Part 31 (1/2)
The position of the htful if they had had a fair stock of provisions For the cool water rippled by their boat, there was a refreshi+ng breeze in the shady trees, and a pleasant sensation of dreamy repose and restfulness ca sea and beautiful verdant tropic shore
And as he gazed, Mark felt that undoubtedly fruit of some kind could be found sufficient to sustain life; and, with the determination to wait till another day, when the etful of the fact that fasting would ain directly after daylight, for a search, and then went to the boat and sat back to gaze out at sea
”Mr Vandean, sir! Mr Vandean!”
”Eh? Yes! What's thesir, only I couldn't wake you up”
”Was I asleep?”
”Yes, sir; we've all been asleep, more shame for me to say so, and the lads have only just woke me up”
”Oh, it's horrible!” cried Mark; ”how can I ever trust ain?”
”Oh, don't you take on about that, sir: human natur's hu about we had, and the proper thing for us was to have a good snooze, and we've only been getting ready to do a good night's work”
Mark looked at Mr Russell, who lay breathing coave orders for the boat to be un feeble, but quite in his right mind, and ready to resent an atteood thrust was given to the boat out into the rushi+ng streaan to row, so as to get out of thetheir way north
But in a very few htened as to the state of affairs While they slept the tide had turned, and in place of a swift strea out, they were in the rapid tidal current running in, any doubt heup a little water with his hand, to taste it, and find it salt
Thesteadily, but with a feeble, slow stroke, which at first kept theave a little and a little ht Mark saw a cluster of trees ashore, by which they had been passing, begin to glide the other way
”Pull, ain for a few ed to keep abreast of the trees, but their strokes again grew more feeble, and, in spite of spurt after spurt, it was evident enough that the tide was too strong for er, nothing having passed their lips save water for many hours
”Here,” cried Toet outside, where the current won't be so strong”
”It's o' no use, mate,” said dick Bannock ”She's toowell, and a lot o' beef and biscuit, we in that 'ere”
”You don't half try,” said To an oar over the side to add his strength, when all pulled again, working hard for quite half an hour, when Mark called to theth,all the time”
”Yes, sir,” said To for you to speak Most too dark to see, but I'o up with the tide, Toain by the trees”
”Well, we should be brought back again, sir; but I think it would be best to make fast”
”Steadily, my lads,” said Mark; ”let's pull in shore with the tide till I see a good place”
”Or, feel it, sir,” whispered Tom Fillot
”Yes, or feel it, To Easy--easy there; just dip so as to get nearer the shore The current's so se may be capsized”
”Easy it is, sir,” said To nearer and nearer the shore with its heavy fringe of verdure, Mark watching eagerly in the gathering blackness for a big tree with overhanging boughs, but all in vain