The Three Lieutenants Part 15

CHAPTER EIGHT.

CRUISE IN THE SCHOONER IN SEARCH OF THE MISSING MIDSHIPMEN--CALL AT SABA AND FIND HIGSON--DISCOVER THE WRECK OF THE DROGHER DESERTED--RETURN UNSUCCESSFUL--THE MIDSHIPMEN MOURNED AS LOST--THE FRIGATE AND CORVETTE SAIL FOR JAMAICA--A BOY OVERBOARD--A HURRICANE AT SEA--THE CORVETTE DISMASTED--MAN LOST--DANGEROUS POSITION OF CORVETTE--THE FRIGATE PREPARED WEATHERS THE HURRICANE--ANXIETY ABOUT THE CORVETTE--THE FRIGATE'S SEARCH FOR HER.

The next day and the next pa.s.sed--the drogher did not appear, and the two captains became as anxious as were the three lieutenants to ascertain the fate of their midshipmen.

"If you wish to go I will spare you for a few days," said Captain Hemming to Adair.

Accordingly all three sailed in the _Swordfish_. Having ascertained that the midshipmen intended visiting Barbuda, they first steered for that island. There was a good stiff breeze, and as the _Swordfish_ was a fast craft, she rapidly ran over the thirty miles of water which intervenes between Antigua and its small dependency. It was not, however, all plain sailing, as numerous shoals, reefs, and rocks surround the island mostly below the surface, some only showing their black pates, while from its slight elevation above the ocean at the distance of less than four miles it was scarcely visible. A negro standing on the bowsprit end, and holding on by the stay, piloted the schooner, giving his directions to the man at the helm in a sharp, loud voice--

"Lub ou may--all ou can! steady! starboard. Keep her away! steady! lub, lub, lub, for ou life!" he screamed out, waving his hand to enforce his orders. The schooner just sc.r.a.ped clear of a rock, round which the water hissed and bubbled, and the pilot once more subsided into his ordinary calmness.

"Not a pleasant spot to find under one's lee in a gale of wind on a dark night," observed Terence. "It proves, however, that the crew of the drogher must have been sober, or they could not have found their way clear of it."

The schooner at length came to an anchor, and a messenger was sent off to the overseer, who kindly came down at once and told them that he had seen the drogher outside the reefs, and standing to the westward. He pressed them to remain and partake of such hospitality as he could offer; but eager to pursue their search they declined his invitation, and the schooner was quickly again threading her way amid the shoals out to sea. It was a question whether the drogher had continued her course due west, or had steered northward to Saint Barts, or southward to Saint Eustatia, or Saint Kitts. They finally decided after examining the chart, to stand to the westward, and call off Saba. As they approached the island a fishing-boat was seen standing out towards the schooner, which was therefore hove to, to let her come alongside.

"I see Higson, and some of the others, but all I fear are not there,"

said Jack, who had been watching the boat through his gla.s.s, in a tone which showed his anxiety. Higson was soon on board. He gave a full account of what had happened.

"I would sooner have lost my own life than allowed any harm to happen to the youngsters," he added. "Still I have hopes that they may have escaped. Needham is a prime seaman, and he will have done what was possible to keep the drogher afloat, though they were sadly short-handed, I own. Still if the craft has not foundered, as they had plenty of provisions and water aboard we may expect to see them again, not the worse for their cruise. We have all been on the look-out, hoping to see her beating up to the island. You'll not blame me, Mr Rogers, more than I deserve, and I couldn't help it, you may depend on that."

The old mate as he spoke well-nigh burst into tears. Jack and the other lieutenants a.s.sured him that they did not see how he could be blamed, and they then set to work to consider what was best to be done. They first compared notes, and agreed as to the course of the hurricane, and calculated the direction in which the drogher must have been driven, and the distance she had probably gone, recollecting that as she had been carried with the wind she must have been exposed to its fury for a much longer time than those on sh.o.r.e.

"If it had not been for that they ought to have made their way back long before this," observed Jack.

"Perhaps they have gone to Saint Eustatia or Saint Kitts," remarked Murray.

"I am very sure, sir, that for our sakes they would have done their best to make Saba," said Higson. "If they could have helped it they would not have deserted us."

Jack, as senior officer, had to decide, and he determined, therefore, to steer to the south-west for a couple of days, keeping a bright look-out on either hand, and then to beat back to Antigua, thus going over a wide extent of sea. It would occupy them a week or more, but Captain Hemming they knew would not object to the delay. Captain Quasho and his crew as a punishment were left to find their way back as best they could, and the schooner stood away in the direction proposed. During the day Higson or one of the midshipmen was at the masthead, keeping a look-out on every side. At night sail was shortened, and the schooner stood backwards and forwards, now to the northward, now to the southward, so that no risk might be run of pa.s.sing the drogher in the dark. Three or four vessels were fallen in with, but the same answer was received from all. They had seen nothing of the missing craft. Under other circ.u.mstances they would have been very jolly, for they had a good supply of West Indian delicacies, put on board by the owner of the vessel, and had nothing to do but to eat and smoke when they felt inclined; but they were much too anxious to enjoy themselves.

For another whole day they stood on. Still not a sign of the drogher.

Jack felt greatly inclined to continue the search for a third day. He reflected, however, on the risk of doing so. It would take very much longer beating back, and should light winds prevail they might run short of water and provisions; and though he was ready to undergo any dangers himself, with the prospect of recovering his brother, he had no right, he felt, to expose others to them. There was also the possibility of having to encounter another hurricane, which might try the schooner, capital sea-boat as she appeared to be. The weather had again become threatening--dark clouds collected overhead--the wind fell, and as the little vessel lay roiling her sides under the gla.s.s, like swell, down came the rain, not a mere sprinkling, like that of northern lat.i.tudes, but in a perfect deluge, the huge drops leaping up as they fell, and flooding the deck. Those who could took refuge below; the rest were wet to the skin before they could get on their great coats. Just before sunset a breeze sprang up, and the clouds clearing away left the horizon more defined and distinct even than usual. Jack himself went aloft to take a look round, and consider whether he should haul up at once, and commence the long beat to Antigua, or stand on for a few hours longer.

He had already swept his gla.s.s round on every side when, as he turned it once more towards the south-west, just clear of the setting sun, his eye fell on a dark object almost on the very verge of the horizon. It seemed a mere speck, though it might, he thought, be a dead whale, or a piece of wreck, or only a ma.s.s of floating seaweed. His directions to the man at the helm to steer for it called all hands on deck, and several came aloft--various opinions were expressed. Old Higson was positive that it was part of a wreck of some unfortunate vessel lost in the late hurricane, or the whole hull of a small craft dismasted. The breeze freshened, and hopes were entertained that they might get up to it before darkness settled down over the deep. It could soon be seen from the deck.

"I knew that I was right, and I wish from my soul I wasn't," exclaimed Higson, as he looked steadily through his gla.s.s. "That's a small craft on her beam ends, and it's my belief that she's the _Snapper_!"

"I trust not," said Rogers, who overheard him. "If she is the _Snapper_, what has become of the poor youngsters?"

"Perhaps they are still clinging to her, sir," answered Higson. "I have known men hold out on board a craft in as bad a position as she is in."

"But they are boys, and must have succ.u.mbed to hunger and thirst, even if they escaped being washed overboard when the craft capsized,"

observed Murray, who was not inclined just then to take a hopeful view of matters.

"I'd trust to my nephew holding out as long as any youngster ever did,"

said Adair. "The others have not less pluck in them."

"I see no signal, and as they must have made us out long ago if they were aboard I fear they are gone," sighed Jack.

"Faith, it's likely enough they have nothing to make one with," observed Adair. "I'll not believe they are lost."

Every gla.s.s on board was continually kept turned towards the object ahead. As the schooner approached, however, no one could be discovered on board. It was nearly dark by the time she got up with it. Several voices on board the schooner hailed, but no reply came. She hove to, and a boat was lowered. Jack, Terence, and Higson jumped into her.

"Hand a lantern here," cried Higson, as they were shoving off. They were quickly alongside the hapless craft. It was then seen that she had been capsized with her sails set, which, with the mast and rigging, a.s.sisted to keep her in her present position. Probably also her ballast having shifted contributed to do so, as she was only partially filled with water. Not a human being, however, was visible. Higson, seizing the lantern, leaped on board, and climbed up to the companion hatch.

Jack and Adair were about to follow, but they, observing that even his weight made the water flow over the bulwarks, saw that it would be more prudent to let him search alone. They waited for him anxiously. He quickly put his head up the hatchway.

"She's the _Snapper_--no doubt about that; but there's not a soul aft,"

he exclaimed. "At all events, however, they were not starved, for there are plenty of provisions in the locker."

Having let himself down into the hold, holding on to the coaming with one hand, he stretched out the other with the lantern, so as to let its light fall on every side. No one was there. He then made his way into the fore-peak. It seemed to Jack that he was a long time absent, though in reality scarcely a minute pa.s.sed before he scrambled out again.

"What has become of the youngsters I can't say, but on board this craft they are not; nor is their monkey Spider, who with his long tail to hold on by was not likely to be washed overboard," he exclaimed, as he sprang back into the boat. "The sooner we shove off the better, for she is filling fast, and may go to the bottom at any moment."

"I can't bear to leave her though without having a look round," said Jack, taking the lantern from Higson.

He made his way into the little cabin, and was soon convinced that Higson was right. Not a trace of the midshipmen could he see. He searched the hold and the fore-peak. They were not there, dead or alive. Jack came back to the boat and sat down, feeling very sorrowful.

"Let me go in again," said the old mate, as he took the lantern.

He was back very soon with three small carpet-bags in his hand.

"Be sharp," cried Adair. "She is going down!"

He spoke truly. Higson made a leap into the boat, which shoved off just as the drogher, giving a slight roll, sank from sight. The crew pulled away from her.

"I could only find my own and two other fellows' bags," said Higson.

"The others must have slipped down into the water."

The boat at once returned to the schooner with the sad intelligence.

Norris and the master's-a.s.sistant were very glad to get back their carpet-bags. Their recovery, it is possible, somewhat consoled them for the loss of their young messmates. They, at all events, congratulated themselves that they had not been on board the drogher when she was blown away from Saba.

Jack, who loved his brother dearly, was very much grieved at his loss; so was Terence for Gerald, though he thought most of the sorrow his sister would suffer when she heard of her boy's death.

"Arrah now; I wish that I'd let him stay at home and turn farmer; but then, to be sure, he might have been after breaking his neck out hunting, so it comes to the same thing in the end," he exclaimed, with as near an approach to a sigh as he ever uttered. "Och, ahone, poor Nora, the sweet cratur! and I not able to bring her back the boy."

Murray was less demonstrative, but he knew that young Archy would be truly mourned for in his distant highland home.

The schooner now commenced her long beat back to Antigua. There was every prospect of its being a tedious business; but there was a fresh breeze, and by carrying on, though the top-masts bent like willow-wands, English Harbour was gained at length. Captain Hemming felt the loss of his midshipmen; but when the matter was explained to him, he acquitted old Higson of all blame.

"Only I will never, as long as I command a ship, allow my midshipmen to go away for their amus.e.m.e.nt by themselves," he observed. "They run risks enough as it is in the course of duty."

This being reported in the berth made Norris and others very angry, and they were much inclined to abuse poor Tom and Gerald for getting drowned, and thus being the cause of the restriction likely to be placed on their liberty.

The two ships were now ready for sea. Murray went to pay a farewell visit to the Houghtons. Kind Mrs Houghton--who, for Stella's sake as well as his own, took a warm interest in him, for she having keener eyes than the colonel, knew perfectly well that they were engaged--had letters of introduction ready to her daughter Mrs Raven, to the Bradshaws, Stella's relatives, and to other friends.

"You'll receive a hearty welcome, and I have just hinted how matters stand. They agree with us that the colonel has no right to be dragging his daughter about in the way he does, and will be thankful to see her placed under the guardianship of one who will take better care of her than, in my humble opinion, her father does."

Alick was duly grateful, and said all that was proper, though he wished that his friend had not mentioned the matter she alluded to, as he felt somewhat nervous at the thought of appearing before strangers in the character of a melancholy lover.