Part 20 (2/2)
I soon told the the shi+pwrecked officer who had savedmy eyes fixed on Miss Kitty's face, till she exclaimed suddenly:
”Oh, Charley, tell me; is he not my father? And you say he came home with you?”
”Yes,” I answered; ”and he is even noaiting to see you”
”Oh, take me to him! take me to him!” she cried out
Mr and Mrs Dear acco-roo-lost parent
I need scarcely say that Captain Falconer next day made his appearance at the house, and before he went away Mr Raglan gladly accepted hilad to find that Captain Renton was again to take co with Captain Falconer
He, however, it had been arranged, in consequence of his e, should re out of Messrs Dear and Ashe's shi+ps
I es in the _Phoebe_, and returned on the last as her first ive me, that my employers promised me the command of a shi+p they were about to despatch to the West Indies I passed the short ti Mr Dear and Captain and Mrs Falconer, holad to find he was proth ready for sea I felt as proud as I supposeofficers do, when they first assume the command of a fine vessel; and as I surveyed the _Ellen_, I was satisfied that she was all I could desire
”You need not be jealous of Falconer,” said Mr Dear, who accoot a wife of your own, and I hope she will prove true and faithful”
Being allowed three mates, I offered the berth of third ood a seaed to you, Captain Laurel, but I am afraid I ha'n'tthose chronoh I know the stars pretty well, and can dot dohat is wanted in the log”
”I won't trouble you about that,” I said; ”you can h lot, I fear”
dick without farther ado accepted the appointment
We were bound, in the first instance, for Barbadoes, but expected to visit other islands on our return We had a fine run across the Atlantic Though at first I felt a little strange, sitting in dignified solitude in ot accustomed to it
The first and second mates were sensible fellows, and learned to esteeed the ot s went s or coarse language, but, by bringing out his Bible, he got the to God's Word, asked theht
Thus by degrees they were induced to give up a habit which had become with most of them a second nature
We had just ht, and were going about, to beat up to our port, as the as against us, when the look-out at the e shi+p which appeared to be on shore on a reef Her sails were furled, and she was heeling over greatly I accordingly stood on, to render her any assistance she ht require As we drew near her,that she was, indeed, hard and fast, while a heavy sea broke on the reef and threatened her with destruction Throughthe yards, probably for the purpose of building a raft I, ordering the first mate to stand off the land, lowered two boats I took the command of one, and dick of the other, and we pulled towards the wreck The tide was rising, and as we got nearthat the breakers were dashi+ng with increasing fury against the shi+p A boat croith people had got away on the lee side towards the land, and another, atte to follow her example, amped, and we feared that all the people in her were lost To approach on the weather side was impossible I therefore directed dick to follow et round it, as I did not believe that it extendedpull, and by the ti passed round the southern end of the reef, I was afraid that the fate of those on board ain made out the shi+p, I feared that my worst anticipations had been fulfilled, for the sea broke coone and her upper works washed away I got as near as I could, but could distinguish no hu on board Her crew must either have been carried away by the sea, or made their escape in the boats, or on the raft they were for, if, as I doubted, they had had time to finish it Away to the ard rose a rocky island, which, froht that in all probability any who had escaped would atte on it
As in their hurry they were not likely to have carried either provisions or water, I determined to pull to the island, to relieve any of the people who ht have reached it As we drew near, I saw that the sea was breaking heavily on the weather shore, but I had no doubt of being able to land on the lee side We had a long pull before us; but the et back to the shi+p before night closed in
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
EMILIE
On landing on the lee side of the island, I clilance over the sea to the ard, but could discover no sign of either raft or boats, and therefore concluded that they must have been cast on the weather side; and if so, froainst it, I feared few could have scaped it
However, with dick and several of theropes and boat-hooks and so to the neighbouring rocks We had not got far when I heard a voice hailing, and we caught sight of ato us ”Make haste! er hurried down the rock, and we followed hiht of the sea on the east side of the island As ere cliround, I saw that a reef extended so out of it above the foae boat, surrounded by people, so to the boat; while several were at thatround the rocks, beat with violence against the shattered boat Theher up farther on the reef, as the only hope of saving their lives Now one poor fello another, ashed away, as the sea swept round over the reef with ever-increasing force We were hurrying down the rocks, when I saw just below us a young lady, for I could not doubt, fro at the dreadful spectacle, and apparently unable to witness it longer, she sank on the rock, pressing her hand on her eyes, to shut it out At this er who had called to us