"Noo a
passenger" - McPhee regarded me benignantly -"wad ha' told the
papers that as soon as he got to the Customs. We stuck to the
Grotkau's tail that night an' the next twa days - she slowed down
to five knot by my reckonin' and we lapped along the weary way to
the Fastnet."
"But you don't go by the Fastnet to get to any South American port,
do you?" I said.
"We do not. We prefer to go as direct as may be. But we were
followin' the Grotkau, an' she'd no walk into that gale for ony
consideration. Knowin' what I did to her discredit, I couldna blame
young Bannister. It was warkin' up to a North Atlantic winter gale,
snow an' sleet an' a perishin' wind. Eh, it was like the Deil
walkin' abroad o' the surface o' the deep, whuppin' off the top
o' the waves before he made up his mind. They'd bore up against
it so far, but the minute she was clear o' the Skelligs she fair
tucked up her skirts an' ran for it by Dunmore Head. Wow, she
rolled!
"'She'll be makin' Smerwick,' says Bell.
"She'd ha' tried for Ventry by noo if she meant that,' I said.
"'They'll roll the funnel oot o' her, this gait,' says Bell. 'Why
canna Bannister keep her head to sea?'
"It's the tail-shaft.
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