Part 60 (2/2)

At length the gale broke, and sail being made, the _Supplejack_ once more stood on her course.

Evening was coming on; dark, leaden seas, still foam-topped, were rising up sullenly around her as she made her way amidst them, now on the summit of one, now sinking into the valley below, when the lookout shouted--

”The hull of a s.h.i.+p, either dismasted or on her beam-ends away on the lee-bow, sir.”

Jack went aloft with his telescope.

”She is a dismasted vessel, there is little doubt about that,” he observed to Bevan, as he returned on deck. ”Keep the brig away for her.”

Evening was approaching, but Jack hoped to be up with the stranger before dark. As the brig drew near her, she was seen to be a large s.h.i.+p, her three masts gone, while no attempt apparently had been made to rig jury-masts. So deep was she, that as she rolled in the heavy seas, the water came rus.h.i.+ng over her decks, and gus.h.i.+ng out through the scuppers on the opposite side.

Jack felt thankful that he had seen her, as, in all probability, her fate during the night would have been sealed. The brig was steered to pa.s.s just under her stern, Jack intending to heave-to to leeward. Just as she got up to her, Tom exclaimed--

”I see her name--it is the _Carib_, the very s.h.i.+p in which Mr Bradshaw intended to come to England.”

The eyes of all on board were turned towards the wreck. No one was seen on the deck.

”She must have been abandoned, but I trust that her pa.s.sengers have been taken off by some other vessel, for should they have left in the boats, their chance of escaping in the heavy sea which has been running would have been small indeed,” said Jack, feeling very anxious as he thought of Stella and Murray.

”Possibly the boats may have not long left her,” observed Bevan.

”You may be right,” said Jack. ”Send a couple of men with the sharpest eyes to look out, in case they may be still in sight.”

Just then a person was seen emerging from the companion-hatch, who no sooner discovered the brig, than he waved his hands and appeared to be frantically imploring a.s.sistance.

”It is Mr Bradshaw himself!” exclaimed Jack, who had been looking through his telescope. He immediately ordered a boat to be lowered, and sung out for volunteers.

”I will go myself, Bevan,” he said. ”Take charge of the brig.”

Needham was the first to step in, others quickly followed, and Jack, with some of his best men, pulled away through the heavy seas towards the s.h.i.+p. It was no easy task to get alongside without the risk of having the boat knocked to pieces. Jack watched his opportunity, and, followed by Needham and Tim Mullens, one of the men, sprang on board.

As he did so, he ordered the boat to keep off till he called her.

”Thank Heaven you have come!” exclaimed Mr Bradshaw, as he grasped his hand.

”Quick! quick! the ladies are in the cabin. I charged them not to come on deck for fear of being washed overboard, but from the heavy way the s.h.i.+p is rolling, I suspect that she has not much longer to swim.”

”Indeed she has not, I fear,” exclaimed Jack, rus.h.i.+ng into the cabin.

Stella was seated on a sofa, supporting Miss Bradshaw, who, overcome with alarm or illness, appeared to have fainted, while Polly was kneeling by her side, helping her mistress. Miss O'Regan looked amazed at seeing Jack. He, without waiting to utter an exclamation, seized her in his arms, and carried her on deck. Needham took up Miss Bradshaw, while Tim, who had accompanied him, tucked Polly under his arm.

”If you have nerve to leap at the proper time as the boat comes alongside, do so,” said Jack to Mr Bradshaw. ”If not, wait and I will come back for you.”

Jack shouted to the men in the boat to return, and waiting till she was close to, let himself down into her, holding Stella firmly with one arm.

Needham and Tim dropped safely with their burdens at the same time.

Mr Bradshaw still remained on board.

”Let me go, sir,” cried Needham, ”I will help him;” and the next moment he was again on deck. Seizing Mr Bradshaw by the hand, he watched the proper opportunity and dragged him down into the boat, both falling, though being caught by the men they were not much hurt. Jack then sheered the boat off from the wreck, and ordered his men to pull away towards the brig. Scarcely had they got clear than the s.h.i.+p's stern was seen to lift, and her bows plunging into the next sea which came rolling up, it rushed over her deck foaming and hissing, she in a few seconds disappearing beneath the surface, the boat having only just got beyond the influence of the vortex she created. There was no time to ask questions. Jack, being at the helm, could with difficulty attend to the two ladies, who lay in the stern sheets, Stella still attending on her friend. The boat was quickly again alongside the brig, and Jack and Needham lifted the two ladies safely on board. Mr Bradshaw was then helped up the side by the seamen, and the boat being hoisted in, the brig again made sail and stood on her proper course. The ladies were at once conveyed to Jack's cabin, and McTavish being sent for, his appliances soon restored Miss Bradshaw to consciousness.

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