"Everything's ready when you want to eat, an' I'm allowin' that all hands had better have a bite whether they feel like it or not, for there may be work to be done on the reef when the tide goes down."
"I reckon you're right, Uncle Zenas, though it seems as if food would choke me," Captain Eph replied as he led Sidney toward the stairway. "Come on, Sammy, we're bound to go through the motions, if nothin' more."
Once while they were pretending to eat, the report of the gun was heard faintly, and Sidney shrank from the sound as if he had received a blow, while Mr. Peters ran quickly to the window, although knowing full well that nothing could be seen because of the driving snow.
"I never think I'd like to be in the life-savin' service except at sich a time as this," he said as he returned to the table. "Even if the crew can't really do anything, there must be a good deal of satisfaction in makin' a big fight for it; but to be shut in a place like this, knowin' what's goin' on outside, gets on to a man's nerves worse'n anything I ever struck. A hot battle ain't a marker alongside of it."
No one made reply, and when the pretense of a meal was at an end Captain Eph went back to the lantern, Sidney following close at his heels. There the old keeper and the boy did a great deal of unnecessary work in order to keep their hands employed, and at short intervals strove to peer through the blinding whirl of snow.
After a time, how long Sidney would have been unable to say, so slowly did the moments pass, Mr. Peters cried from the kitchen:
"We can get on to the ledge now, an' I'm goin' to see what damage has been done."
Captain Eph looked hurriedly out of the window to make certain the first assistant was correct in his statement, and then shouted:
"Hold on a bit, an' I'll go with you."
"Am I to stay here?" Sidney asked wistfully.