D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 96: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Wind and Wave Wait Not. 87 rests. With a gigantic effort he wrenched it loose and then extricated it from the wet and yielding ropes. Some of these remained on it, forming a kind of handle, one a side. With this enormous vase he leaped into the pool and, calling to a huge seaman, he said, in his loudest voice, as if cheering his men in a charge: “To it, boys! Is the good X1phias to go down under a shower of brine like the ass of the fable, whose bags were sopped in crossing the ford? Nay, never believe it —not when we have yet a work to do! Cease to call out for compassion and Our Lady of Good Succor! and keep your breath for the ’scouse yet to come! As for this wasted pickle, even throw it back whence, it, uninvited, came! Don’t take it heavily, because the West Indies have breathed us a zephyr! It will not be as lasting as the Grand Seignior’s siege of Cansia, which has lasted twenty year without the gallant Venetians talking of giv- ing it up!” He sang to the thrumming of the taut ropes as to a guitar: ‘‘Blow the wind never so fast, It will lower at the last!” “Beat on, you blusterer! Never yet did you bully the true tar into moaning with the Prophet Job: ‘Misereatur me!’ Only to adorn a weeping friar’s grace, but not cut into the mainmast foot with a mariner’s hacker!” In a flurry hail hurtled on the hard-as-iron waterproof caps like a fusillade. “Aha!” said the French captain, no less merrily, “are we in Pope-townenow, with the dames showering candy balls upon us? Faith, the donna who pelted me had her hand lately to the suds—that tasted salty! Oh, it is the spice-box holder up above that Don Aquarius, who forgot to boil the water in his can! But bail away, my hearties! bail for your hopes to travel into the nether world with- out a pocket of ice! How it would sizzle down there and bespatter Abaddon and Company! Bail away what is our bale!” Here the rain fell in a spout, which depressed the heads and bowed the backs. , “Heads up! though the captain himself ducks! Ah, CONNIE OOOKS (E(0) AL