He foresaw a period of extreme unpleasantness. Meldon winked
again, and mouthed the word "Ilaun More" silently. It was the name of
the nearest island, and he meant to suggest to the Major that it would
be very desirable to go no further. He might, without giving offence,
have said all he wanted to say out loud. Simpkins had reached a stage
of his malady in which it was impossible for him to listen
intelligently to anything, and Miss King would have rejoiced to hear of
a prospect of firm land.
The _Spindrift_, which had been thrashing her way into the teeth of the
wind, was allowed to go free, and reached swiftly towards Ilaun More.
The change of motion completely finished Simpkins, but the period of
his extreme misery was short. The yacht rounded up into the wind in a
sheltered bay, and Meldon let go the anchor. The boom, swinging
rapidly from side to side, swept Simpkins' hat (a stiff-brimmed straw
hat) into the sea. He made no effort to save it; but the Major,
grabbing the boat-hook, got hold of it just before it floated beyond
reach, and drew it, waterlogged and limp, into the boat. Simpkins
expressed no gratitude.
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