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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“That’s what I want to know.”

“Ye’ve not seen him?”

“No. And the large cutter’s gone. Alex Smith came up from the cove an hour back. He and Christian are on the mountain now. Not a doubt of it: Jack’s took the boat and made off.”

Mills turned to take the path that led past Christian’s house and on to the Goat-House Peak. Halfway to the ridge he met the others coming down. “Is it true that Jack’s made off with the boat?” Christian nodded, and led the way down the mountainside at a rapid walk.

They halted at Christian’s house while he acquainted Maimiti with the situation and sent for some of the Indian men. He then hastened on to the landing place. The little crowd on the beach watched in silence while Christian had the larger of the two canoes dragged to the water’s edge. With Minarii in the stern, they shot the breakers and passed the blackened wreck of the ship, wedged between the rocks. Christian waved to the northeast, took up a paddle, and plied it vigorously.

The wind had died away two hours before, and the sun shone dimly through a veil of high cloud. The sea was glassy calm, with a gentle southerly swell. Before an hour had passed, Minarii pointed ahead. The cutter’s masthead and the peak of her lugsail were visible on the horizon, though the boat was still hull-down.