Part 52 (1/2)
The breeze freshened By nightfall the _Bellona_ was out of sight of land, and Jack felt much h the rough seas had greatly delayed the engineer, he was at length able to report that the ain in order The wind also had fallen considerably, and the sea having et rid of his guests Both officers and men had behaved ad sail, or when pulling and hauling was required on deck The shi+p was, at this time, about forty miles from the port of debarkation AfterTo Alick Murray had been placed in Tom's watch, and besides hiht was tolerably clear, the stars shi+ning, but aabove the surface of the sea, so that no object could be seen until tolerably near Tom constantly hailed the look-outs forward to ascertain that they were keeping their eyes open, and young Alick paid frequent visits to the forecastle, sent by Toh not in so satisfactory a manner as was desirable Alick was forward, when his sharp eyes discovered an object alhtly on the starboard bow
”What's that?” he asked, pointing it out to Tim Nolan, as on the watch ”A boat, a raft, or a sunken vessel?”
”It looks to me like a raft, and we must starboard the helm if we don't want to run into it,” said Tim
”A raft on the starboard bow!” shouted Alick, in his clear voice
”Starboard the helm!”
”Starboard it is,” was the answer, and presently what looked like a hen-coop and a grating with a few spars lashed together, ca on it, but whether alive or dead could not at once be ascertained Presently, however, as the shi+p was abreast of the raft, a man rose on his knees and waved his hand, while he shouted out, ”shi+p, ahoy!” His voice sounded hollow and shrill; he apparently supposed that he had not been seen Toines to be stopped, and a boat to be lowered, but before this was done she had got a considerable distance from the raft Another cry escaped the forlorn occupant of the raft, as if he fancied he was to be left to his fate To him that assistance would be sent In a fewas fast as the creith sturdy strokes--eager to rescue a fellow-creature-- could drive her through the water Alick had jumped into the boat, which he steered carefully up to the raft No voice was heard as they approached The poor ht that he had been deserted, had apparently fainted or sunk down again froht that he was not there, but his forth on the frail raft
”Look out not to capsize it!” sang out Alick to hison the raft ”Let one at a tiet on it, and lift the man carefully into the boat”
His orders were obeyed, theto the stern sheets, where he was laid with his head on a flag, which happened to be in the boat Alick pulled back as hard as possible, that the stranger e of the doctor The poor ht go off unless speedily attended to, for the boat had come aithout brandy or any other restorative
The rescued man was handed on deck with all the tenderness hich sailors are wont to treat the sick and wounded, or women and children
The doctor was immediately roused up to do what he considered necessary
The stranger seeh, whether officer or man, he would have been looked after with the same care Tom had him at once carried to his cabin, where the doctor undressed hi been applied, the stranger soon gave signs of returning ani,” observed the doctor, ”and he will do well enough after a time No one must talk to him, however, when he coot into the situation in which he was found”
Toiven up his cabin he was about to roll himself up in his cloak in a corner of the ward room, when the fearful cry of ”Fire! fire!” was raised He hurried on deck, where Jack and all the officers and crew quickly assembled The drum beat to quarters The men flew to their stations The soldiers, ell knew theto their officers' orders, on either side
During that moment of awful suspense, strict discipline prevailed The last persons to appear were the hters The for hi polar bear, and the lady in her nightcap, with a bonnet secured by a red woollen shawl fastened under her chin, while the costu ladies showed also that they had hurriedly dressed themselves, and in a way they would not have wished to have appeared in, under ordinary circu her papa's military cloak tied round her waist, while the other had a railway rug, of large size, covering her shoulders and hanging down behind
”What's the itation
”The shi+p is on fire, and ith the aid of your men, have to put it out,” said Jack
”Fire!” exclaimed Mrs Bubsby ”Oh, dear! oh, dear! ill beco was iulated man-of-war”
Jack had no time to reply to the lady That the shi+p was on fire was too certain, as they could perceive a strong sh the s effects were felt as it ascended through the after hatch-way Jack at once ordered the first lieutenant and boatsith a party of o below and ascertain the cause and extent of the fire, while the soldiers stood ready with buckets full of water in their hands, as did a party of the creet blankets and sails, to extinguish it No sooner was the hatch taken off, however, than not only sht fla on the lower deck, were ordered to advance and heave the contents of their buckets over the spot At first it appeared to produce but little effect The steam pump was set to work and the hose carried aft, but scarcely had it begun to work, than the ave way, and it was of no service
The th rushed up to Jack
”Captain Rogers, what is to becoitated tone
”We will lower one of the boats, and put them into it,” said the captain, ”with the senior mate and a midshi+pman”
Jack at once issued the order for the cutter to be lowered and manned
Her own creent in her with the officers Jack had appointed