CHAPTER TWELVE.
GOOD SPORT--AN EXCITING SAIL--CAST AWAY.
The absence of Mr Clare was the only drawback to our pleasure thatmorning. He had told us the evening before that he should probablyreturn from his visit the same day, getting home about the time weexpected to be back--about sundown, which at that date in September wasat twenty minutes after six. He said, however, that possibly he mightremain in Q---town until after Sunday morning service.
When Captain Mugford had completed his smoke, by which time we had afine steady breeze from the south-east, he rose from his luxuriousposition and took Walter's place at the helm, saying--
"Not a permanent removal, Walter, but only until I can put the cutterjust where I want her for fish. Fifteen minutes more will do that; soyou had better go forward to Drake and get the anchor all ready to letgo. You other boys can stand by the sails."
The Captain noted carefully the changing colour of the water as we drewover some bank, and he took bearings, too, from points on the land wehad left nearly ten miles astern. In a few minutes he luffed a bit andsang out--
"Down with your foresail! Get in the jib."
The bowsprit pointed right in the wind's eye, and the boom hung fore andaft, the sail empty, as the cutter lost her headway.
"Is that anchor ready?"
"Aye, aye, sir!" replied Walter and Drake.
"Let go! About five fathoms, is it?" called the Captain.
"About that!" the boys answered.
"That's just what we want. Make fast! Now stow the mainsail, so thatit won't be in the way of your lines, and fish. There, that will do!Now, all to the lines! Who'll have the first fish?"
In a minute Drake hauled that up--a cod--and the fun commenced. Cod andbass, and now and then a halibut, as fast as we could bait and pull!There was soon a lively flopping in our craft, and now and then adog-fish would take hold, much to our annoyance, for generally he brokethe hook or line, or else, if we got him in, made such a furious lashingabout our legs that we had to finish him with a hatchet.
We lay at anchor there until we had had fishing enough. About twoo'clock we stopped, having caught, as near as the Captain couldestimate, between one and two hundred pounds of cod, a dog-fish, andeleven sea-bass--not the striped bass, such as we took off the rockswith a troll line in rough water: that was the _Labrax lineatus_; butthe sea-bass, the _Centropristes nigricans_, superior in title, butinferior in every other way to the striped bass.
It was a job to pitch the fish together and out of the way, and thenclean the blood, slime, and wet from our deck and get ready for makingsail; but after some work it was done, and our lines stowed away.
"Now, boys," said the Captain, "we will have dinner, and get under wayagain. As the wind has hauled around to the east, we will take ourcourse for the north. I want to show you that shore, it is so bold andwild. With such a stiff wind I reckon we can run up ten miles nearly,and then turn about and get home _easily_ before dark. I say, boys,won't Mr Clare wish he had had a hand in catching that haul?"
Having finished the cold dinner with such an appetite as pleasure,exercise, and sea air give, we made sail and stood to the northward.The breeze was so fresh before long that the Captain told us to take areef in our mainsail. Walter held the helm, and in little more than anhour we were sailing near the grand rugged shore that Captain Mugfordhad wished us to see. Here and there, in little coves defended by rockysides, were the cottages of fishermen, and then great headlands ofcavernous stone dashed by the waves. Again the shore fell to a lowerlevel, and pines and other trees clustered together to defy the storms,and give pleasure to the eye. Farther on, the roughness of the coastvanished for a few hundred yards to make place for a yellow sandy beachwhere was stretched a long seine. Opposite that piece of strand, andclose by our cutter's course stood a small stony island, bearing asingle invalid old pine, from whose topmost branch a great bald eaglerose and hovered over our craft. Then the shore grew again like animpregnable fortification, and made out to a sharp cape, on the point ofwhich stood a lonely, snow-white lighthouse.
"There, boys, we must go about now," said the Captain, as we neared thecape. "But see how the wind has fallen. If it holds on in this way weshan't have enough to take us home before night. Let's see what o'clockit is. That lighthouse is seventeen miles from the point of our owncape."
The Captain fumbled away at his waist-band--encircling a rotundity likethat described of Saint Nicholas--and pulled out his immense goldturnip.
"Columbus' compass! Twenty minutes to five! Come, Walter, haul in themainsheet, and come up to the wind. Are you ready to go about? Well,down with the helm then. I'll tend the jib. Those boys are so busyexamining the fish that we will not interrupt them."
"No, sir," I said, "we are ready for anything."
"Oh no, Bob," replied the Captain, "go on with your studies. There isnothing to do just now. Walter, you may steer by the shore. But Idon't like this slackening of the breeze, and it is drawing more to thesouth-west; we shall have it right ahead soon. The sun looks ugly, too.That murky red face foretells a row of some kind."
"I hope that we shall get the _Youth_ safe at her moorings before nightcomes, or a storm either--shall we not?" asked Harry.
"We'll hope so," answered Captain Mugford, who pulled out his pipe andfilled it hard, continuing, "Who'll hand me out a light from the cuddy?"I went in and struck one, and brought him a match, blazing famously."Thank, you," he said. "Drake--just," (puff puff)--"just shake--oh!there goes that light!" I quickly brought him another--"just shakeout--that--that--" (puff, puff). He had it all right now, the smokecoming in vast volumes; so he replaced his hat and removed the pipe fromhis teeth for a moment to complete the order--
"Drake, just shake that reef out of the mainsail."
"All right, sir!" said Drake. I helped him; but in half an hour thewind, as the Captain had foretold, was ahead, and not strong enough tofill the sails.
Fifteen or sixteen miles we were from home, with every indication that aheavy squall was to follow the calm settling down upon us. The dancingwhite caps of the morning had died away in a quiet, sullen sea, whichonly a land-swell moved. The sun had gone down to within a half-hour'sdistance of the horizon, shining on the distant western cliffs, whosevariety, boldness, and ruggedness were magnified in outline andintensified in colouring by the heavy, yellowish-red glare which fell onthem, and the sun's rays shot out in long forks, piercing the dark blueof the sea at all points in the western semicircle of our view. Theatmosphere had grown warm--very warm for a September afternoon.
We boys felt something portentous in the scene. The Captain grewuncomfortable, too, no longer laughing heartily or joining in our talk.He kept his eyes on the sky, and smoked pipe after pipe.
Even Ugly ceased napping beside Walter, and, uttering a whining yawn, asif sleepy but uneasy, walked forward to the idle foresail, and stoodthere with extended nose to smell out, if he could, what was wrong.
So we lay for nearly an hour, our only movement being with the outgoingtide, the sails flapping with the slow swell of the sea. But when thesun had disappeared the wind commenced to come, first in little puffs,now from one quarter and then from another. The gale would be on us ina moment.
The Captain took the helm then, and ordered us to stand by and be readyto tend the sails.
"Look out, too, for the swinging of that boom," he said, "and make Uglyget out of the way and lie down somewhere."
Ugly, hearing that speech, did not wait for further commands, but stowedhimself away at the foot of the mast.
Now the wind came in heavier puffs, and then in squalls from the east.
"I hope it will settle there," spoke out the Captain. "It is comingheavier, but I hope steady."
He kept his eyes on all parts of the now lowering sky, and presentlyadded--
"Take two reefs in the mainsail and shift the jib! Get the storm-jibup. Now hook on. Run it out. Hoist away."
That was done
, no easy matter for novices in a heavy sea, and we flewaway before the increasing gale. Fortunately the night was not verydark, there being a quarter moon to throw its light through the rifts ofclouds.
How fast the sea got up! The wind grew heavier every moment. The mastof our little cutter creaked with each plunge, and the plunges were hardand quick. The scene was truly alarming, and we felt the danger of oursituation. To be sure, we were comparatively safe if the gale shouldgrow no worse; but it was increasing every moment in a manner thatthreatened in another hour to be too much for us. There was danger,too, that something might be carried away, or that, in the frothy seaand uncertain light, we might strike some of the sunken rocks that nowand then stood off from shore like sentries. But the _Youth_ leaptfuriously onward from one mad wave to another, our good Captain steeringwith a strong hand.
The black, broken clouds rolled close to the sea, which seemed strivingmadly to swallow them; but on they flew with the screams of the wind.The thin moonlight, streaming unsteadily through the troops of cloudsacross the riven waves, had a ghastly effect--sometimes obscuring,sometimes exaggerating the terrors surrounding us. The shore, a mile toleeward, was to our sight only a bristling, indefinite terror; forthere, where loomed the land we longed for, was the greatest peril--theline of fierce breakers that shouted their threats in terrible chorus.
I suppose we boys were all much terrified. I _quailed_ with dread, forit was my first experience of a storm on the water, and its time andappearance were so imposing.
One would never have suspected from Captain Mugford's manner that wewere in any danger. His face was as calm and his hand as steady as ifwe were having the pleasantest sail imaginable; only the violence withwhich he smoked, ramming fingers full of tobacco into his pipe every fewminutes, betokened any unusual excitement, but we knew how absorbed hewas in his charge by his silence.
We were speechless, too, holding on fast to the backstays or gunwale tokeep our places in the desperate leaps and lurches the gallant littlecraft was making. Ugly was soon thrown from his station, and, findinghe could not keep legs or position anywhere unaided, went and ensconcedhimself between our skipper's legs.
Harder, heavier blew the wind, and wilder grew the sea, so that itseemed sometimes as if we must go over, and the bowsprit now burieditself in every billow. Then the Captain said to us in a calm, steadyvoice--
"Boys, you must get another reef in the mainsail and lower the foresail.Now, be careful and steady about it. There is no hurry. Bob, you comehere; the others can manage that work. You sit aft out of the way."
I did as directed; and the orders were speedily carried out withoutaccident.
Boatswain's Half-Acre Reef, a low rock that stood out at sea, aboutthree and a half miles south-east-by-east from our cape, now came insight ahead of us to the windward. In the spectral light, and beaten onby the waves, it looked like some sea monster moving in the water. Aswe were going we should probably pass close to its lee side in about tenminutes, but the wind blew a tempest, and the sea increased so in a fewminutes that our peril was terrible. For two hours we had battled--though evidently the storm was soon to be the conqueror.
Several seas came aboard in angry haste, and the punt, which had been intow all day, broke loose and was carried away. Another sea, strongerthan its fellows, suddenly struck us a tremendous blow. The cutterheeled over, so that the water boiled above the lee gunwale. Theassaulting sea, too, broke up and over the weather-side, and drenched usall in its cataract. To increase our terror, a cry came from Alfred,who had been tossed from his hold and nearly cast overboard, but hecaught the backstay as our yet unconquered boat rose from the blow likesome brave but wounded animal. The water was several inches deep aboutour feet, and the good _Youth_ had lost half its buoyancy.
Then came the Captain's voice again, steady and strong, but full offeeling--
"We'll get through it yet, lads, God protecting us," he sung out. "Butall hands must try and do their duty. You know Nelson's last generalorder--`England expects that every man this day will do his duty.' Thatsame motto carried out has saved many a stout ship and rich cargo, andthe neglect of it has lost many more. Now, there's work for all of you.Walter, do you rig the pump, and Bob, do you help him, and the rest ofyou set to and bale. Be smart, now. There are two skids and a bucket,or use your hats. Anyhow, the boat must be cleared."
He spoke deliberately, not to alarm us, but at the same time we all sawthat there was no time to be lost. Walter and I now got the pump towork, while the rest set to and baled away with might and main. I alsojoined them, using my hat as the Captain advised, for Walter couldeasily work the pump by himself. Still, in spite of the excellentsteering of the old skipper, the seas came tumbling in over the bows andsides also so rapidly that it was hard work for us to keep the boatclear. Besides this, (notwithstanding her name, being an old boat), shestrained so much that the seams opened and made her leak fearfully. Itsoon, indeed, became a question--and a very serious one--whether theboat could be kept afloat till we should reach our own harbour. We werenow laying well up for the cape, though we were making what sailors call"very bad weather of it;" but, should the wind shift a little, and comemore ahead, we might have a dead beat of several hours before us. Wesaw the skipper looking out anxiously at the reef I have described. Aconsiderable portion, even at the highest tides, was several feet abovewater, and easily accessible. As the rock also afforded a shelter tonumerous seafowl, which built their nests in its crevices, it wouldafford some security to a few human beings. Still, during a gale suchas was now blowing, the sea washed tumultuously round the rock, andrendered the landing--even on the lee side--not only difficult butdangerous. I, for one, did not at all like the condition of the boat;still, as the skipper had hitherto said nothing, I did not like topropose that we should try to land on the reef. The old man was silentfor some time; he again scanned the reef, and then he turned his eyes tothe distant shore.
"Boys," he said at last, "I wish you not to be alarmed. The boat mayvery possibly keep above water till we reach the cape, if you can baleout the seas as fast as they wash in; but I am bound to tell you thatthere is a risk of our being swamped if we were to meet such a sea as Ihave seen, under like circumstances, come rolling in. There liesBoatswain's Reef--in five minutes we may be safe upon it--but muchdepends on your coolness and courage. The most difficult and dangerousmovement will be the leaping on shore. Do you, Walter, make a rope fastround the bits; unreeve the fore halliards, they will suit best, and arenew and strong. That will do; secure them well, and coil the ropecarefully, so that it may run out free of everything. Now stand withthe rope in your hand, and as I bring the boat up to the rock, do youleap out, and spring up to the upper part, where you will find a jaggedpoint or more to which to make it fast. The rest of you, when the boattouches the rock, be ready to spring on shore; but remember, don'tspring till I tell you. I'll call each of you by name, and the first onshore must stand by to help the others. There, I can't say more, exceptone word--be steady, and cool, and trust in God."
Walter did as directed, and we all stood watching the skipper's eye,that we might obey him directly he gave the word. It is a mostimportant thing to have confidence in a commander. It is the greatsecret of England's success in most instances. Although there may bemany shortcomings, both her soldiers and sailors know that, in ninecases out of ten, they will be well and bravely led, and the officersknow also that they will be thoroughly supported by the men. If they goahead, there will never be a want of men to follow them, even to thecannon's mouth.
On we dashed, amid the boiling, foaming seas. We had to continuepumping and baling as energetically as before. Had we ceased, but forhalf a minute, it seemed as if the boat would to a certainty go down,even before we could reach the rock. Captain Mugford did not address usagain, but kept his eyes watching, now the heavy seas which came rollingup on the weather bow, and now the black rock towards which we werestanding. All the time we kept carefully
edging away, till we wereunder the lee of the reef--of that part, however, over which the seabroke with great force. Still, the water was smoother than it had beenfor some time. We stood on, continuing to bale.
Suddenly the Captain cried out, "Now, lads, to your feet, and be readyto spring on shore when I give the word." We all jumped up. Walterstepped forward and took the rope in his hand, as he had been directed.The Captain luffed up, and ran the boat alongside the rock; but therewas still great way on her, and a tremendous crashing sound showed usthat she had struck the rock below water. Walter sprang on shore, Drakeand Harry followed, and as he leapt to the top of the rock, followed tohelp him make fast the rope round one of its roughest projections. Uglysprang at the same time, and the rest of us went next--not a moment toosoon. I was the last of the boys. The Captain came close behind me.He was securing another rope round the mast, and, with the end of it inhis hand, he leapt on to the rock. As he left the deck, the boat seemedto glide from under him. "Haul, boys! haul! all together," he shouted.Our united efforts, aided by the surging water, got the fast sinkingboat on to a rock. There the boat lay, little better than a wreck; butwe were safe. We now saw how anxious our good skipper had been, for,taking off his hat, and looking up to heaven, he exclaimed, with afervour I did not expect, "Thank God for His great mercy--they are allsafe."