“Why, surely enough, it’s so dusk, so hazy, that we can hardly see the harbor!” George said.
“My stars, boys, it’s an eclipse!” cried Steve, forgetting his peril in the excitement of his astounding discovery. “An eclipse! The down-rightest eclipse that ever was! George,” banteringly, “don’t you wish you’d brought in something about this eclipse when you were foretelling the weather!”
The Sage experienced some of the emotions of a huffish philosopher when floored by a hulking lout from the copper regions.
George’s words had directed Charley’s attention towards the harbor. “Oh! Look! look!” he cried. “They’re coming! coming at last!”
“Where? where?” cried the others eagerly, stretching over the gunwale of their crazy craft and peering into the darkness.
The water-loving boatmen soon descried a long-boat drawing towards them.
“Help at last!” Will ejaculated thankfully. “And it will reach us barely in time to save us.”
“The signal has done it, boys,” Marmaduke observed with complacency.
“Let us yell!” said Will.
How they shouted! Their pent-up woes found vent, and they shouted till hoarseness necessitated them to forbear.