THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP SEA
end of a tow-rope; and if the forward cylinder had fallen, it would have made its way to the sea-bed, and taken the Haliotis after.
"Where are we going to, and how long will they tow us?" he asked of the skipper.
"God knows! and this prize lieutenant 's drunk. What do you think you can do?"
"There 's just the bare chance," Mr. Wardrop whispered, though no one was within hearing—"there 's just the bare chance o' repairin' her, if a man knew how. They 've twisted the very guts out of her, bringing her up with that jerk; but I 'm saying that, with time and patience, there 's just the chance o' making steam yet. We could do it."
The skipper's eye brightened. "Do you mean," he began, "that she is any good?"
"Oh, no," said Mr. Wardrop. "She 'll need three thousand pounds in repairs, at the lowest, if she 's to take the sea again, an' that apart from any injury to her structure. She 's like a man fallen down five pair o' stairs. We can't tell for months what has happened; but we know she 'll never be good again without a new inside. Ye should see the condenser-tubes an' the steam connections to the donkey, for two things only. I 'm not afraid of them repairin' her. I 'm afraid of them stealin' things."
"They 've fired on us. They'll have to explain that."
"Our reputation ’s not good enough to ask for explanations. Let 's take what we have and be thankful. Ye would not have consuls rememberin' the Guidin'
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