Part 22 (1/2)
Harry, who had seen him talking with the mate, asked him what the nature of the conversation was.
Mr. Stubbs told him.
”The fact is, Harry,” he said, ”we are in a critical condition.
Whether we are ever to see old terry firmy again”--Mr. Stubbs was not a cla.s.sical scholar--”seems a matter of doubt.”
”And the worst of it is,” said Harry, ”there seems to be nothing you or I can do to increase our chances of safety.”
”No, unless we could manage to see a s.h.i.+p which the chief officer had overlooked. That, I take it, is not very likely.”
It was toward morning of the fifth night after the captain had left the s.h.i.+p that all on board were startled by a mighty thumping, accompanied by a shock that threw the sleepers out of bed.
Harry ran hastily on deck. The mate was there already.
”What's happened, Mr. Holdfast?” asked the boy, anxiously.
”The s.h.i.+p has struck on a rocky ledge!”
”Are we in danger?”
”In great danger. Call all the pa.s.sengers. We must take to the boat, for the Nantucket is doomed!”
CHAPTER XIV
THE WRECK OF THE NANTUCKET
It was still quite dark, but it was light enough to see that the s.h.i.+p had struck upon a reef. Straining their eyes, the alarmed pa.s.sengers could descry land. Indeed, the reef was an outlying part of it.
All eyes were turned upon the captain, as Mr. Holdfast was now called.
”If I had had men enough to stand watch, this would not have happened,” he said.
”Is there any hope, Mr. Holdfast?” asked Montgomery Clinton, clasping his hands in terror.
”Plenty of it,” answered the mate, curtly, ”but we must leave the s.h.i.+p.”
Under his direction the remaining boat--for Captain Hill and his companions had only taken away one--was lowered. Steering clear of the reef, they found themselves in a cove, bordered on three sides by land. By the light, now rapidly increasing, they saw gra.s.s and trees, and the sight gladdened them in spite of the grave peril that menaced them.
They put in the boat as large a supply of stores as they dared, and then rowed ash.o.r.e. Landing the pa.s.sengers, Holdfast selected Jack and Harry, and went back to the s.h.i.+p for a further supply.
”We must lay in as much as we can, for we don't know how long we are to remain here,” he said.
When the second trip had been made, it was decided to rest for a time and eat breakfast.
The little group gathered on a bluff looking out to sea, and, sitting down, ate heartily. By this time the sun had made its appearance, and it bade fair to be a pleasant day.
”Have you any idea where we are, Mr. Holdfast?” asked Mr. Stubbs.
”I only know that we are on an island. There is no mainland near here,” answered the commander.