The Three Admirals Part 56

"It has dipped!" cried Adair.

They carefully noted down the lat.i.tude, and Green, in a few seconds, worked out the observation on a little slip of paper, not bigger than one's thumb nail. Hurrying below, the chart was got out, and now the exact position of the ship was obtained.

"Hurrah! If this volcano of an island doesn't prove a fly-away piece of rock, we shall be up to it before sunset," exclaimed Green.

The wind had now sufficiently gone down to allow all sail to be set.

The part of the crew who had knocked off from the pumps and the buckets were roused up. With the greatest alacrity, as if they had had their usual rest, they flew to their stations.

The topsails and courses, long furled, were let fall and sheeted home; staysails were hoisted, and with the screw thus aided, the ship again rushed rapidly through the water. She steered, however, with some difficulty; and Green expressed an opinion that damage had been done to her false keel, that a portion of it had been torn off, and that another part was still hanging down attached to the bottom.

"We must take that into account when we wish to bring up," observed Adair, "so that there may be no chance of running the ship on the rocks, where we do not want her to go."

The next few hours were as anxious as any that had been pa.s.sed; for, although the sea was going down and the wind was moderate, the water rushed in through the leaks at a rate which required the ceaseless efforts of the crew to keep under. The youngest midshipman on board-- Tommy Pratt, hitherto unknown to fame or to our readers--was observed, with one of the ship's boys, who had been considered not strong enough to handle the buckets, running up and down with two big jugs, which they emptied through the scuppers.

"Every little helps, I've heard say," answered Tommy to the first lieutenant; "and I suppose a few quarts too much would sink the ship.

So I got Ned Jones, who was doing nothing, to lend me a hand; and I calculate that we have emptied two hundred gallons at least, and that's something, sir."

"Well done, my boy," answered the lieutenant. "I'll not forget you and Ned. Who knows but that you and he have kept out the last hundred gallons which might have sent her to the bottom?" Some time afterwards they were found still working away, though Tommy confessed that "his arms were aching considerably, and that he should be very glad when they could stop the leak."

Men with sharp eyes were sent to the mast-head, to look out for Virginia Island. It was uncertain whether it was a high rocky a fertile island, or little better than a sand-bank. Should it be the first and correctly laid down, the master hoped that it might at any moment be seen; but should it prove to be a low island, it might not become visible until they were close upon it. Then again came the question, was it laid down correctly? Adair, though he had a.s.sured his crew that they ought to be there before night, was not quite satisfied on that point. Hitherto the men had laboured away bravely, but some of the weaker and less spirited began to show signs of fatigue; and the instant they were relieved, threw themselves on the deck as though utterly incapable of further exertion. Some of the men, indeed, actually sank down at the pumps, but others took their places, and the doctor went round to the exhausted ones, giving them stimulants, and urging them to fresh exertions.

Several, however, when it came again to their turn to pump or hand up the buckets, declared that they were unable to move. It was important to maintain discipline; at the same time the first lieutenant, who went among them, was unwilling to use harsh measures. Suddenly he recollected Tommy Pratt. Taking one of the men, he showed him where the young midshipman and his companion were still working away with their big water jugs, running up and down as nimble as squirrels.

"They have been at that work for the last eight hours, to my certain knowledge," said the lieutenant. "Are you, a big, strong man, not ashamed of yourself?"

"Yes, I am," was the answer; and, rousing up the other men, they all again set to work without further grumbling.

"I was sure the example of those youngsters would do good," observed the lieutenant to Captain Adair. "Not only have they baled out several hundred gallons, but through their gallant conduct many thousands probably will be pumped out of the ship."

As the _Empress_ ran on, and no land was seen, the spirits of all began to fall lower than before. In that lat.i.tude gales were as likely to prevail as often as fine weather; and another might spring up before the ship could be carried into a harbour, or run on sh.o.r.e if necessary.

Even Adair, who, since he had ascertained the correct position of the ship, had had his hopes revive, now felt it was too probable that the sh.o.r.e might never be reached.

The hours were pa.s.sing by. He and Green again consulted the chart, to decide for what other spot in the ocean they should steer should Virginia Island not appear. They had just returned on deck, when the look-out aloft shouted--

"Land! land!"

"Where away?" inquired the captain. "Just over the port bow."

"Are you sure it is land?" asked the captain.

"Certain, sir. I've seen it for the last ten minutes; but there was a mist about it, and I could not make it out clearly enough."

The master and second lieutenant immediately went aloft, and took a look through their gla.s.ses at the land. On coming below they reported that there was no doubt about its being land of considerable elevation, but of no great extent, with indented sh.o.r.es; and that they hoped, therefore, a harbour might be found there.

The ship's course was accordingly slightly altered, and she stood towards it under sail and steam. In a short time a high, rocky island could be seen rising out of the now blue ocean, sparkling in the rays of the setting sun. It was several miles to the eastward of the spot marked on the chart.

"If it affords us shelter and the means of repairing the ship, we must be truly thankful," observed Adair.

No murmurs were now heard. Even those who had shown an inclination to skulk, laboured away with might and main. In a few more hours their safety might be secured.

The sun set. Although the land was for some time distinctly seen, it was yet a considerable distance off. Adair determined to run on and anchor under the lee of the land, and to await until daylight, when a harbour might be found.

The crew by this time might have given in, for the muscles even of the strongest ached; but one and all laboured as before. Tommy and his companion worked away with their jugs, although the poor little fellows were almost dead beat.

"Cheer up, Ned!" Tommy kept saying. "If we keep the water out of the ship, we shall see our mothers and sisters again; and if we don't, we shan't. So work away, boy, work away!" The lieutenant declared afterwards that he believed the boys would have continued heaving water overboard until the sea had got up to their necks, and the ship was going down.

As the _Empress_ approached the island, sail was shortened, her way stopped, that the lead might be hove; but no soundings were found. She therefore kept at a respectful distance, cautiously steering round to the lee side, with the lead constantly going, lest she might run against any reef below the water. The outline of the island could only dimly be seen rising high out of the ocean against a clear sky. It looked barren and forlorn enough. As Adair and his officers, and indeed all who could find time, were eagerly watching it, a light was seen suddenly to burst forth. It gradually increased, until what must have been a large fire was observed blazing on a height.

"There are inhabitants, at all events," exclaimed Adair to the first lieutenant.

"There is one, any way," said the latter, "or that fire could not have been lighted. Perhaps there is a harbour, and he expects that it will serve as a beacon to us."

"He would scarcely suppose that we would venture in without some one on board who knows it, unless there are no dangers in the way," answered the captain. "Our only safe plan will be to bring up outside, and wait till daylight. We will stand in as close as we can--a dozen fathoms, if possible."

The leadsmen stood in the chains on either side, swinging the leads high in the air as they hove them. The ship appeared already very close before any bottom could be found. Slowly she stood on. The first heave showed twenty fathoms, the next fourteen, when it seemed as if the ship was directly under the cliffs. But the more experienced seamen knew that the darkness was deceptive.

"Let go!" shouted Adair, and the anchor ran out. The ship quickly brought up, and Adair hoped that, now she was at rest, the water would run in with less rapidity, though it would still be necessary to keep the crew steadily pumping away.

For the first time for several nights Adair turned in, desiring to be called should any event of importance occur. When he awoke, he had the satisfaction of hearing that the crew had gained six inches on the leak, though, from any relaxation of their efforts, the water would quickly have flowed in again.

All hands anxiously waited for daylight. The fires were kept banked up, ready at any moment should it become necessary to put on steam. It was fortunate that this precaution was taken. It had just gone two bells in the second watch, when a sudden squall, descending from the cliffs, struck the ship. The lead, which the second lieutenant, who had the watch, ordered to be hove, showed that she was drifting.

Adair was on deck in a moment. He ordered more cable to be veered out.

The third lieutenant, who was in the forecastle, reported that the anchor was away. It was accordingly hove up, when it was found that it had parted close to the shank, leaving both flukes fast in the sand or rock into which it had stuck. Steam was immediately got up, although by that time the ship had drifted some distance out to sea. When the morning broke she was surrounded by a thick mist, shutting out every object half a mile off. Still, the direction of the land was known, and the engines being set to work, she soon steamed back.

"I was afther thinkin'," said Pat, "that that black rock we saw last night was but Cape Fly-away, afther all. It will be a wonder to me if we ever sight it again. But, hurrah! there's the fire we saw burning, so there must be a human being there; an' Cape Fly-away contains no living sowl except, maybe, the Flyin' Dutchman, afther he got tired of cruising about in his ould craft, an' taken to livin' on sh.o.r.e."

Similar ideas, although expressed in different language, were uttered by many of the other men. However, that did not prevent them from pumping away as before. All this time, it must be remembered that without a moment's cessation the whole crew were thus engaged spell and spell.

"If that's Cape Fly-away, it's not had time to fly very far," observed Pat, as the land once more came in sight and the anchor was let go in seven fathoms of water, still closer in with the sh.o.r.e, where it was hoped it would hold.

The engineer, however, received orders to keep the fires up, so that she might hold her own against any ordinary blast which might again strike her.

As the mist cleared away, every object on sh.o.r.e could be distinctly seen. The ship was found to be but a quarter of a mile distant from an almost circular line of cliffs, forming a deep basin, the only opening towards the sea. They rose in many places to the height of nearly 900 feet, extending on either side of this curious basin for about a mile.

It was thus conjectured that the island was about two miles in length.

That there was a bar at the entrance of the harbour was evident from the way the water broke completely across it; but, from the size of the basin, it would have contained a fleet of ships as large as the _Empress_. While they were looking at the sh.o.r.e, a Dutch flag was run up to the end of a staff at the end of a high rock at the southern side of the entrance.

"Sure, I thought so!" said Pat, when he saw it. "That's the Flyin'

Dutchman. Before the boats reach the sh.o.r.e he an' his island will be off again, an' lead us a pretty chase!"

"Maybe, Ma.s.sa Pat," replied Peter, "if it come on calm, we beat him by de steam. He hab always sail head to wind; but me tink dat big rock no play us dat trick."

Before sending any of the boats on sh.o.r.e, Adair mustered all hands.

"Now, my lads," he said, "I have to tell you what I did not think it right before to acknowledge, although you may have guessed it, that this ship will not reach Aden or the Mauritius, or any other land that I know of; and that, to save your lives, I propose running into yonder harbour and beaching her to prevent her going down; but, remember, there is one thing I must have--that is, strict discipline and obedience to orders.

You will understand that I will severely punish any man who exhibits insubordination. It is as well to say that, at the same time, I know that I can trust you. You have all shown what you can do by having kept the ship afloat so long. You will, I know, work with a will, and every man must do what is necessary for the preservation of our lives. Return to the pumps until you can get the ship into harbour, or, if not, to some spot where she can sink no lower."

The crew gave three cheers, and resumed their labours. Adair immediately despatched two boats, with the first lieutenant and master, to sound the entrance of the harbour and communicate with the person or persons who had lighted the fire at night and hoisted the flag in the morning.