The Maggie Read Online Free PDF Page A

Whatever’s to be said against ye, you’re a seaman like your father.’
    â€˜I’m an old man, Sarah.’
    She poured herself another drink. ‘Ach, will ye stop talking like that! What’s the matter wi’ ye? I may have been o’er-hasty . . . Let me think.’
    On the open deck Hamish embraced McGregor, and McGregor embraced the boy. They were still talking and laughing quietly together a quarter of an hour later whenthe Skipper and his sister emerged from the cabin. McGregor, who was Sarah’s sworn enemy, was profoundly affable, bowing, scraping, smiling, almost falling overboard, as she pushed her massive body through the hatch. She glared at him suspiciously and then turned to her brother, who was following her out of the hatch.
    â€˜But mind ye, it’s me to handle the business.’
    The Skipper touched her arm reassuringly. ‘Of course, Sarah. It’s right that ye should. I’ll take ye to the CSS office in the morning. It was through them we got the cargo.’
    She crossed the deck and wheezed up the first rungs of the ladder. Then she paused as a new suspicion threatened her peace of mind. ‘How am I to know you won’t sneak away before morning?’
    â€˜Sarah!’ The Skipper was hurt. ‘Besides, the tide is falling, we couldna get out before nine in the morning.’
    She said firmly, ‘I’ll be here at eight.’
    The crew watched with admiration and excitement as the Skipper climbed up beside Sarah on the dock. He said praisingly, ‘Ye’re nae so copious aboot the body as when I last saw ye. It becomes ye.’
    She turned away, pleased. ‘Och, ye old flatterer!’
    The Skipper took a pace forward and kissed her on the cheek. He said, ‘I canna tell ye what it means to me having your encouragement. It strengthens me, Sarah.’
    She called, sentimentally, ‘Good night.’
    â€˜Good night to ye, Sarah.’
    As she turned, a few paces away, she saw him standing alone, an old, tired, almost broken but not quite defeated man who was determined somehow to carry on. Warmedby emotion and the unaccustomed whisky she climbed slowly up the hill.
    As soon as she had disappeared into the darkness the Skipper became a changed man. He skipped down the ladder like a mountain goat and called in a hoarse whisper, ‘Get ready to get under way! The sooner we’re out of here the better. Ach, the auld battle-axe!’
    The crew accepted the emergency. McGregor slid down to his engine-room, Hamish loosened the ropes on the bollards. It was not long before the Maggie was chugging quietly away from the dock: its dark, unexpected shape pushed out into the river and the ripples of its wake spread across the quiet waters. Only the boy seemed unhappy. For a moment he stood near the bow, watching the black mirror of water. Then, turning, he walked up to join the others – the mate coiling a rope, the engineman at his hatch, the Skipper leaning from the window of his wheelhouse.
    The boy called, ‘Captain, sir?’ He voiced his doubts with deference. ‘What you said about the tide, sir . . . Is that no’ true? Are we no’ a bit late trying to get down this way?’
    They turned on him with a unanimity that suggested they secretly held the same doubts.
    â€˜Haud your whisht! What do you know about it?’
    â€˜Ye’re no’ the Captain yet, laddie.’
    â€˜Ye’re getting over-cheeky. Get forrard and make us some tea!’
    Crestfallen, the boy went back towards the fo’c’sle hatch in the bows, but he had still some yards to go when he was flung violently off his feet. With a scraping noise and a violent shudder the ship ground to a standstill.

Chapter Six
    (1)
    Calvin B. Marshall, General Overseas Manager of World International Airways, was a man dedicated to efficiency. Time was more to him than money. Telephones, dictaphones, electric buzzers,