Part 7 (1/2)

The weather, as it frequently does in our variable English climate, had suddenly changed by the morning, and although it had been calm during the night, by the time the ladies reached Hurlston a strong east wind sent the surf rolling up on the beach in a way which to the ladies, unaccustomed to the sea-side, appeared very terrible. Algernon, who was on horseback, met them.

”The boat Harry went out in has not come back,” he observed; ”but as the fis.h.i.+ng-boats generally return about this hour, she will probably soon be in.”

Mrs Castleton, her anxiety increased by the appearance of the weather, begged her companions to wait.

”Is that the boat?” she asked, pointing to a sail approaching the sh.o.r.e.

”I think not--that seems a large vessel,” answered Algernon, and he rode towards the pier, where a number of people were collected, while others were coming from various directions. There seemed some excitement among them. They were watching the s.h.i.+p observed by Mrs Castleton, which, in the distance, had to her appeared so small, though in reality a large brig.

”She brought up an hour ago in the roads, but only just now made sail again,” was the answer to Algernon's question. ”As she is standing for the mouth of the river she is probably leaky, and her crew are afraid of not keeping her afloat in the heavy sea now running.”

Algernon watched the brig, which, under a press of canvas, came tearing along towards the mouth of the harbour; and as she drew nearer the jets of water issuing from her scuppers showed that his informant was correct in his opinion. She laboured heavily, and it seemed doubtful whether she could be kept afloat long enough to run up the harbour.

The larger fis.h.i.+ng-boats were away, but two or three smaller ones were got ready to go out to her a.s.sistance, though with the sea then rolling in there would be considerable danger in doing so.

At length the brig drew near enough to allow the people on board to be easily distinguished. The master stood conning the vessel--the crew were at their stations. So narrow was the entrance that the greatest care and skill were required to hit it. Algernon heard great doubts expressed among the spectators as to the stranger being able to get in.

In a few seconds more, a sea bearing her on, she seemed about to rush into the harbour, when a crash was heard, the water washed over her deck, both the masts fell, and her hull, swinging round, blocked up the entrance. The men on sh.o.r.e rushed to their boats to render a.s.sistance to the unfortunate crew, but as the foaming seas washed them off the deck, the current which ran out of the river swept them away, and though so close to land, in sight of their fellow-creatures, not one of the hapless men was rescued.

Algernon could not repress a cry of horror.

”Oh, what will become of Harry?” exclaimed Mrs Castleton, when she saw what had occurred.

”I trust he is safe with an experienced fisherman like old Halliburt,”

answered Algernon. ”I wish, mother, you would return home. I will bring you word as soon as he comes back.”

Mrs Castleton, however, could not be persuaded to leave the sh.o.r.e.

At length several tiny sails were seen in the distance, and were p.r.o.nounced by the people on the pier to be the returning fis.h.i.+ng-boats.

Some were seen standing away to the north to land apparently in that direction, while three steered for Hurlston.

In consequence of the mouth of the river being blocked up, Algernon found that the boats would have to run on the beach, all of them being built of a form to do this, although those belonging to Hurlston could usually take shelter in their harbour.

As the boats drew near, signals were made to warn them of what had occurred. The people in the leading boat, either not understanding the signal or fancying that there would be still room to get up the harbour, kept on, and only when close to it perceived what had occurred. On this the boat hauled her wind and attempted to stand off, so as to take the beach in the proper fas.h.i.+on, but a sea caught her and drove her bodily on the sands, rolling her over and sending the people struggling in the surf.

The men on sh.o.r.e rushed forward to help their friends.

Mrs Castleton shrieked out with terror, supposing that Harry was in the boat.

Algernon, who was not dest.i.tute of courage, rode his horse into the surf and succeeded in dragging out a man who was on the point of being carried off. Again he went in and saved another in the same way, looking anxiously round for Harry. He was nowhere to be seen, and to his relief he found that the _Nancy_ was one of the sternmost boats.

Two poor fellows in the boat were carried away, notwithstanding all the efforts made to secure them. Much of the boat's gear was lost, and she herself was greatly damaged.

”Which is the _Nancy_?” inquired Algernon, round whom several people were collected, eager to thank him for the courage he had just displayed.

She was pointed out to him. On she came under a close-reefed sail.

Adam, probably suspecting that something was wrong by having seen the boat haul up to get off the sh.o.r.e, was on the look-out for signals.

The second boat came on sh.o.r.e, narrowly escaping the fate of the first.