Shipwreck Read Online Free PDF Page A

rail, giving up his scrambled eggs to the Pacific.
    “It’s days like this,” yowled Mr. Radford, “that made me become a sailor!”
    ThePhoenix tacked, sailing close-hauled at an angle, first to port, then to starboard.
    “It’s called beating to windward,” the captain explained. “We can get where we’re going in a zigzag without ever having to sail into the wind.”
    The constant changes in direction meant a lot of work on the sails. Their hands were raw and bleeding by the time Mr. Radford called lunch.
    The meal was another rough-weather masterpiece — liver and onions with canned succotash. The mate took great delight in watching the faces turn green. Ian and JJ. barely touched their food, but Luke refused to give Radford the satisfaction of hearing him say uncle. He sat across the table from the cook, glaring into his eyes, and matching him mouthful for mouthful.
    “Ready for seconds?” challenged the mate.
    “Bring it on,” replied Luke, tight-lipped.
    The wind got stronger. Captain Cascadden ordered the sails trimmed and took down the two jibs on the bowsprit. By this time, the swells were reaching twelve feet.
    “It’s like a roller coaster!” moaned Will, hug-ging the mainsheet as if he were trying to enmesh himself in the ropes and pulleys.
    If I get through this day, he vowed, /swear I’ll give up smoking if I ever startl
    “I love the sea!” roared Mr. Radford, shaking off a faceful of spray like a sheepdog after a bath. “We’ll make sailors of you lot yet!”
    “I’m a landlubber,” J.J. groaned defensively. “And the more time I spend on this boat, the more I lub the land.”
    Luke had never seen the mate this happy. Ratface was so nasty that it took everybody’s combined misery to put him in a good mood.
    “Hey, Archie,” he called to Luke. “You don’t look so hot. You’ll feel a lot better if you let that seasickness out.”
    Luke grimaced. His stomach was doing serious backflips. That would put the crowning touch on Ratface’s day.
    He set his jaw. It was never going to happen. Grim with determination, he staggered forward, stumbled down the companionway, and squeezed himself into the tiny head. He couldn’t even get down on his knees — there wasn’t enough room. He just bent over the bowl and surrendered to his overwhelming nausea.
    Then he flushed away all traces, rinsed out his mouth, and washed his face.
    Back on deck, the captain was addressing the assembled crew. “There’s no break from these rough seas yet. We’re going to have to strike the sails and heave to under power.”
    “I heaved already,” said J.J. feelingly.
    “Shut up, Richie Rich!” snapped Radford. ” ‘Heave to’ means turning into the wind. If you listen, you might hear what you don’t hear because you’re not listening!”
    “Captain,” said Will in a timid voice, “how scared should we be? I mean — are we in trouble here?”
    The captain threw back his head and laughed heartily. “Steady on, my boy, this is an ordinary day at the office for thePhoenix . She’s been in seas twice this size and come through with flying colors. She’s a fine ship, seaworthy in every way.”
    So down came the sails.
    No one felt like eating. But the captain ordered toast and ginger ale for all hands. The swells were reaching fifteen feet. Standing near the bow, it looked as if the sea were opening up to swallow thePhoenix . The troughs between waves were so low that, for a second, there was dead calm down there — no wind, no spray. It was the eeriest part. Luke actually found himself yearning for the blustery chaos atop the crests.
    Ian was the first to decide to ride out the rough seas strapped into his bunk. He disappeared down the companionway. A moment later there was a bloodcurdling scream.
    “We’re sinking! We’resinking !”
    Mr. Radford ran over to the companionway. “Take it easy, Archie. We’re not sinking.” He looked down and saw the boy standing up to his ankles in water.