Part 11 (1/2)
It was a terrible shock to these unfortunates when the full extent of the calaht of the revolvers alone prevented su executed on the wretched men who had acted so hastily in their blind terror
Only a s of biscuit remained to them This was soon expended, and then the process of absolute starvation began Every nook and cranny of the boat was searched again and again in the hope of so found, but only a s--was discovered With a dreadful expression in their eyes solared at it, and there would, no doubt, have been a deadly struggle for it if the mate had not said, ”Fetch it here,”
in a voice which none dared to disobey
It formed but a reed of ravening wolves, and carefully licked their fingers when it was done The little cabin-boy had three portions allotted to him, because Charlie Brooke and dick Darvall added their allowance to his without allowing him to be aware of the fact
But the extra allowance and kindness, although they added greatly to his comfort, could not stay the hand of Death Slowly but surely the Destroyer ca when the suentle shich tells even in the profoundest calm of Ocean's instability The sky was intensely blue, save on the western horizon, where the sun turned it into gold It sees of the shi+pwrecked men, some of whom had reached that terrible condition of starvation when all the softer feelings of huh no whisper of their intention passed their lips, their looks told all too plainly that they awaited the death of the cabin-boy with is of hunger by resorting to cannibalis lad all day, and whispering to him words of consolation from God's book from time to time, knehat those looks aunt and silent at his post, taking no notice apparently of ent on around hione to observe the looks of his mates
There was a can of paraffin oil, which had been thrown into the boat under the i else This had been avoided hitherto by the starvingthe man called Ji draught of the oil Whether it was the effect of that we cannot tell, but it seemed to drive him mad, for no sooner had he sed it than he uttered a wild shout, drew his knife, sprang up and leaped towards the place where the cabin-boy lay
Theof the kind, drew and levelled his revolver, but before he could fire Charlie had caught the uplifted arm, wrested the knife from theup again and with a maniac's yell leaped into the sea, and swam resolutely away
Even in their dire extremity the sailors could not see a coot out the oars, and pulled after him, but their arms were very weak; before they could overtake him the man had sunk to rise noenacted that the spirit of the cabin-boy passed away On ascertaining that he was dead Charlie covered him with a tarpaulin where he lay, but no as uttered by any one, and the ri sternly on the horizon
Yet it was not difficult to divine the thoughts of those unhappy and sorely tried lare at the cover that concealed the dead body showed plainly their dreadful desires Brooke, Darvall, and the mate showed as clearly by their compressed lips and stern brows that they would resist any atteratify these
Suddenly the mate's brow cleared, and his eyes opened wide as he muttered, under his breath, ”A sail!”
”A sail! a sail!” shrieked the man in the bow at the saasped and fell back in a swoon into a coer, and ere long a shi+p was descried bearing straight towards theht breeze In less than an hour the castaways stood upon her deck--saved
CHAPTER EIGHT
INGRAtitUDE
A year or ram from New York to Jacob Crossley, Esquire, froentleman was at breakfast when he received it, and his housekeeper, Mrs Bland, was in the act of setting before him a dish of buttered toast when he opened the envelope At the first glance he started up, overturned his cup of coffee, without paying the least attention to the fact, and exclaimed with emphasis--”As I expected It is lost!”
”'Ow could you expect it, sir, to be anythink else, w'en you've sent it all over the table-cloth?” said Mrs Bland, in some surprise
”It is not that, Mrs Bland,” said Mr Crossley, in a hurriedago that ithis thoughts more to hi up the spilt coffee, ”but the best of it is that the Captain has escaped”
”Well, I' to be interested, and to ignore, if not to forget, the coffee, ”I'lad to 'ear it, sir, for Captain Stride is a pleasant cheery sort of reeable coe, and speak so lad to 'ear it too, sir, on account o'
that fine young man that sailed with 'im--Mr Book, I think, was--”
”No, Mrs Bland, it was Brooke; but that's the worst of the business,”
said the old gentle the saved Here is what the telegram says:--
”`From Captain Stride to Jacob Crossley Just arrived, (that's in New York, Mrs Bland); _Walrus_ lost All hands left her in three boats