《Grimes 039 The Sister Ships 》作者：- A. Bertram Chandler【EPUB】

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The Sister Ships Captain John Grimes stood impassively in the port wing of his bridge as his ship the round-the-world tramp Sonya Winneck slid gently in toward her berth. But although his stocky bodywas immobile his brain was active. He was gauging speed distances the effect of the tide. Hisengines were stopped but the vessel still seemed to be carrying too much way. He was stemmingthe ebb but according to the Port Directions there was sometimes—not always—an eddy acounter current along this line of wharfage. In any case it would be a tight fit. Ahead of himwas Iron Baron one of the steel trade ships: a huge beamy brute with gigantic deck cranesalmost capable of lifting her by her own bootstraps. In the berth astern was the Lone StarLines Orionic with even more beam to her than the Baron. quotPortquot ordered Grimes. quotHard overquot quotHard a port sirquot replied the quartermaster. Sonya Winneck was accosting the wharf at afairly steep angle now her stem aimed at a bollard just abaft Iron Barons stern. Grimeslifted his mouth whistle to his lips blew one short sharp blast. From the focsle head camethe rattle of chain cable as the starboard anchor was let go then one stroke of the bell tosignal that the first shackle was in the pipe. Grimes looked aft. Sonya Winnecks quarter wasnow clear of Orionics bows. quotMidships Slow asternquot He heard the replies of the man at the wheel and the Third Officer. He felt the vibration asthe reversed screw bit into the water. But would slow astern be enough He was about to orderhalf astern then realized that this was what he was getting if not more. The transversethrust of the screw threw Sonya Winnecks stern to port even as her headway was killed. Alreadya heaving line was ashore forward and snaking after it the first of the mooring lines. Aftthe Second Mate was ready to get his first line ashore. quotStop herquot ordered Grimes. quotThat will do the wheel thank you.quot On focsle head and poop theself-tensioning winches were whining. Grimes looking down from the bridge wing to the markerflag on the wharf saw that he was exactly in position. He made the traditional quotarms crossedabove the headquot gesture—Make her fast as she is—to the Chief Officer forward the SecondOfficer aft. Then he walked slowly into the wheelhouse. The Third Officer was still standing bythe engine control pedestal. quotFinished with engines Mr. Denhamquot said Grimes