Part 33 (1/2)

”No,” replied Mr Millons, shading his eyes with his hands, and gazing at the object in question, ”it's himpossible. I searched every bit o'

the bank for a plank before we came hoff, an' couldn't find a morsel as big as my 'and. W'at say you, doctor?”

”I think with you,” answered Dr Hopley; ”but here's the telescope, which will soon settle the question.”

While the doctor adjusted the gla.s.s, Rokens muttered that ”He wos sure it wos a bit o' the wreck,” and that ”there wos a bit o' rock as n.o.body couldn't easy git a t'other side of to look, and that that wos it, and the bit of wreck was there,” and much to the same effect.

”So it is,” exclaimed the doctor.

”Lay on your oars, lads, a moment,” said the captain, taking the gla.s.s and applying it to his eye.

The men obeyed gladly, for they experienced an unaccountable disinclination to row away from the island. Perhaps the feeling was caused in part by the idea that when they took their last look at it, it might possibly be their _last_ sight of land.

”It's a small piece of the foretopmast crosstrees,” observed the captain, shutting up the telescope and resuming his seat.

”Shall we go back an' pick it up, sir?” asked d.i.c.k Barnes gravely, giving vent to the desires of his heart, without perceiving at the moment the absurdity of the question.

”Why, what would you do with it, d.i.c.k?” replied the captain, smiling.

”Sure, ye couldn't ait it!” interposed Briant; ”but afther all, there's no sayin'. Maybe Nikel Sling could make a tasty dish out of it stewed in oak.u.m and tar.”

”It wouldn't be purlite to take such a t.i.t-bit from the mermaids,”

observed Gurney, as the oars were once more dipped reluctantly, in the water.

The men smiled at the jest, for in the monotony of sea life every species of pleasantry, however poor, is swallowed with greater or less avidity; but the smile did not last long. They were in no jesting humour at that time, and no one replied to the pa.s.sing joke.

Soon after this a soft gentle breeze sprang up. It came direct from Fairyland, as if the mermaids referred to by Gurney had been touched by the kindly feelings harboured in the sailors' bosoms towards their islet, and had wafted towards them a last farewell. The oars were s.h.i.+pped immediately and the sails hoisted, and, to the satisfaction of all on board, the _Maid of the Isle_ gave indications of being a swift sailer, for, although the puff of wind was scarcely sufficient to ruffle the gla.s.sy surface of the sea, she glided through the water under its influence a good deal faster than she had done with the oars.

”That's good!” remarked the captain, watching the ripples as they pa.s.sed astern; ”with fair winds, and not too much of 'em, we shall get on bravely; so cheer up, my la.s.sie,” he added, patting Ailie on the head, ”and let us begin our voyage in good spirits, and with hopeful, trusting hearts.”

”Look at Fairyland,” said Ailie, clasping her father's hand, and pointing towards the horizon.

At the moment she spoke, an opening in the great white clouds let a ray of light fall on the sandbank, which had now pa.s.sed almost beyond the range of vision. The effect was to illumine its yellow sh.o.r.e and cause it to s.h.i.+ne out for a few seconds like a golden speck on the horizon.

No one had ceased to gaze at it from the time the boat put forth; but this sudden change caused every one to start up, and fix their eyes on it with renewed interest and intensity. ”Shall we ever see land again?”

pa.s.sed, in one form or another, through the minds of all. The clouds swept slowly on the golden point melted away, and the s.h.i.+pwrecked mariners felt that their little boat was now all the world to them in the midst of that mighty world of waters.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

REDUCED ALLOWANCE OF FOOD--JACKO TEACHES BRIANT A USEFUL LESSON.

The first few days of the voyage of the _Maid of the Isle_ were bright and favourable. The wind, though light, was fair, and so steady that the men were only twice obliged to have recourse to their oars. The boat behaved admirably. Once, during these first days, the wind freshened into a pretty stiff breeze, and a somewhat boisterous sea arose, so that she was tested in another of her sailing qualities, and was found to be an excellent sea-boat. Very little water was s.h.i.+pped, and that little was taken in rather through the awkwardness of King b.u.mble, who steered, than through the fault of the boat.

Captain Dunning had taken care that there should be a large supply of tin and wooden scoops, for baling out the water that might be s.h.i.+pped in rough weather, as he foresaw that on the promptness with which this duty was performed, might sometimes depend the safety of the boat and crew.

There was one thing that proved a matter of much regret to the crew, and that was the want of a fowling-piece, or firearm of any kind. Had they possessed a gun, however old and bad, with ammunition for it, they would have been certain, at some period of their voyage, to shoot a few sea-birds, with which they expected to fall in on approaching the land, even although many days distant from it. But having nothing of the kind, their hope of adding to their slender stock of provisions was very small indeed. Fortunately, they had one or two fis.h.i.+ng-lines, but in the deep water, over which for many days they had to sail, fis.h.i.+ng was out of the question.

This matter of the provisions was a source of constant anxiety to Captain Dunning. He had calculated the amount of their stores to an ounce, and ascertained that at a certain rate of distribution they would barely serve for the voyage, and this without making any allowance for interruptions or detentions. He knew the exact distance to be pa.s.sed over, namely, 2322 miles in a straight line, and he had ascertained the sailing and rowing powers of the boat and crew; thus he was enabled to arrive at a pretty correct idea of the probable duration of the voyage, supposing that all should go well. But in the event of strong contrary winds arising, no fresh supplies of fish or fowl being obtained, or sickness breaking out among the men, he knew either that they must starve altogether, or that he must at once, before it was too late, still farther reduce the scanty allowance of food and drink to each man.