The Lost Key, an International Episode |
|
Author:
| Acland, |
ISBN: | 978-0-217-12303-7 |
Publication Date: | Aug 2009 |
Publisher: | General Books LLC
|
Book Format: | Paperback |
List Price: | USD $19.99 |
Book Description:
|
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III THE ARRIVAL It was a glorious day when the steamer reached Malta; there had been a fresh breeze from the west, and sails had been set, increasing the speed from fifteen to sixteen knots, so the ship came in sight sooner than the watchers on the signal- station expected, and swiftly passed Gozo...
More DescriptionPurchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III THE ARRIVAL It was a glorious day when the steamer reached Malta; there had been a fresh breeze from the west, and sails had been set, increasing the speed from fifteen to sixteen knots, so the ship came in sight sooner than the watchers on the signal- station expected, and swiftly passed Gozo and the Commino Channel; then, as she coasted along the Island of Malta itself, the breeze suddenly dropped, the white horses disappeared as if by magic, and the sea sank into a condition of summer stillness, under a sun blazing still with summer heat, though it was now early in November. All the passengers crowded on deck to see the entrance. The ship was at some distance from the shore, in order to avoid the shoals, and came rather slowly into the harbour, looking as if she must run down some of the small craft that seemed determined to impede her passage. One impertinent torpedo-boat-destroyer, like a black demon, came so close alongside that the officer in commandrecognised Arthur Gordon, who was in uniform, standing among the crowd at the bulwark; Gordon waved his cap, shouting a response to his friend's greeting, and the destroyer was round in a twinkling and off again outside. Gordon was already doing the honours of Malta to Margaret and her friends. That is Barclay in the destroyer, he said. He is a great chum of mine, and he is in the Royal Alice too. It is just like him to show off like that. He is a daring chap, but as good as they make them. That is Bighi there to the left, where our Hospital is. I had two months there once. All the men-of-war are inside, in the Grand Harbour, and all the merchantmen except those in quarantine. Valetta is on the spit of land between the two harbours. It is only the P. and O.'s that come in on this side of Fort St E...