Читать книгу Men Against the Sea – Book Set. The Greatest Maritime Adventure Novels: The Bounty Trilogy, Lost Island, The Hurricane, Botany Bay, The Far Lands, Tales of the South Seas… онлайн

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“She’s not that far along. Will ’ee sing ’em a song, Prudence?” he asked.

The girl laughed and shook her head.

“It strikes me she knows more’n she lets on,” said Martin.

“I’ve been learnin’ her one,” Mills went on proudly. “Come, now, lass:—

We hove our ship to when the wind was sou’west, boys,

We hove our ship to for to strike soundings clear ...

Ye mind how it goes? Come, there’s a good wench.”

After considerable urging the girl began singing in a soft, clear voice and a quaint pronunciation of the English words that delighted her listeners. She broke off and they cheered her heartily.

“Damme if that ain’t pretty, now!” said Martin. “Give her a sup o’ brandy; there’s nothin’ better to wet the whistle.”

“Will ’ee have a taste, sweetheart?” said Mills, holding out the bottle. Prudence shook her head. “She don’t fancy the stuff,” he said, “and I ain’t coaxed her to relish it.”

“And it’s right ye are,” said McCoy, “seeing there’s none too much for oursel’s. If the women learned to booze we’d be bad off in no time for grog.”