Part 49 (1/2)

”Do you, Peek, hold the basket, and do not let it go if you can help it”

They took their seats, and lashi+ng themselves to the raft, cast off the rope which held it to the wreck, and began paddling aith ht and main The seas rolled in with h there was still considerable risk of the raft capsizing

While under the lee of the wreck they proceeded sh, but the seas which passed her ahead and astern , several times washed over theh the gloolad those fellows have not deserted us, for after the way they before behaved I did not feel quite sure about the her than the rest ca the raft on its su forward

”Be ready to cast off the lashi+ngs, and to spring clear of the raft, or itnot aon the raft, al up and seizing Jack Peek by the arm, he leapt clear of it They would both have fallen, however, had not Tom and Brown dashed into the water and assisted them, while Le Duc rendered the same assistance on the other side to Oliver

Before the raft could be secured the reflux carried it away, together with the basket of provisions, and it soon disappeared in the darkness

”What shall we do next?” asked Oliver ”We cannot stop on the beach all night”

Wet to the skin as they were, although the as not cold, it blew through their thin clothing, and made them feel very chilly

”We must look out for food and shelter,” observed Rayner ”Perhaps we shall fall in with some of the huts of the black people where we can obtain both, though the country did not look very inviting when there was light enough to see it I, however, don't like to leave the body of that poor fellow on the beach”

”Fletcher and I will try and bury hi that,” growled Toht, seeing we have no spades, nor anything else to dig a grave”

”We ht do it if we could find some boards,” said Jack ”Hoould you like to be left on shore just like a dead dog?”

His good intentions, however, were frustrated, as no pieces of board could be found, and they were co the body on a dry bank out of the reach of the water This done, they commenced their march in search of so poor Jack, as unable to ithout help, between theli to the west, but Rayner reflected that by going in that direction they would get farther and farther from the Spanish territory, but were they once to reach it, they ht claim assistance from the inhabitants How many miles they were froht be a dozen or it ive them no information It was difficult to find the way in the darkness; they could indeed only guide the to the roar of the breakers, with an occasional glireed that it would be of great advantage to get into Spanish territory before daylight, as they would thus avoid being taken prisoners Though their object in co on the coast was a peaceable one, it would be difficult to induce the authorities to believe that this was the case Le Duc promised that he would bear testiive of themselves; but, he observed, ”My worda deserter The people hereabouts do not set much value on human life, and theyfurther inquiries”

These observations, which Rayner translated to his companions, made them still more anxious to push on He and Oliver led the ith Le Duc, whom they desired to answer should they come suddenly on any of the inhabitants

They went on and on, stuh a wood, now ascending a rugged slope, until they found thear plantation, but evidently abandoned for the fences were thron, though the shrubs and bushes formed an almost impenetrable barrier They discovered, however, at last, a path Even that was h it

When once out of the plantation they found the road less obstructed

Reaching a rising ground, they eagerly looked round, hoping to see a light strea from the s of some house, where they could obtain the rest and food they so li the trees Look there!” said Oliver

They took the bearings of the light, and descending the hill, endeavoured to direct their course towards it At last they reached a road, which they concluded ht had been seen They went on soht,” cried Oliver ”I caught sight of three lights from as many different s That shows that it is a house of some size”

”I don't knohether that would be an advantage,” observed Rayner

”The owner lish, and refuse to receive us, or send off to the authorities and have us carried away to prison”

”But you and Le Duc and Peek, as you speak French, eon if he refuses to afford assistance to sailors in distress,” observed Oliver