They were two lines of pepper-cress, unharmed and fresh as if they
grew in some sheltered garden, open only to the sun and rain. And as
Captain Jemmy looked, the two green lines resolved themselves into
two words; thus bracketed:
SOPHIA TRISTRAM
"Jemmy--Jemmy, confound you! Do you hear?"
"Yes, yes." Captain Runacles turned suddenly and took his friend by
the arm. "Yes--I see--very curious. Now let's go."
"You're in a great hurry."
"Yes, I want to go up and have a look at the wounded in hospital."
"Why, what's taken you? We haven't looked at the beak yet; and
that's the most important of all."
"Very well, come along, and examine it while I run up to the
hospital. Come"--he took the little man's arm--"I won't be gone ten
minutes."
"Now, why on earth you've taken this fancy--" began Captain Barker as
he regained the deck. And then he put his hands behind him and
stared; for Captain Jemmy was already hurrying away for his life.
It was fifteen minutes before he returned, and the little man was
hanging over the bows with half his body over the bulwarks and his
head twisted to get a better view of the formidable beak.
"Jack!"
"Oh, you're back. I say, just lean over here--"
"Jack!" Captain Runacles caught him by the coat-tails, and tore him
back.
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