rcus boys on the mississippi(密西西比河上的马戏团男孩)-第29部分
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leaning both elbows upon it closed his eyes dreamily。
It must have been fully an hour later when Teddy awakened suddenly；
with a foreboding that something was not as it should be。
〃Phil！〃 he called。
There was no reply。
〃_Phil！_〃 repeated Teddy in a louder tone。
Failing to get a response； Teddy arose and found his companion's bed
empty。 Teddy； knowing that Phil seldom ever left the stateroom after
retiring； decided to go out to look for him。 He investigated the cabin；
then going out on dock peered into every shadow； calling softly for Phil。
Failing to get any trace of his chum； Teddy returned to his cabin； put
on his slippers and went down to the lower deck； where he made inquiries
of the watchman； but with no better success。
Teddy Tucker began to feel alarmed。 He hurried to the upper deck
again； once more going over it carefully； as well as the inside of the boat。
A terrible suspicion began to force itself upon him。
〃Man overboard！〃 bellowed the Circus Boy。 〃Man overboard！〃 He
ran through the corridors shouting the startling cry； then out to the deck
repeating it as he ran。
The cry was taken up by others as they rushed from their cabins； Mr。
Sparling among the number。
〃Where； where？〃 shouted the showman。 〃Whowho〃
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The Circus Boys On the Mississippi
〃It's Phil！ He's gone。 He's over there； somewhere； I don't know
where！〃
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The Circus Boys On the Mississippi
CHAPTER XXII
OVERBOARD INTO THE RIVER
〃I can't understand it；〃 Phil mused； as the soft evening breezes lulled
him into slumber。
〃What！ What！〃 he cried suddenly。 〃What is it？ I'm falling！〃
The deck of the 〃Marie〃 all at once seemed to have dropped from
beneath him。 He felt himself falling through space。 What could it
mean？
With the showman's instinct the Circus Boy quickly turned his body；
spread out his hands and righted himself。
The night was black； and as yet he had not succeeded in collecting his
senses sufficiently to decide what had happened。 He knew that he was
falling； but that was all。
There was a sudden splash as his body struck the water。 Phil shot
right down beneath it and the waters of the Mississippi closed over him。
He understood then what had happened； but not for an instant did he
lose his presence of mind。 Phil had caught his breath as his feet touched
the water； and now that he had sunk beneath the surface he began to kick
vigorously and work his hands to check his downward course。
A moment of this and he felt himself rising toward the surface。 Phil
was as good a swimmer as he was a performer in the circus ring； and he
felt no nervousness； even though his position at that moment was a
perilous one。
Almost at once he felt his head above the surface of the river； but his
eyes were so full of muddy water that he could see nothing at all。 Instead
of trying to swim； Phil lay over on his back； floated and began blinking
industriously to get the water out of his eyes。 He soon found that he
could see once more； though at that moment there was nothing to be seen
in the blackness of the night。
〃There's the 'Marie；'〃 he cried。 Phil raised his voice in a good lusty
howl for help； but none heard him。 He could see the lights of the
steamboat and they appeared to be far away。
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〃There is only one thing left for me to do； and that is to strike out for
the shore。 I wonder which way the shore is？〃
Once more he raised himself in the water； for an instant； and gazed
toward the rapidly disappearing lights of the 'Marie。'
〃She is going downstream； so if I swim to the left I should reach shore
after a while；〃 decided the lad。
He did not know that the boat had in the meantime made a sharp turn
to her right and that in turning to the left he would be swimming
downstream； making his attempt to reach shore a difficult one indeed。
The lad struck out manfully； swimming with long； easy strokes； aided
considerably by the current which was sweeping him downstream much
faster than he thought。
〃I'm glad I have only my pajamas on；〃 decided the lad。 〃If I had all
my clothes on I fear I should have a pretty tough fight。 It's bad enough as
it is。〃
Talking to himself； in order to keep up his courage； he swam steadily
on； now and then pausing to swim on his back to rest himself。 He had
gone on for nearly an hour when the lad began to wonder why he had not
reached shore。
〃Surely the river cannot be so wide at this point。 I must have drifted
downstream considerably。 Perhaps I haven't been going in the right
direction at all。〃
He tried to find out which way the drift was； in order to make up his
mind as to the direction in which the shore lay。 In the darkness； however；
he was unable to determine this； so he began swimming again； trusting to
luck to land him on something solid； sooner or later。 He knew that this
must occur； but whether his strength would hold out that long he could not
say。
All at once he caught a peculiar drumming sound。 It reminded him
of a partridge that he had once heard in the woods； but it seemed a long
way off and he could not identify it。
〃I guess it must be my heart； up somewhere near my mouth； that I
hear；〃 said the boy with a short mindless laugh。 〃Maybe I am going to
pieces。 If I am I deserve to drown。〃
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About that time Phil decided to turn over on his back and rest for a
moment。
The instant he did so he uttered a sharp exclamation。 His eyes caught
sight of something that he had not seen before。 It looked to him like
some giant shadow； from which twinkled hundreds of lights。
〃It is the 'Marie'！〃 cried the boy。 〃They are coming back for me。
No； no； it cannot be the 'Marie；' for this boat is coming from the opposite
direction。 Yes； it surely is a steamboat！〃
Though Phil did not know it； this was one of the big river packets
bound down the river from St。 Louis。
〃I must get out of the way； or they will run me down； but I want to
keep close enough so I can hail them。 I hope this is where I get on
something solid again。〃
A few minutes of steady swimming appeared to have taken him out of
the path of the river boat。 Then Phil rested； lying on his back； watching
the boat narrowly。
〃In almost any other position or place； I might think that was a pretty
sight。 As matters stand； now； it looks dangerous to me。〃
His position was more perilous at that moment than he even dreamed。
〃H…e…l…p！ H…e…l…p！〃 called Phil； in what he thought was a loud tone。
There were no indications that his cry had been heard by those on
board the steamboat。 He tried it again； but with no better success than
before。
〃I have simply got to keep on yelling my lungs out until I attract their
attention。 I am afraid I shall never reach shore unless I am picked up。 I
might be able to keep afloat until daylight； but I doubt it。 I shall get so
chilled； before then； that I shall have to give up。 I've got some fight left
in me yet； just the same。〃
〃A…h…o…y； boat！ _Help！_〃
On came the steamer； steadily。
Suddenly Phil discovered something else。 She had changed her
course。 The boat seemed to be drawing away from him！ His heart
sank； but almost at once； the boat turned again； following the tortuous
channel of the stream。
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She now was sweeping almost directly down upon him。 He heard
some call on the upper deck。
〃They are going to run me down！〃 he gasped。
Phil threw all his strength into an effort to swim out of the path of the
swiftly moving boat； but he feared he would not be able to clear her。
The lad uttered a loud shout； then dived deep； coming up at once only
to find himself almost against the side of the moving craft。
He grabbed frantically； hoping that his hands might come in contact
with some projection to which he could cling； but the slippery sides of the
hull slid past him at what seemed almost express train speed。
He was almost on the point of diving again to get away from the
dangerous spot； when suddenly； his fingers closed over something。 It was
a rope； one of the haws
