Part 17 (1/2)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THE WRECK

By the roaring sound they heard when they awoke, the lads knew that the storly of their store of food for breakfast; and then calculating that it ht, they made their way towards theday, but how long the sun had risen they could not tell, as the sky was still thickly overcast with clouds

The sea ashi+ng, as before, heavily into the cavern, throwing up all sorts of articles, aes, melons, and other fruits of a southern cliot hold of two unbroken, and very welcoh a few had turned sufficiently red to be eaten

”I would rather have had h to get these”

”What's that?” asked Bill, pointing to the opposite side of the cavern, where a creature was seen struggling in a hollow half filled ater

Jack dashed across at the risk of being carried off by the receding sea; and, grasping a large fish, held it up as he rushed away to escape fro in with a loud roar

”Here's a prize worth having,” he shouted ”Hurrah! we ”

He carried his prize well out of the reach of the water, and a knock on the head put an end to its struggles

The lads piled up their various waifs, conte them with infinite satisfaction; but it was evident that as their gain was soone on shore, or else has thrown her cargo overboard,” observed Bill

He went first to one side of the cavern, and then to the other, so as to obtain as wide a prospect as possible

”See! there's a vessel trying to beat off shore,” he exclaione came into view, the sail which she was still able to carry heeling her over till her yard-ar summits of the seas

”She'll not do it, I fear,” said Jack, after they had been watching her for soht over If the wind doesn't fall, nothing can save her; and even then, unless she brings up and her anchors hold, she's sure to be cast on shore”

They watched the vessel for so every stitch of canvas she could set, she appeared to bebodily to leeward

The lads uttered a cry of regret, for down came her mainmast, and immediately her head turned towards the shore

In a few h no rock was visible, and the sea swept over her deck, carrying her re mast, boats, caboose, and round-house overboard, with every person who could be seen In an instant, several hu waters alongside, but they quickly disappeared

”They are all gone,” cried Jack; ”not one that I can see has escaped”

”Perhaps some were below,” observed Bill ”If they were, it won't o to pieces”

He wasin, lifted the vessel, and driving over the ledge on which she had first struck, carried her between some dark rocks, till she stuck fast on the sandy shore Had the people been able to cling to her till now, soht possibly have been saved, but they had apparently all been on deck when the vessel struck, and been swept away by the first sea which rolled over her The seas still continued to sweep along her deck, but their force was partly broken by the rocks, and being evidently a stout vessel, she hung together

It was at the tio down, that they ht examine her nearer

”Even if anybody is alive on board, we cannot help them,” observed Jack; ”so I vote that we take our fish to the ca that we had no breakfast to speak of”

Bill, who had no objection to offer, agreed to this; so carrying up their newly-obtained provisions, they soon had a fire lighted, and so away before it

The fate of the unfortunate vessel formed the subject of their conversation