human
Should not we have been imbeciles to sacrifice these beauties?
gpt
They were hard to come at, I expect?
human
No, he answered, pocketing them and turning to a piece of beef in the oven.
gpt
I knocked away the ice and after a little wrenching got at the pockets. But poor Trentanove! d'ye know, his nose came away with the mask of ice! He is no longer lovely to the sight! He broke into a guffaw, then stuffed his mouth full and talked in the intervals of chewing.
human
There was nothing worth taking on Barros. They are both overboard.
gpt
Overboard!
human
Why, yes, said he.
gpt
They are no good on deck. I stood them against the rail, then tipped them over.
human
I doubt if I could have lifted Barros,
gpt
Not you! he exclaimed, running his eye over me.
human
A dead Dutchman would have the weight of a fairy alongside Barros.
gpt
Well, Mr. Tassard, said I,
human
Give me a sketch of your plans, that I may understand you,
gpt
First of all, said I,
human
You should be able to find what you want among the boatswain's stores in the run,
gpt
There are some splits wide enough to receive a whole barrel of powder, said I.
human
I counted four such yawns all happily lying in a line athwart the ice past the bows. I propose to sink these barrels twenty feet deep, where they must hang from a piece of spar across the aperture.
gpt
Have you any slow-matches aboard?
human
Plenty among the gunner's stores,
gpt
There are but you and me, said I;
human
Ay, certainly, at least an hour, he exclaimed.
gpt
Two hours would be better.
human
Well, that must depend upon the number of parcels of matches we meet with. There will be a good many mines to spring, and one must not explode before another. 'Tis the united force of the several blasts which we must reckon on. The contents of at least four more barrels of powder we must distribute amongst the other chinks and splits in such parcels as they will be able to receive.
gpt
And then?
human
And then, said I,
gpt
Do you propose that we should remain on board or watch the effects from a distance?
human
Why, remain on board of course, I answered.
gpt
Suppose the mines liberated the ice on which the schooner lies and it floated away, what should we, watching at a distance, do?
human
True, cried he,
gpt
No, it will not do that. We shall be bad engineers if we bring such a thing about. The danger will be--providing the schooner is released--in her capsizing, as I have before pointed out.
human
Enough! cried he, charging his pannikin for the third time.
gpt
We must chance her capsizing.
human
If I had a crew at my back, said I,
gpt
I would carry an anchor and cable to the shoulder of the cliff at the end of the slope to hold the ship if she swam. I would also put a quantity of provisions on the ice along with materials for making us shelter and the whole of the stock of coal, so that we could go on supporting life here if the schooner capsized.
human
Then, said he,
gpt
Most certainly. But as all these preparations would mean a degree of labour impracticable by us two men, I am for the bold venture--prepare and fire the mines, return to the ship, and leave the rest to Providence.