely for being in the way.
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