The Voyages of the Ranger and Crusader Part 10

Night was now coming on, and though the weather had slightly improved, Harry could not but feel that the danger of scudding on in the darkness was greater than in the day-time. As yet he had been unable to alter his course, and steer more to the northward. The boat was still in the lat.i.tude where icebergs might be encountered, and at night they might not be seen in time to be avoided, "We must commit ourselves to G.o.d's keeping, and do our best," Harry thought to himself. "Surely I ought to ask those with me to join in a prayer for our protection. My friends,"

he said aloud, "we know not what may happen this night; and I trust all will join in asking G.o.d to look after us, and in returning thanks to Him in having preserved us thus far."

"That they will, sir!" exclaimed Mrs Rumbelow; "and I am sure, too, that all will pray heartily that those we left on board the ship may be preserved likewise."

Harry invited Captain Twopenny to act the part of chaplain; but as both he and Dr Davis declined, he felt that he ought to do so himself.

Engaged, however, in the arduous task of steering, he could not sufficiently collect his thoughts for the purpose. While still doubting what to do, Mrs Morley appeared from beneath her tent, and in a firm, clear voice offered up a prayer to Him who rules the stormy ocean for their own safety, as also for that of those in the other boat and on board the ship. All joined heartily; and as the n.o.ble lady was seen lifting up her eyes towards heaven, with her hands clasped, no one could doubt that she was indeed speaking to Him who hears and answers prayer.

"Now, friends, I am sure that there are many here who can join in a hymn to our merciful Father and Friend," exclaimed Mrs Rumbelow. "The young ladies will lead you, for I have often heard them singing on a Sunday evening, and it has done my heart good to listen."

The Miss Morleys, who had risen with their mother and the other women, without requiring a second invitation gave utterance, with their sweet voices, to that beautiful hymn, which ends--

"O G.o.d, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Be Thou our guard while troubles last, And our eternal home."

Amen was echoed by all.

Their hearts were cheered, their fears calmed, as, amid that dark and raging ocean, those sounds of prayer and praise ascended to Heaven.

Mrs Rumbelow now insisted that those whom she considered under her especial charge should return to their cabin, though she had no little difficulty in stowing them away. The baby had, notwithstanding the cold and wetting it had endured, completely recovered, and still received the attention it required from the young woman who had taken it in charge.

During the day, the other boat's sail had been continually watched with great anxiety. Frequently it could with difficulty be seen amid the foaming seas; now, as the sun went down, though w.i.l.l.y and Paul Lizard strained their eyes to the utmost, they could no longer distinguish it.

Still Harry, in the hopes that their small consort was yet afloat, ordered a lantern to be hoisted to their after-mast, that she might be able to follow them during the night. Happily, the night would not last long. A short time after the sun went down the clouds began to clear away. The beautiful Southern Cross shone brilliantly forth; other bright stars appeared, and cheered the voyagers with their calm light.

The boat was now kept perfectly free of water, and all, with the exception of the look-out forward, and two or three seamen required to tend the sails, coiled themselves away to sleep. Harry, though growing very weary, would not resign his post at the helm, and w.i.l.l.y Dicey insisted on sitting near him.

"You know, Shafto, I may never have such an opportunity of learning how to steer a boat in such a sea as this," he observed.

"I hope you never may, w.i.l.l.y," said Harry; "but we may thank G.o.d, more than my skill, for having been preserved hitherto. We have many a long league to go over before we can reach even the Auckland Islands; and I pray that the weather may continue fine till we get there."

In spite, however, of w.i.l.l.y's resolution he often dropped asleep, though he roused himself up on such occasions, and again spoke to Shafto.

Harry himself at times felt that, had he not been standing up, he should have fallen asleep too; and he promised w.i.l.l.y that, should the sea go down, he would in the morning let Paul Lizard relieve him at the helm.

How anxiously he longed for daylight, hoping at noon to take an observation and ascertain their exact position. As the sun rose, its bright rays shining on the eyes of several of the sleepers, roused them up. Some at first looked bewildered, as if they had forgotten what had occurred. When they found that the sea had gone down, and the wind decreased to a moderate breeze, a gleam of satisfaction, such as had not before been seen, appeared on their countenances. Harry was at length about to summon Paul Lizard to relieve him at the helm, when Mrs Morley and her daughters came out of their cabin. Their countenances were sad and anxious. The boat was now moving rapidly under all sail over the comparatively smooth ocean. Harry had, as soon as he was able, altered the course to the north-east. Mrs Morley looked around, and then at the compa.s.s.

"Oh, Mr Shafto!" she exclaimed, "are you not steering back to the ship?

Surely you would not willingly desert those on board!"

It was a trying question to Harry. "I would undoubtedly return, had I the power," he answered; "but my orders were to carry the boat to the nearest land we can make, where food and shelter can be found. Were I to attempt to return, I should disobey those orders. It might take us also three or four days to beat back to the spot where we left the ship, and we might fail to find her after all."

Mrs Morley hid her face in her hands. It seemed as if her last hope had gone.

"Oh, why was I separated from him?" she exclaimed, her feelings overcoming for the moment her better judgment.

"For the sake of your daughters, marm, do cheer up," said Mrs Rumbelow, who at once came to Harry's a.s.sistance. "Though you yourself, marm, would go through any fresh dangers to join the colonel, just think how ill able these young ladies are to bear them," she said, in a gentle, soothing tone.

At first Mrs Morley seemed scarcely to understand what was said, but in a short time she recovered herself, her daughters doing their utmost to console her; and Mrs Rumbelow at length persuaded her to return to the shelter of the awning.

Before lying down to take the rest he so much needed, Harry ordered the provisions to be served out. On searching for the water-casks, only three were found. The carpenter's mate giving a knock with his hammer on one of them, it was empty. It had been carelessly put together, and all the contents had leaked out. The other two small casks would last so large a party but for a short time. Many days might pa.s.s before they could hope to reach the Auckland Islands, the nearest land Harry expected to make, and even with the smallest possible allowance of water sufficient to sustain life, the supply in the casks would not last half the time. This discovery was indeed a sore trial to the young commander; still he knew too well the importance of keeping up the spirits of the party to express his fears aloud. As the sea had now gone sufficiently down to allow the crew to move about without difficulty, he directed Dr Davis and w.i.l.l.y to overhaul the provisions, and ascertain the quant.i.ty they had got; and weary as he was, he would not lie down till this was done. Their report was far less satisfactory than he had hoped for. A good supply of biscuits and flour had been put on board; but, unhappily, both had been so completely wetted by the salt water that the greater part of the flour was a mere ma.s.s of dough, and the biscuits, though at present eatable, would evidently not last many days. A small hen-coop full of fowls had been placed in the bows; but, with the exception of two, the poor creatures had been drowned. There were two casks of salt pork; but, as the doctor whispered to w.i.l.l.y, without plenty of water and pease pudding to eat it with, salt pork would prove dangerous food. Four hams were also found, and six Dutch cheeses, with two kegs of b.u.t.ter.

"Here is a case!" exclaimed w.i.l.l.y. "I wonder what it contains."

It was opened, and within were found a dozen pots of jam.

"Ah, this is more to the purpose," cried the doctor.

"We must keep them, though, for the poor women and children," observed w.i.l.l.y.

"You are right, Dicey," was the answer. "But we have not yet finished our search."

There was another case. It only contained pickles. "I am afraid they will help us but little to keep body and soul together," observed w.i.l.l.y.

"We might have found better food, though they have their value,"

remarked the doctor. "If we can kill some birds, or a seal, or catch a few fish, they will be very useful."

A large black sack was found, it was full of charcoal.

"This is poor food," said w.i.l.l.y with a sigh.

"Yes, but what is that iron thing in the bows there?" asked the doctor.

It was hauled out, and found to be a small cooking stove. "Ah, this is indeed a valuable prize," he added. "We may now cook our provisions and boil our kettle."

"The poor women will be better for some tea, at all events," observed w.i.l.l.y. "That is to say, if we have any tea-leaves to make it with, and to be sure we have but a small supply of water for the purpose."

"We must see about that," said the doctor. "We will try to manufacture a still to turn salt water into fresh."

"But the charcoal will go but a little way for that purpose," remarked his young companion.

"Nil desperandum," answered the doctor. "We will try what can be done."

"Here's a case which looks like a tea-chest," remarked one of the men who was helping them. "It is somewhat wet though." The case was opened, and found to contain a large supply of tea; and though the outer part was spoilt, the interior was perfectly dry. A tin of coffee berries was discovered.

"We have no mill to grind them in, I fear," said w.i.l.l.y.

"Ah! but I have my pestle and mortar," observed the doctor, laughing.

"We must make that serve the purpose."

"Here is a jar of brown sugar, and in this basket what were once two loaves of white sugar," said w.i.l.l.y; "but, alas, they have sadly diminished in size, and will have a very salt taste."

"We must not be over-particular," answered the doctor. "We will try and save what remains."

It was evident that, notwithstanding the forethought of the purser, many of the articles which he had intended to put into the boat had been left on board the ship.

"Perhaps the cutter, though, has got a part of our share," observed w.i.l.l.y. "When she comes up with us we shall get what we require."

"Water is what we most want, Dicey, and from what I know of human beings, I am afraid those on board her will not be willing to share that with us," observed the doctor gravely. "Thirst is the most trying of all the pains the human frame is compelled to endure; but we must not talk about it--we will do our best to keep these poor women and children from suffering. I have been accustomed to see men go through trials of all sorts, but I cannot stand having the others crying out for help, and not be able to afford it them. When a man has got a bullet in him, or requires his leg off, or anything of that sort, it is what I am used to.

I know that I must exert my skill to the best of my power, leaving the rest to G.o.d; so I think no more about the matter. However, Dicey, go aft and make your report to Shafto. I, in the meantime, will calculate what quant.i.ty of provisions we may venture to serve out each day, so as to make our supply last till we can hope to reach land."

w.i.l.l.y went aft, and made his report in a low voice. Harry opened his eyes, and tried to listen, but he was already so overcome with fatigue that he could scarcely understand what was said, and directly w.i.l.l.y had ceased speaking, he was fast asleep again.

CHAPTER NINE.