"I should say as a wessel o' that size--"
"Yes," said Barkins, imitating him; "a wessel o' that size--"
"Yes, sir--might go on burning till 'bout eight bells."
"Or perhaps a little longer, Tom?"
"Well, yes, sir; little longer, perhaps. 'Morrow night, say."
"Or 'morrow morning, Tom?"
"Well, no, sir; because you see it's 'morrow morning now."
"I meant t'other 'morrow morning, Tom. Nex' day."
"Well, yes, sir; she might last till then."
"Or even next day?"
"Well, sir, I hayve knowed 'em go on mouldering and smouldering for days
and days."
"A week, perhaps?"
"Oh yes, sir, quite a week."
"Thankye, Tom," said Barkins, giving me a nudge with his elbow. "I
thought you'd know. Nothing like going to a man who has had plenty of
experience."
"No, sir, there ain't nothin' like it; and I should say as if you young
gen'lemen was to stand here and watch, you'd finally see that there
wessel give a bit of a roll to starboard and one to port, and then
settle down and go out of sight all to oncet, like putting a stingwisher
on a candle; and there! what did I tell yer?"
For all at once the blaze rose quite high, as if it were driven upwards
by some explosion below. We saw what looked like tiny sparks falling
all around, and some of them floating upon the sea, and then there was
the sound as of a puff of wind--heavy and short; and, where the barque
had lain blazing and sending up its great waving tongue of fire, there
was now darkness, save here and there a few dull specks of light, which
went out one by one.
"The last act of a tragedy," said a voice close by us; and Mr Brooke,
who had the watch, stood gazing at the dark waters for a few moments.
Then in his quiet, decided tones--
"Now, Mr Barkins--Mr Herrick, it is not your watch. You had better go
below."
"Yes, sir; good-night, sir."
"Good-morning, you mean," he replied; and we two went down and turned
in.
"I say, Gnat," cried Barkins in a sleepy voice; "old Tom Jecks'll be
more chuckle-bumptious than ever."
"Yes," I said; "that happened just right for him."
"Yes, that's the luck that kind of bumble-head always gets. He'll set
up--now--for--_snore_--set up for--oh, how sleepy I am! What say?"
"I didn't speak," I replied drowsily.
"Who said you did? Oh, I remember now. Tom Jecks'll set up for boss--
know--all now. Look here--you help me, and we'll gammon him into--be--
believing--he ought to make an alma--alma--nick--nack,"--_snore_.
Barkins was fast asleep, and I was just thinking how suddenly a drowsy
person dropped off, when all at once I seemed to be back in the cabin of
the burned ship, where I was searching the lockers for pirates, and then
some one hauled me out of my berth by one leg, and I raised myself on my
elbow to stare wildly at Smith.