The Ghostfaces Read Online Free PDF Page B

them home, but Hal preferred to err on the side of caution. You never knew what might happen, after all—as their current situation showed only too well.
    â€œThe second cask has sprung a leak. The water’s been seeping away.” Stig shook his head angrily. “Don’t know how it happened. Maybe all the lurching and banging loosened a stave.”
    As first mate, it was Stig’s task to attend to such matters assupplies and equipment. Hal could tell that he blamed himself for the leaking cask.
    â€œHow much have we lost?” he asked. That was the vital matter.
    Stig considered the question. “We’ve maybe a third of a cask left,” he said. “And a little less than that in the first cask.”
    â€œFirst thing to do is stop the leak,” Hal said.
    Stig made a dismissive gesture. “I’ve taken care of that. It was hard to see where the leak was actually coming from, so I transferred the remaining water to the first cask.”
    â€œThere’s no problem with that, is there?” Hal asked anxiously. If one cask was damaged, it was all too possible that the other might be as well. It wasn’t likely, but it was possible. And Hal had been at sea long enough to know that if something was possible, it might well happen—and all too often, it did. But Stig reassured him.
    â€œNo. It’s sound. I’ve checked it three times. Point is, two-thirds of a cask would be enough to get us back home in normal conditions.”
    He paused meaningfully. Hal got the point. He eyed the gray, racing waves overside.
    â€œBut these aren’t normal conditions,” he said.
    â€œNo indeed,” Stig agreed heavily. “We have no idea where we are, and no idea how long it’ll take us to get home.”
    â€œWhich makes it hard to figure out how much water we’ll need,” Hal finished for him. They sat in silence for a few minutes, then Hal came to a decision. “We’ll cut the normal daily ration by half,” he said.
    Stig looked doubtful, although he was glad the decision wasn’t his. “Will that be enough?”
    Hal shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. We’ve been blown a long way west and south. And we’re continuing to be so. We’ll have to see how long these conditions keep up and how long it’ll be before we can begin to head northeast again.” He scratched his chin thoughtfully. “We’ll go to half rations for a while and see what develops. Let the others know,” he added. He didn’t want them finding out when it came time for their daily water ration to be doled out. Better to let them get their grumbling and complaining over in advance.
    Stig pursed his lips. Hal could see he was still chafing over the fact that he had allowed this to happen. He patted his friend’s arm.
    â€œDon’t beat yourself up over this,” he said. “It wasn’t your fault.”
    Stig shook his head disgustedly. “I’m your first mate. I should have checked sooner.”
    Hal shrugged philosophically. He wasn’t going to argue the point too much. Technically, it
was
Stig’s job to keep track of details like this, and the fact that he blamed himself was, in a way, a good thing. He would never let a similar situation arise in the future.
    If we have a future, a niggling little voice said in Hal’s mind. He shook his head to clear it.
    â€œTell the others,” he repeated, and Stig made his way for’ard to where the rest of the crew were sitting, huddled together for warmth.
    Predictably, it was Jesper who was first to complain about the news.
    â€œHow did that happen?” he demanded in an injured tone when Stig told them of the leaking cask. The big first mate fixed him with a steely glare.
    â€œHow it happened doesn’t matter,” he said. “What does matter is that it
has
happened. And we’re on half rations until further