Part 8 (1/2)
He hailed the men aloft, and desired them to look out. No one could see the boat; and neither the lifebuoy nor the young sailor, who, it was supposed, had got hold of it, were anywhere to be seen. The captain continued looking out for some time, ordering those aloft also to keep a bright look-out. At length he gave the order to brace round the yards, and the s.h.i.+p once more gathered way. ”We must not give them up yet; so I will wear s.h.i.+p, and run over the ground we have pa.s.sed.”
While this manoeuvre was being carried out the Miss Diceys and several other ladies, followed by Mrs Clagget, appeared on deck.
”What is the matter, captain?” exclaimed the latter. ”They tell me that a man has fallen overboard, and that a boat has gone to look for him.
How could you let a boat go away while the sea is tumbling about in this terrible fas.h.i.+on; and, pray, who has gone in her? Ah, Mr Paget, I am glad to see you have not risked your life. But where is Charles Dicey?
Just like him, to do such a madcap trick. My dear girls, your brother jumped into the boat to pick up a silly man who tumbled overboard, and they cannot find him or any of those who went with him.”
”Our brother!” exclaimed Emily and May in a tone of alarm. ”Where is the boat? Oh! do tell us, Captain Westerway; we do not see her.”
”We are somewhat anxious about the boat, I confess, Miss Dicey,” said Mr Paget, approaching Emily and May; ”but still we may hope to find her. In this mountainous sea she might be easily concealed between the waves, though at no great distance.”
In vain, however, every one on board kept looking out for the missing boat. The s.h.i.+p was standing back exactly over the spot where she had been lowered. The only sign of her was a broken oar, which tossed up and down--for a moment was seen, and then disappeared. Mrs Clagget continued to abuse Charles for his foolhardiness, as she called it.
”Poor young man, I wish he had not gone,” said the good captain; ”but it was a brave deed. I ought not to have allowed the boat to be lowered; but I could not bear to let one of my fellows perish without an attempt to save him; and I thought that lifeboat could be trusted.”
”Very wrong in all concerned,” exclaimed Mrs Clagget. ”But surely, captain, you don't think poor Charles is really lost, and your worthy mate too. I had a great respect for that honest man.”
”Indeed, madam, I fear such is the case,” said the captain with a sigh; ”and I trust you will do your best to console those dear young ladies.
It will break their hearts, I am afraid, for it is easy to see what affection they have for their brother.”
Emily and May were, as may be supposed, almost stricken down by grief when they were told, though as cautiously as possible by Mr Paget, of what had occurred. Not till night had arrived, and all hopes had been abandoned, could they be induced to leave the deck. They stood with their hands clasped together, looking out over the tossing sea as though they expected the boat which contained him they loved so much would appear again in sight.
CHAPTER EIGHT.
THE ”RANGER'S” BOATS ARE SENT AWAY.
THE PUMPS DISABLED--THE WOMEN PLACED IN BOATS--YOUNGER OFFICERS AND BOYS SENT AWAY--THE CAPTAIN AND COLONEL REMAIN--THE CAPTAIN'S LETTER--CHILD SAVED BY YOUNG BROKE--s.h.i.+P DRIVING ON LAUNCH--ESCAPE OF LAUNCH--VOYAGE IN BOATS COMMENCED--LAST SIGHT OF ”RANGER”--MRS RUMBELOW ENCOURAGES HER COMPANIONS--BOATS RUNNING BEFORE THE GALE--MRS MORLEY'S GRIEF--A CABIN FORMED FOR THE WOMEN--A SEA BREAKS ON BOARD--SEARCH FOR PROVISIONS-- FIRST NIGHT IN THE BOAT--HARRY SHAFTO AT THE HELM--THE WEATHER MODERATES--IMPOSSIBILITY OF RETURNING TO THE s.h.i.+P--SCARCITY OF WATER-- THE DOCTOR MANUFACTURES A STILL--VARIOUS PROVISIONS DISCOVERED.
Dreary as was the night, it was happily of no long duration. Daylight again appeared; but the scene was as forlorn and threatening as that of the previous morning.
While the first-lieutenant and Harry Shafto, and some of the other officers, were engaged in examining the boats and clearing them of lumber, the purser was busily employed in collecting provisions, and separating those of various description, so that each boat might be supplied with a sufficiency, in due proportion.
”The boats will not carry a quarter of our number,” observed Harry to the first-lieutenant.
”No, Shafto,” was the answer. ”We know that. The captain has decided who is to go in each of them. Then we who remain must form rafts, and do the best we can to save our lives.”
”Should the s.h.i.+p sink beneath us!” observed Harry. ”I fear, in this cold and stormy sea, that a raft would be of no real service, though it might prolong our existence for a few hours.”
”We, however, must do our best to preserve the lives of the poor people committed to our charge,” said Mr Tobin.
”We certainly must do that, if possible,” said Harry; ”and it seems to me that the sea has gone down a little since daybreak; I have been watching it anxiously.”
”I agree with you, Shafto,” replied Mr Tobin. ”The wind has lessened considerably within the last half-hour, and though we may not be able to keep the old s.h.i.+p afloat, there is a better prospect of the boats escaping.”
Some time was occupied in getting the boats ready; oars, masts, and sails were put into each; tackles were rove for hoisting them out; but Commander Newcombe was unwilling to give the order to lower them while there seemed a prospect of the s.h.i.+p floating and the sea going down.
The crew were now piped to breakfast, as if nothing particular was occurring. The spirits of all on board were somewhat raised by observing the evident improvement in the weather. The carpenter reported that the water was gaining less rapidly on the pumps, but still it was gaining. Another sail, however, was got up from below, fothered like the last, and pa.s.sed with ropes under the s.h.i.+p's bottom. It produced a more satisfactory result than the former ones; still, after another hour had pa.s.sed, the water continued coming in faster than it could be pumped out. The commander and Colonel Morley were seen earnestly consulting together. They were joined by the first-lieutenant.
”The winch of the starboard pump has broken, and the pump is disabled, sir,” he said, in as calm a tone as he could a.s.sume.