บทที่ 1 on the river John rowed the

บทที่ 1 on the river
John rowed the small boat slowly across the river. Susan and Titty sat together in the stern and Roger, the youngest, was in the bows, Everything on the river was new to them. They had arrived at Pin Mill yesterday Now, at last, they had an old rowing boat and were on the water among the other boats on the wide river.
"It's almost like being at sea,' said titty.
'I wish we were,' said Roger.
The tide was going out and John had to row a little harder.
'Be careful,' said Susan. 'Don't hit that black buoy. It's got the name of a boat written on it,'
'Goblin,' said Roger. 'Funny name for a boat.'
'There's a boat coming up the river now,' said John.
A little white yacht with red sails was coming in towards the crowd of boats around them. A young man was busy at the mast. They saw the tall red mainsail come down and fall on the top of the cabin.
'There's no one at the tiller,' said John.
'The boat's coming straight for us. He's all alone. This must his buoy,' cried titty.
'Look out. John!' cried Susan. 'We'll be right in his way.'
John rowed away from the black buoy in the water and they watched as the little yacht came toward them. Slowly and more slowly it moved against the falling tide. Suddenly the young man ran forward and reached down to catch the top of the buoy. But just at that moment the yacht stopped, and immediately the tide began to carry the little boat down the river, away from the buoy.
The young man looked around. 'Hi! You!' he shouted.' Can you fix a rope to that buoy?'
'Aye, aye, sir!' shouted John, and a moment later the rope flew though the air. John caught it and gave the end to Roger. 'Pass the rope though the eye on top, Roger.'
'Aye, aye, Sir,' said Roger, and in a moment the rope was tied safely to the buoy. The young man immediately began to pull the rope very hard and the Goblin stopped moving down river with the tide. Very soon she was safely moored to the buoy.
'That was very good work. Thank you very much,' said the young man. 'I'm glad you know how to tie a rope.'
'Father taught us,' said John. 'He's in the Navy.'
'Lucky for me,' said the captain of the Goblin. 'You saved me from getting into real trouble just then.' He began to put away all the sails and rope, and to make everything tidy.
'Would you like me to help you put everything away?' said John, hoping very much that the young man would invite him on board.
'Yes. please,' said the young man. 'You can all come. There's plenty of work for everybody.' And in a moment all four children were in the cockpit of the Goblin.
'I say. just look inside,' said titty.
They looked down into the cabin of the little ship, with beds on each side of a small table.
'I've just got to wash the cups and plates,' said the young captain, and then I'll go and have breakfast.'
'BREAKFAST!' Susan, titty and Roger all said together. 'But it's nearly seven o'clock in the evening. Haven't you eaten anything all day?'
'Not much. Only some soup and a sandwich since I left Dover at two o'clock yesterday afternoon.'
'Have you been sailing alone all night?' said Roger.
'Yes, that's right.' said the young man. 'Look, what are your names? Mine's Jim Brading.'
'Walker,' said John. 'This is Susan, and this is Titty. I'm John...'
'And I'm Roger. I say, does your engine really work?'
'It works very well,' said Jim Brading, 'but I never use it if I can use sails.'
'Oh,' said Roger, who was very interested in engines.
By now they were all in the cabin, helping Jim Barding to wash and put away the plates.
'We only arrived here yesterday,' said John. 'To meet Daddy at Harwich. He's coming home from China and he's going to work near here, at Shotley.'
'Mother and Bridget, our little sister, are here, too,' added Susan. 'We're staying with Miss Powell at Alma Cottage.'
'Do you live in the Goblin all the time?' asked Titty.
'Wish I did. but I've just finished school. I'm going to Oxford University in another mouth. I'll live in the Goblin till then. My uncle's coming on Monday and we're going to sail to Scotland.'
'We've sailed in an open boat,' said John. 'But we've never had one that we could sleep in.'
'Like to spend a night in the Goblin? said Jim
'Oh yes! said everyone at once.
'We'd love to, if only we could,' said Susan.
At that moment they heard voices outside.
'They'll be on this yacht here, Ma'am. There's their rowing boat tied up behind.' It was Frank, the boatman.
'Oh! said Susan. 'Mother's had to come and look for us.’ They all climbed out of the cabin into the cockpit of the Goblin.
Mrs Walker spoke to Jim Brading. ‘I hope my children haven't given you any trouble.'
'They've helped me a lot,' said Jim, 'and I've been very glad to have them.'
'His name's Jim Brading,' said Roger, 'and he's sailed by himself from Dover, since yesterday.'
'He hasn't even had breakfast yet,' said Titty.'
Mother looked at Jim. She knew very well what her children wanted. 'Our supper is waiting for us,' she said, smiling. 'If Jim would like to come, you'd better bring him with you.'
'Do come,' said Susan. 'We'd all like you to.'
'Thank you,' said Jim. 'That's very good of you.'
Mrs Walker went on first to tell Miss Powell that they dad a visitor.
'Well, Jim said Miss Powell when they arrived. 'You need a bit of sleep by the look of you.'
'I didn't have any sleep last night,' said Jim. 'How are you, Miss Powell?'
'Do you know him? asked Titty, surprised.
Miss Powell laughed. 'Know Jim Brading? I should thing I do. I've known him since he was a child.'
'Sh! Don't wake him!'
Mother came into a room that was strangely silent. Susan was standing by her chair, holding a finger to her lips. And Jim Brading was fast asleep. He had sat down and his head had dropped lower and lower until it was resting on the table.
'He's tried out,' whispered Susan.
John watched. So that was how you felt after sailing all night, alone, in a ship of your own. How soon would he have a ship himself?
Miss Powell laughed quietly when she came in.
'He'll be all right when he's had a bit of food.'
Suddenly Jim Brading moved and nearly knocked over a glass. He lifted his head and stared about him.
'Oh, I say... I'm terribly sorry... I didn't mean to... How long have I been asleep?'
'It's all right,' said Mother. 'I know just how you feel. You'll feel better when you've had some soup.'
And really, it was a very nice thing to happen. You can't think of someone as a stranger when you've seen him asleep on your dinner table. Jim Brading had become one of the family. While they were eating, they asked him lots of questions, but not another word was said about them spending a night in the Goblin. They were beginning to think he had forgotten, and then, suddenly ,the offer was made again, and Mother was there to hear it.
'What are you going to do until your uncle comes?'
'Wait around for him,' said Jim. 'But look, I meant what I said earlier. Why don't you come with me for a few days? I can find room for you...'
‘Sleeping on a ship,’ said Titty. ‘Oh, Mother…’
‘They’d love it, of course,’ said Mother, ‘but I can’t let them go just now. Their father’s on his way home and we’ve come to meet him at Harwich. I can’t meet him and tell him that most of his family gone off to sea.’
‘i wouldn’t take them to sea, said jim. Just on the rivers and Harwich harbor. There’s plenty to see.
‘I say, Mother, couldn’t we?’ said john.
‘Just for a few days,’ said Titty.
‘If you say when you want them black,’ said Jim, ‘I’ll promise to get them black to Pin Mill in plenty of time.’
‘I’m not sure, so I’m going to think about it, said mother and mr brading must think about it, too. He may wake up in the morning and not like the idea.’
‘Oh, Mother!’ said Susan, who had not said a word till then.
‘No, Susan,’ said Mother firmly. ‘Mr Brading’s tired and he should be in bed asleep now. And so should Bridget. We’ll talk about it again in the morning.’
The next morning the children saw that Mother’s bedroom door was open, but there was no one inside.
‘Mother’s gone out,’ cried Roger, who was at the window and could see Mother walking back to the house. They ran out to meet her.
‘Hello,’ she said. ‘I’ve been asking people about that young man. Everybody seems to think well of him. Frank, the boatman, says he knows everything there is to know about sailing and small boats.’
‘You’re going to let us go?’ said John.
‘Perhaps Jim won’t want you today, after a night’s sleep,’ replied Mother, ‘but if he does, I suppose…But I wonder what your father would say.’
‘Daddy’d say “Go…’
‘I believe he would,’ said Mother.
They looked out at the white Goblin on the clam water of the river. There was no sign of life.
‘He’s still asleep,’ said Mother. ‘Let’s have breakfast.’ Before they finished breakfast, Jim Brading arrived.
‘I’m terribly sorry, Mrs Walker, about the way I fell asleep on your table last night.’
‘Don’t apologize,’ said Mother. ‘It was natural thing to do. Come and sit down. Well, now you’ve seen these animals in the morning light, I’m sure you don’t want four of them in your little ship. I’ve told them you won’t, so don’t be afraid that they’ll be disappointed.’
‘How soon can they come aboard?’ said Jim.
Five hours later John, Susan and Jim Brading were resting in the cockpit of the Goblin after a hard morning’s work. Mrs Walker and the others had gone into Ipswich to get food. It had been a busy morning, br