Part 48 (1/2)
The sea dashi+ng over the reef, though spent of its fury, still broke with great force against the hull of the schooner Her ti the back, covering the surface of the lagoon with afoah the
The Frenchh paralysed the adrift the lashi+ngs, and preparing to launch her
”Keep all fast there!” cried Rayner, as he sahat they were about
”It will be best to wait till the sea goes doe shall be able to get the boat into the water with less risk of her being swamped than at present”
They, however, paid no attention to his orders, and continued their preparations for launching the boat
When he found that they persisted in their atteed them to wait till they had collected a supply of provisions, and obtained soht find neither the one nor the other on shore Calling Fletcher aft to attend to Peek, he and Oliver went into the cabin to collect all the eatables they could find, as also their carpet bags and such other articles as et up some water before the boat shoves off,” said Rayner
”I'll send one of the o into the hold to search for casks”
The boat was still on the deck, and there seemed no probability that the French her
He was so about for the casks of water
He had just found a couple, and was about to return on deck to obtain so them up, when he heard Jack Peek shout out, ”Quick, Mr Rayner--quick! the fellows are shoving off in the boat”
Springing on deck, as his surprise and indignation to see the boat in the water, and all theTom Fletcher!
”What treachery is this?” he exclaiet our injured shi+pmate into the boat, and Mr Crofton will be on deck in a , theon deck, leapt into the boat, intending to prevent the off Rayner, for the same object, followed hi fast, when one of the Frenchh, and the boat rapidly drifted away froed the people to pull back, and take off Oliver and Jack; but, regardless of his entreaties, one of the the helm, turned the boat's head towards the beach They pulled rapidly away, endeavouring to keep her fro swamped by the heavy seas which rolled up astern Now she rose, now she sank, as she neared the shore
”Oliver will fancy that I have deserted him; but Jack Peek knows me too well to suppose that I could have acted so basely,” thought Rayner
”If, however, the boat is knocked to pieces, it will be a hard et back to the wreck All I can do is to pray to Heaven that the schooner e to return on board”
These thoughts passed through his mind as the boat approached the beach
He saw that it would be utterly useless to try and induce the erous He again urged the crew to be careful how they beached the boat
”The moment she touches jump out and try to run her up, for should another sea follow quickly on the first, she will be driven broadside on the beach, and before you can get free of her, you may be carried away by the reflux”
The Frencher to save themselves, paid no attention to what he said On flew the boat on the summit of a sea, and carried forward, the next instant her keel struck the sand Regardless of his advice, they all at the saet out of the boat He and Tom Fletcher held on to the thwarts
On caot out of its influence, two of the surf, while the boat, broaching to, was hove high up on the beach, on which she fell with a loud crash, her side stove in Rayner, fearing that sheafter hiht was to try and rescue the tworound to see as , he discovered that one of the back to the boat to secure a coil of rope which had been thrown into her, and calling on his companions to hold on to one end, he fastened the other round his waist, intending to plunge in, and hoping to seize hold of the poor felloho could be seen struggling frantically in the hissing foam The French only of their own safety, rushed up the beach, as if fancying that the sea ht still overtake them
Tom and his messmate alone remained, and held on to the rope Rayner swam off towards the French him by the shi+rt, he ordered Tom and Brown to haul hi the Frenchman on shore
Ward, the other sea, apparently lifeless, in the surf--now driven nearer the beach, now carried off again, far beyond the reach of the rope The moment the Frenchain, telling Tom and Brown to advance as far as possible into the water
Rayner, however, did not feel very confident that they would obey his orders, but trusted to his powers as a swimmer to make his way back to the beach A sea rolled in He swaot to the end of the rope, and Ward was still beyond his reach Still he struggled Perhaps another sea rasping the collar of Ward's jacket, he shouted to Brown and Toht Ward in rolled on, and Too the rope and sprang back Happily, Brown held on, but his strength was not sufficient to drag in the rope In vain he called on To h the water rose above his waist The next instant the sea bore Rayner and his now lifeless burden close up to where he stood Rayner himself was almost exhausted, but with the help of Brown, and such aid as Toot beyond the influence of the angry seas Rayner lost no ti to restore the seaman, but with sorrow he found that it was a corpse alone he had brought on shore