Part 36 (1/2)

Fairclough placed himself at the wheel, and told the two mids.h.i.+pmen to go round, and tell the crew that there was an inlet ahead, but the depth of the water was uncertain. When they approached it, all hands would come aft, so as to avoid being crushed by the falling masts. A dozen of the men were to take hatchets, and cut away the wreckage if the mast fell, leaving only a couple of the shrouds uncut. When this was done, directly the vessel began to break up, those who could not swim were to make their way by these shrouds to the floating mast. Those who could swim could make, at once, for the sh.o.r.e.

”When all have left the s.h.i.+p but Mr. Hardy and myself, we will cut the shrouds; and the masts will probably ground, ere long.”

While before the sailors had, for the most part, been gazing at the coast, on which they had little doubt that their bodies would soon be cast up; they became lively and active, as soon as they received the order. It seemed that, after all, there was a chance for them.

Four hours pa.s.sed. The wind had now so far headed them that the brig could no longer keep her course parallel with the sh.o.r.e. Twice they had endeavoured to put her about, but each time failed; and she was now making so much leeway that the coast was less than three miles away. A tremendous sea was breaking upon it. One of the mids.h.i.+pmen had, for the past hour, been in the foretop with a gla.s.s; and the captain himself now went up, and took his place beside him. He saw at once that, accustomed as he was to use his telescope in rough weather, it would be useless here; for the motion was so great that it was only by following the mids.h.i.+pman's example, and las.h.i.+ng himself to the mast, that he could retain a footing.

”You are sure that you have seen no break in the surf, Mr. Eden?”

”Quite sure, sir.”

”We ought not to be far from it, now, if it is rightly marked on the chart.”

Another hour pa.s.sed, and they were within a mile and a half of the sh.o.r.e.

”I think that I can see a break, over there, sir,” and the mids.h.i.+pman pointed to a spot a mile along the coast.

”Pray G.o.d that it may be so,” Fairclough said, ”for it is our only chance.”

Two or three minutes later, he said:

”You are right, there is certainly a break there. There is a line of surf, but it does not run up the sh.o.r.e, as it does everywhere else.”

He at once descended to the deck.

”Thank G.o.d!” he said, as he joined Mr. Hardy and Harry who, on seeing him coming down, had made their way to the shrouds, ”there is a break in the surf. It is not a complete break, but there is certainly an inlet of some sort. And though it looks as if there were a bar, there may be plenty of water for us for, with such a sea as this, it would break in three fathoms of water and, as we don't draw more than two, we may get over it. At any rate, it is our only hope.”

”It gives us a chance, if we strike,” the lieutenant said, ”for it will be comparatively calm water, inside the bar. Those who can swim should have no difficulty in getting ash.o.r.e. The others might do so, on wreckage. Her masts are sure to come out of her, if she strikes heavily.”

”I shall be obliged if you will go up to the foretop, Hardy, and con the brig in; but mind you, come down before we get to the white water. You may as well send Mr. Eden down.”

Mr. Hardy was not long before he came down again and, at the captain's suggestion, both he and Harry went below, and armed themselves with pistols. As soon as they came up again, they took their places by Fairclough. The seamen had all gathered aft. The boatswain had cut the las.h.i.+ngs holding the spars--that had been sent down from aloft--in their place by the bulwarks. The boats had all been torn from their davits, or smashed; with the exception of the largest cutter, which lay bottom upwards in the middle of the s.h.i.+p, securely lashed to the deck.

”Now, men,” the captain said, raising his voice almost to a shout, so that all might hear him, ”you have behaved as well as men could do, during this storm; and I have no doubt that you will continue to do so, to the end. Remember that no one is to leave the s.h.i.+p, till I give the order. If you are cool and calm, there is good ground for hope that all may be saved.

”If the mast falls, you who have hatchets run forward at once, and stand in readiness to cut the lanyards; but don't strike until I give the order.”

They were now fast approaching the line of surf.

”Let everyone take hold of something,” Mr. Fairclough shouted. ”If we strike, we are sure to be p.o.o.ped.”

Another minute, and she was close to the breaking waves. Everyone held his breath as, impelled by a great breaker, she dashed into the surf with the swiftness of an arrow. There was a shock, followed by a grating noise, and then the brig slowly came to a standstill.

”Hold on, hold on for your lives!” the captain shouted, as a wave even larger than the last came towering up behind them, in an almost perpendicular wall. It struck the vessel with tremendous force, and swept waist deep along the deck; while the vessel, herself, surged forward. There was another shock, but this time much slighter and, as the next wave carried them on, there was a general cheer from the sailors.

”She has floated, she is through it, hurrah!”

She was, indeed, over the bar.

”There are men in the water,” Fairclough shouted. ”Get ready to cast ropes to them.”