Part 11 (1/2)

Again a desperate attempt was made to right the boat.

”If we had but a knife we could do it,” cried Tom. ”I will never again step into a boat without one.”

”We shall be fortunate if we have the opportunity,” observed McTavish.

”There is but little chance of our being picked up, and as to any of us reaching the sh.o.r.e that seems impossible.”

No answer was made to his remark. The squall which had capsized the boat was succeeded by others. The weather was evidently changing for the worse, and the boat drifting farther and farther from the land.

Their prospects were dreary in the extreme, indeed almost hopeless. The gunwale of the boat on which they were seated was only six inches out of the water, so that should a sea get up they might all quickly be washed away.

Norris felt very unhappy, as he had been at the helm. ”I hope that you fellows will forgive me,” he said. ”I little expected the boat to capsize so suddenly, though I ought to have kept a better look-out.”

”Don't talk about it,” answered Tom. ”It was as much our fault as yours. We have each of us much to ask forgiveness for if we were to count up old scores.”

”Mr Jennings, I hope you will forgive me for capsizing you in the gale when we were coming out from England.”

”Of course, youngster,” he answered gravely; ”I have not thought about it since.”

”Thank you, sir,” said Tom, as if his mind had been relieved of a burden.

”I hope old Scrofton won't be thinking about the tricks we have played him.”

”I was just after thinking that I wish he may not ill-treat Spider,”

cried Desmond; ”I don't know what the poor baste will do without us.”

”What we have to do is to forgive all others from the bottom of our hearts,” remarked Archy. ”We need not trouble ourselves what they will think or say of us.”

Archy, who was a true Christian, made several other fitting remarks, clearly pointing out to his companions the only way by which they could be prepared for the new existence into which there seemed every probability they would soon have to enter.

”It's a grievous thought, my friends, that we do not all so live that we may be fit at any moment to die,” he observed calmly.

Few of those present failed to agree with him, and for the time, at all events, to wish that they were as well prepared as he appeared to be.

Again they were all silent for some minutes.

”Something must be done!” exclaimed Tom, who had been thinking over the matter, and in his own mind had resolved what to do.

”It's too far for any of us to swim to sh.o.r.e,” observed Mr Jennings; ”I would try it, but I never could keep afloat five minutes together.”

”I, too, am a miserable swimmer,” sighed Mr Houghton. ”Besides which, the sharks would take good care not to allow one of us to reach the sh.o.r.e,” he added, in a whisper.

Neither of the seamen could swim, and McTavish, the only other grown man of the party, had had very little practice either.

”Well, then,” exclaimed Tom, ”I will try it! My brother Jack swam on sh.o.r.e when the _Racer_ was wrecked in the Mediterranean, and was the means of saving the lives of many of the people; I am not a much worse swimmer than he was then; I feel sure that I could do it if I had a companion. It's a long way to go alone through the silent water.”

”Faith! I would go with you,” cried Desmond, ”but I am afraid that I should keep you back rather than help you forward.”

Archy Gordon, who had sat silent during the discussion, suddenly exclaimed, ”I am not so good a swimmer as you are, Tom, but I see no other way of saving our lives, and if I go down I shall at all events be doing my duty.”

”Thank you, Archy,” said Tom; ”I accept your offer, and will do my best to help you along.”

Had any other means offered, the rest of the party would not have allowed the young mids.h.i.+pmen to run so fearful a hazard of their lives.