Английский с А. Конан Дойлем. Пиратские истории

 “Got your hammer, carpenter?” asked one, whom Craddock recognised as the big quartermaster. “Knock off his leg shackles, then. Better leave the bracelets – he’s safer with them on.”

With hammer and chisel the carpenter loosened the irons.

“What are you going to do with me?” asked Craddock.

“Come on deck and you’ll see.”

The sailor seized him by the arm (матрос схватил его за руку) and dragged him roughly to the foot of the companion (и грубо потащил к подножию сходного трапа; foot – ступня; подножие, основание). Above him was a square of blue sky (над ним синел квадрат неба) cut across by the mizzen gaff with the colours flying at the peak (перерезанный бизань-гафелем с развевающимися на его вершине флагами; colour – цвет, тон; флаг /мор./; to fly – летать; развеваться). But it was the sight of those colours which struck the breath from Stephen Craddock’s lips (и от вида этих флагов у Стивена Крэддока перехватило: «отшибло» дыхание; to strike – бить, наносить удар; отшибать). For there were two of them (потому что их там было два), and the British ensign was flying above the Jolly Rodger (и вымпел Британии реял над Веселым Роджером) – the honest flag above that of the rogue (флаг порядочных /людей/ над флагом негодяев; honest – честный; достойный уважения).

 The sailor seized him by the arm and dragged him roughly to the foot of the companion. Above him was a square of blue sky cut across by the mizzen gaff with the colours flying at the peak. But it was the sight of those colours which struck the breath from Stephen Craddock’s lips. For there were two of them, and the British ensign was flying above the Jolly Rodger – the honest flag above that of the rogue.

For an instant Craddock stopped in amazement (на мгновение Крэддок в изумлении остановился), but a brutal push from the pirates behind drove him up the companion ladder (но грубый толчок /идущего/ позади пирата погнал его вверх по сходному трапу; to drive – гнать). As he stepped out upon deck, his eyes turned up to the main (шагнув на палубу, он обратил взгляд к грот-мачте; main – главная часть; грот-мачта /мор./), and there again were the British colours flying above the red pennant (и там тоже над красным вымпелом вились флаги Британии), and all the shrouds and rigging were garlanded with streamers (а ванты и такелаж украшены гирляндами из вымпелов).

Had the ship been taken, then (значит, корабль захвачен)? But that was impossible (но это невозможно), for there were the pirates clustering in swarms along the port bulwarks (потому что вдоль левого борта группами стояли пираты; to cluster – собираться группами, толпиться; swarm – рой, стая; толпа; port – левый борт /корабля, самолета/; bulwarks – фальшборт), and waving their hats joyously in the air (и радостно махали в воздухе шляпами).