Read Online S.O.S. Titanic by Eve Bunting - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Eve Bunting
Tags: Historical fiction, Historical, Literature & Fiction, Children's Books, Action & Adventure, Survival Stories, Children's eBooks, Teen & Young Adult, Boys & Men, Growing Up & Facts of Life, Friendship; Social Skills & School Life, Cars; Trains & Things That Go, Boats & Ships
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mother and father. That night he dreamed they were standing by the railing of the
Titanic,
kissing, and when he came along they pulled apart.
"Mother! Father!" Barry called out in his dream voice, running toward them on dream-light feet. But his mother turned her back and looked out to sea, and his father said, "It's only your mother and father. You wouldn't be interested."
When he wakened it was still dark. The only sound was the throb of the ship's engines. The beat seemed louder, faster, but maybe he thought so because of the night and the quiet. Scollins turned and murmured sleepily in the other bed.
Barry had Grandpop's gloves, both of them, under his pillow, and he put them on now. The right one seemed still to be warm with the warmth of Pegeen Flynn, but that he was certainly imagining. The warmth had to have come from his own bed.
He wished Pegeen had lived in Mullinmore instead of with her auntie, whoever that was. He and she might have been friends. But probably not. The likes of the O'Neills were not friendly with the likes of the Flynns. He thought of the little un-painted Flynn house in Dead Lane, next to the chapel graveyard. How many rooms did it have? Two, maybe, and a kitchen. How many children were there? Seven or eight, at least. But, but ... He thought of the way Pegeen's brothers and sisters had clung to her, the wailing heartbreak in Mrs. Flynn's voice when she'd seen her sons and daughter go. She loved them. They loved each other.
He wished Grandpop had never complained about the scratch. But Jonnie Flynn was headed for trouble. It would have come to him some way.
Barry turned resdessly. If only he could have talked to Pegeen more! He'd like to have known ... His thoughts were getting hazier and hazier, and the beat of the ship ... He fell asleep.
When he wakened next it was morning and Watley was in the cabin with the breakfast tea. He brought Barry his cup and saucer. "My word, sir. Were your hands cold in the night? You should have rung for me. I will be sure to put an extra blanket on your bed this evening."
"No," Barry said. "I was quite warm." Embarrassed, he pulled off his gloves and pushed them back under his pillow. Was there nothing that escaped Watley's attention?
"I think I'm feeling a little better this morning," Scollins announced. "I think I will even venture to the dining salon for breakfast."
Barry and he went together. On the other side of the elegant room, Barry saw the Goldsteins, his friends of last night, at their table. He waved to them. Cabin 2B. He could go and visit them if he wanted to. The thought made him less lonely.
Mrs. Adair and Jocelyn were already seated with Colonel Sapp.
"Morning! Morning!" the colonel said heartily, and Mrs. Adair's eye flick-flicked to Barry and then back to her plate. He knew she'd recognized him when he walked by last night.
"Did the shark come up onto the deck again?" Jocelyn asked him. For the first time she seemed like a normal little girl.
Barry shook his head. "No, I called to him from the rail. I called, 'Sharky, Sharky! Come and take another bite,' but he'd disappeared."
"Probably couldn't keep up with the ship." Colonel Sapp wiped his mustache carefully on his serviette. "I hear the captain is determined to make New York by Tuesday. He's out to beat the
Olympic?
s record. Wouldn't be surprised if there's a bonus in it for him."
"Is that much speed safe?" Mrs. Adair asked.
"Makes no difference, I should think. The
Titanic
has the strength of fifty thousand horses in her engines, and she's built strong enough to take any speed he fancies. No chance of hitting anything. She'll not meet up with much traffic out here in the North Atlantic."
"There may be icebergs," Barry said.
"Shouldn't be surprised. Be surprised if there weren't, at this time of year." The colonel looked reassuringly at Mrs. Adair. "No need to worry, though, dear lady. There's always a lookout, day and night, in the crow's nest. Those fellows could spot a
Titanic,
kissing, and when he came along they pulled apart.
"Mother! Father!" Barry called out in his dream voice, running toward them on dream-light feet. But his mother turned her back and looked out to sea, and his father said, "It's only your mother and father. You wouldn't be interested."
When he wakened it was still dark. The only sound was the throb of the ship's engines. The beat seemed louder, faster, but maybe he thought so because of the night and the quiet. Scollins turned and murmured sleepily in the other bed.
Barry had Grandpop's gloves, both of them, under his pillow, and he put them on now. The right one seemed still to be warm with the warmth of Pegeen Flynn, but that he was certainly imagining. The warmth had to have come from his own bed.
He wished Pegeen had lived in Mullinmore instead of with her auntie, whoever that was. He and she might have been friends. But probably not. The likes of the O'Neills were not friendly with the likes of the Flynns. He thought of the little un-painted Flynn house in Dead Lane, next to the chapel graveyard. How many rooms did it have? Two, maybe, and a kitchen. How many children were there? Seven or eight, at least. But, but ... He thought of the way Pegeen's brothers and sisters had clung to her, the wailing heartbreak in Mrs. Flynn's voice when she'd seen her sons and daughter go. She loved them. They loved each other.
He wished Grandpop had never complained about the scratch. But Jonnie Flynn was headed for trouble. It would have come to him some way.
Barry turned resdessly. If only he could have talked to Pegeen more! He'd like to have known ... His thoughts were getting hazier and hazier, and the beat of the ship ... He fell asleep.
When he wakened next it was morning and Watley was in the cabin with the breakfast tea. He brought Barry his cup and saucer. "My word, sir. Were your hands cold in the night? You should have rung for me. I will be sure to put an extra blanket on your bed this evening."
"No," Barry said. "I was quite warm." Embarrassed, he pulled off his gloves and pushed them back under his pillow. Was there nothing that escaped Watley's attention?
"I think I'm feeling a little better this morning," Scollins announced. "I think I will even venture to the dining salon for breakfast."
Barry and he went together. On the other side of the elegant room, Barry saw the Goldsteins, his friends of last night, at their table. He waved to them. Cabin 2B. He could go and visit them if he wanted to. The thought made him less lonely.
Mrs. Adair and Jocelyn were already seated with Colonel Sapp.
"Morning! Morning!" the colonel said heartily, and Mrs. Adair's eye flick-flicked to Barry and then back to her plate. He knew she'd recognized him when he walked by last night.
"Did the shark come up onto the deck again?" Jocelyn asked him. For the first time she seemed like a normal little girl.
Barry shook his head. "No, I called to him from the rail. I called, 'Sharky, Sharky! Come and take another bite,' but he'd disappeared."
"Probably couldn't keep up with the ship." Colonel Sapp wiped his mustache carefully on his serviette. "I hear the captain is determined to make New York by Tuesday. He's out to beat the
Olympic?
s record. Wouldn't be surprised if there's a bonus in it for him."
"Is that much speed safe?" Mrs. Adair asked.
"Makes no difference, I should think. The
Titanic
has the strength of fifty thousand horses in her engines, and she's built strong enough to take any speed he fancies. No chance of hitting anything. She'll not meet up with much traffic out here in the North Atlantic."
"There may be icebergs," Barry said.
"Shouldn't be surprised. Be surprised if there weren't, at this time of year." The colonel looked reassuringly at Mrs. Adair. "No need to worry, though, dear lady. There's always a lookout, day and night, in the crow's nest. Those fellows could spot a
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