Part 54 (1/2)

Directly this was started a happy thought seemed to strike the captain, who had a third boat lowered, with instructions to row right ashore, land the men, and divide theht and left, stationing a man at every fifty yards; and these were to patrol the beach to and fro, keeping watch and a sharp look out for the fugitives

”That will checkht of this before Now go”

Mr Bosun Jones was in coave orders to his men, the oars splashed, and away they went into the darkness, their lights growing fainter and fainter, till they seemed to be mere specks in the distance; but they did not die out, and as those left on deck watched the progress, they saw the lanthorns of the last boat become stationary, and knew that the men had reached the shore, while the lanthorns of the second cutter were faintly visible,slowly far away to the south

The captain rubbed his hands with satisfaction, and kept walking to the gangway and using his night-glass without any greater result than that of seeing a couple of faint specks of light, when he got the boats'

lanthorns into the field Then he listened in the hope of hearing shouts, which would suggest the capture of the fugitives; but half an hour--an hour--glided by, and all was still The buzz and cries which had arisen frohts shown there had been extinguished, while the darkness which hung over the sea appeared to grow more dense

At last there was a hail about a hundred yards away, and the officer in the first boat answered the captain's eager inquiry

”No, sir; no luck Not a sign of any one I'ot ashore and escaped?”

”No, sir,” said the lieutenant, gravely; ”I don't think a man could swim ashore in this darkness and escape”

”Why, the distance is very short!”

”Yes, sir; but there are obstacles in the way”

”Obstacles?”

”Well, sir, I've seen some tremendous sharks about in the clear water; and I don't think any one could get any distance without having some of the brutes after him”

A terrible silence followed this declaration, and the captain drew his breath hard

”Come aboard,” he said ”It is too dark for further search to be side, the falls lowered, the hooks adjusted, and she was hoisted up and swung inboard

”I'd give anything to capture the scoundrels,” said the captain, after walking up and down for a few minutes with the lieutenant; ”but I don't want the poor fellows to meet with such a fate as that Do you think it likely?”

”More than likely, sir,” said the lieutenant, coldly

The captain turned aft, made his way to the quarter-deck, and re shoreward to where he could faintly see the lights of the last boat

”We ,” nal la they were answered, and the lanthorns of Bosun Jones'

boat could soon after be seen heading slowly for the shi+p, the second boat following her exans of them, Mr Jones?” said the captain, as his warrant officer reached the deck to report himself

”No, sir,” said the boatswain, sadly; ”but I heard a sound, and one of my men heard it too”

”A sound? What sound?”

”Like a faint cry of distress, sir”