The Three Midshipmen Part 3

Onward drove the sloop of war with the three mids.h.i.+pmen on board to certain destruction. "Heave the guns overboard!" cried Captain Hartland, on the discovery that the last cable had parted. Severe indeed was the pang it caused him to give the order. As the s.h.i.+p rolled, first the starboard, and then the guns on the other side, were cut loose and allowed to run through the ports. With sullen plunges they disappeared in the foaming seas.

"There go all our teeth," cried Paddy Adair, who even at that awful moment could not refrain from a joke. Even Murray smiled.

"I wish that I were like you, Paddy," said Jack; "I couldn't have said that sort of thing just now."

"Well, but I'm sure that I can't help feeling as if every tooth in my mouth had been hauled out with a huge wrench," observed Adair. "There!

there goes the last."

"We must lighten the s.h.i.+p aft as much as possible, Mr Gale, and make sail on the stump of the foremast, so as to force her up on the beach,"

observed the captain. "If we can find the beach," he added in a lower voice.

These orders were promptly obeyed. Every man worked with a will. There was no hurry, no confusion, though all were engaged in the most active exertion. No one seemed to be conscious, while thus at work, that in a few short minutes their fate might be sealed. Meantime, sail being set forward, while the s.h.i.+p headed on towards the sh.o.r.e, Captain Hartland and the master were engaged in looking out, in the hopes of discovering some sandy beach between the rocks, on which they might run the s.h.i.+p.

Still they scarcely expected to find what they were seeking for; yet no one on board would have guessed from their looks what very slight hopes they entertained of success. The work was done; the s.h.i.+p hurried through the raging surf. Still the most perfect discipline prevailed; not a man quitted his station. Here and there a few might be seen loosing their shoe-ties, or getting ready to cast off their flus.h.i.+ng coats; but no other sign was observable that an awful struggle for life and death was about to commence.

"Where are we driving to, Jack?" asked Adair; "I cannot make out through all this spray."

"I thought I caught a glimpse of a white patch not much bigger than my hand when we were at the top of the last sea," answered Rogers. "I hope it may be sand."

"Starboard, starboard!" shouted the captain. Three hands were at the helm. The spokes flew quickly round. A little sandy bay appeared; it seemed under the s.h.i.+p's bowsprit; then she was enveloped in a thick cloud of foam; the terrific roar of the surf became deafening. On flew the corvette; a concussion which sent all who had not a secure hold flat on the deck was felt, and the seas came rolling up with tremendous force, heaving her broadside to the beach, and about twenty fathoms from it. Still they did not at first break completely over her; a rock, inside of which she had been judiciously steered, somewhat broke their force.

"We are ash.o.r.e--we are ash.o.r.e!" was the cry, but still every man waited for the captain's orders. He stood calm and collected, with his officers round him. His gla.s.s was in his hand; he was constantly looking through it watching the sh.o.r.e.

"Some people are collecting on the heights, and will soon be down on the beach," he exclaimed. "Hold on till they come, my lads, and we may be able to send a line on sh.o.r.e." This exhortation was not unnecessary, for the seas rolling in constantly struck the vessel with such terrific force, that it appeared she could not possibly hold together, while two or three men, who had incautiously relaxed their hold, were washed overboard and drowned. A beaker or small cask was in the meantime got ready with a line secured to it. The most important object was to form a communication with the sh.o.r.e. It was evident that if a hawser could once be carried between the s.h.i.+p and the beach, the crew might be dragged along it and be saved. As soon as the people began to collect on the beach, the cask with the line attached to it was hove overboard.

All watched its progress with intense anxiety, for all felt that no time was to be lost in getting the hawser on sh.o.r.e. The cask neared the sh.o.r.e, then the wave rolled on, but again coming thundering down the beach, carried it back almost as far as the s.h.i.+p. Again and again the attempt was made, and each time the cask, almost getting within the grasp of the people on sh.o.r.e, was hurled back once more out of their reach.

"I think, sir, I could manage to put the jolly-boat on sh.o.r.e, if you will allow me," said Mr Wenham, the second lieutenant, addressing the captain.

"The risk is very great, Wenham," said the captain, shaking him by the hand; "but go if you think fit."

"Volunteers for the jolly-boat!" sang out the second lieutenant.

Several men sprang forward; he selected four. The boat was launched into the raging sea, and they leaped into her, carrying a line. With a cheer from their s.h.i.+pmates they shoved off. Rapidly the boat approached the beach, borne onward with a huge wave. Intense was the anxiety of all who watched her. She reached the spot where the sea curled backward in a ma.s.s of raging foam. Down it came upon her. A cry was heard uttered by the Greeks on sh.o.r.e, as well as by the seamen on board. Over went the boat, and all her hapless crew were engulfed. Rolled over and over among the seaweed and ma.s.ses of the tangled rigging and pieces of the wreck, they struggled in vain to gain the sh.o.r.e. One after the other they were swept out to sea and lost. It was evident that none of the other boats would serve to carry the line on sh.o.r.e. Again the experiment was tried with a cask, but failed.

"I say, Murray--Adair," exclaimed Jack, earnestly, "do you know, I think that I could do it. I was always a first-rate swimmer, you know, for my size. I'll ask the captain's leave to try."

"No one in the berth is better able to do it than you are," replied both his companions.

"Oh Jack, I wish that I could go with you," cried Murray, as he wrung his hand.

"So do I," added Adair; "but I know that I could never swim through that surf."

No time was to be lost, so Jack Rogers worked his way up to Captain Hartland, and offered to swim on sh.o.r.e with the line. The captain looked very much astonished, and replied that he thought the risk was too great.

"Do let me try, sir," urged Jack. "I'm like a fish in the water, I am indeed, sir; and if I don't reach the beach I can but be hauled back again, you know. I've a notion that I could swim through all that foam.

I've done something like it before now."

"You are a brave fellow, Rogers," exclaimed Captain Hartland; "I will not prevent you." Jack, delighted, began to throw off his clothes, which he handed to Adair and Murray, to prepare for his swim.

"Mr Gale, tend the line carefully, and haul him in if he seems distressed," said the captain to the first lieutenant. Jack had a belt secured round his body, so that it could not slip off or cut him, and he had the line made fast to it. Watching his opportunity as a wave rolled in, he boldly sprang out on the top of it, and was borne onwards towards the sh.o.r.e with little or no exertion to himself. He wisely reserved all his strength for the last struggle at the end of the trip. Every one watched him with intense interest. Not a word was spoken, but a hundred hands were eagerly held out to him from the sh.o.r.e, to show him the welcome he would receive on landing. Some of the strongest men among the Greeks joined hands and formed a line into the sea, that the outer man might clutch the bold young swimmer if he could get within his reach. Meantime a boat's oar and some line had been cast on sh.o.r.e.

Some of the Greeks, more thoughtful than the rest, had secured the oar to the line, and stood ready to let it float out as Jack approached. He saw the aid prepared, and made towards it. He waited outside the place where the sea which took him in broke into foam, and then, when another sea rolled in, exerting all his strength he dashed forward; but in spite of all his efforts, the undertow was carrying him out again; still he bravely struggled on. He saw the men on sh.o.r.e holding out their hands to him; could he but make head for a distance of two or three more fathoms he would succeed. Another sea rolled in. "Hurrah, hurrah!"

resounded from all sides; "he has grasped the oar." He was almost exhausted, still he clutched it with all his might. Cautiously they drew him onward. He could not have held on many moments longer, but the men who had formed the chain into the water seized him by the collar, and he and the end of the line he had so gallantly conveyed through the raging surf were carried up in safety on the beach. Murray and Adair had watched his progress with an interest such as none but true old friends can feel. Tears of grat.i.tude sprang into Murray's eyes, and his heart bounded with joy as he saw that Jack was in safety. Adair did not feel less satisfaction, but he expressed it differently, by joining heartily in the shout given by the rest of the s.h.i.+p's company. A hawser was immediately attached to the line, by which it was drawn on sh.o.r.e, and one end being made fast round the stump of the foremast over the topgallant forecastle, the other was secured round the rocks. A traveller with a line and slings being now fitted to the hawser, the men were told off to be conveyed on sh.o.r.e, the boys and those of lowest rating, being, as is customary, sent first. The traveller being hauled backwards and forwards, one after the other the men were conveyed to the beach. The operation, however, was a slow one, and not without danger, as part of the hawser was completely at times submerged by the breakers.

Meantime the sea had made a breach over the afterpart of the s.h.i.+p, carrying away portions of the bulwarks. A piece of the planking, as it washed by, struck Adair on the leg, and knocking him down, the sea would have swept him overboard had not Murray seized him by the arm, when Mr Gale coming to his a.s.sistance they carried him forward. He was too much hurt to move, and they were afraid his leg was broken. Murray sat with him on the deck, holding on by a ring-bolt and supporting him in his lap. Notwithstanding the accident, they both of them had held fast to Jack's clothes. What was their surprise not ten minutes afterwards to see Jack himself make his appearance on board.

"Why, Rogers!--why have you come back, my dear lad?" exclaimed Captain Hartland.

"To look after my clothes, sir," answered Jack; "and besides, sir, I didn't like to be going on sh.o.r.e out of my turn; none of the officers have gone yet." The captain must have been puzzled what reply to make to this reason, for he said nothing. Night was now coming on; still many people remained on board.

"Come, bear a hand, my hearties; let us be getting on sh.o.r.e out of this," cried some of those left on board to their s.h.i.+pmates. All who had gone before had been landed safely, but it was necessary to be very careful during the transit in keeping a tight hold of the slings, especially in pa.s.sing through the surf. One man, a fine young topman, grasped hold of the traveller, and with a wave of his hat gave the sign to haul away. He went on well for a few seconds, apparently thinking it a good joke, till a roller overtook him. In an instant the poor fellow was torn from his hold, and the raging waters rus.h.i.+ng down again carried him far away beyond human help.

"Now, Murray, it is your turn," said Mr Gale; "we will see by and by how we can get Adair on sh.o.r.e."

"No, sir, thank you," said Murray calmly; "I would rather stay by Adair.

If he cannot be landed now, he will require some one to look after him."

"Go, Alick, go," said Adair faintly. "Don't mind me."

"Come, Rogers, you must be off then," exclaimed the first lieutenant, in a hurried tone. "See, the men are waiting to haul you on sh.o.r.e."

"Please, sir, Paddy Adair is an old schoolfellow of mine, and now he is a messmate; and while he is in that state and unable to help himself I cannot desert him, indeed I cannot, sir," said Jack very quietly. "I'm very hardy; the cold and wet won't hurt me. I'd much rather Murray went."

"No; I agreed to stay first," said Murray; "I cannot go."

"Then we'll both stay," said Jack. "That's settled, sir, isn't it?"

Mr Gale had not seen exactly how the seaman had been lost; and believing that there was nearly as much risk in making the pa.s.sage in the dark as in staying, agreed to allow the youngsters to do as they wished, resolving at the same time to remain by them himself. The captain had gone forward; and before he was aware of it, believing that everybody had left the s.h.i.+p, he was hurried by those in charge of the hawser into the slings.

"We are coming sharp after you, sir," they exclaimed, anxious to secure the life of their captain.

Such acts of devotion are too common in the navy, where the men have officers they esteem, to be thought much of by them.

The three mids.h.i.+pmen, meantime, remained together, sheltered as much as possible by the topgallant forecastle, but still the sea was continually breaking over them. The night was very dark, and the wind bitterly cold; the lightning too at times flashed vividly, revealing the horrors with which they were surrounded. Mr Gale had seen the last of the people off, they thinking that he was going to follow; but two other unfortunate men demanded his care. One was a marine, whose arm had been broken; the other the a.s.sistant-surgeon. The latter, never strong, had become exhausted with the exertions he had gone through; and, when urged to go on sh.o.r.e, he had declared his inability to venture on the rope.

He felt, poor fellow, that if he did, he should be washed off and drowned. It was sad to hear the groans of the poor marine, as he lay secured to the deck near them. Jack felt that he could have borne the trial much better, had he and his friends been alone on the wreck. The surgeon made no complaint, beyond the utterance now and then of a faint moan. The horrors of death were encircling him around. Fortunately Mr Gale had secured a flask of brandy, a few drops of which he occasionally administered to the sufferers. He also succeeded in fis.h.i.+ng out from forward some of the men's clothing, which he distributed among the party; and then, having done all that a man could do, he sat himself down, almost overcome, to wait till the morning, when he might hope to get the survivors on sh.o.r.e. Adair's leg gave him excruciating pain.

Rogers sat on one side of him, Murray on the other, supporting him in their arms, and endeavouring, by every means they could think of, to alleviate his suffering, by gently rubbing his legs, frequently changing his position, and tightly grasping his hands.

"Thank you, Alick; thank you, Jack," said he faintly; "I'm better. I'd not die this time, if it were not so bitter, bitter cold; but I wish you two fellows were safe on sh.o.r.e. I should never forgive myself if any harm was to come to you."

"Oh, nonsense, Adair, don't think about us. We are all very well, and shall be very well, no fear," was the answer; but Jack spoke in a voice very different to his usual tone. The exertions he had gone through had been almost too much even for his well-knit frame; a sort of stupor was stealing over him, and his senses began to wander. Murray discovered his condition with great alarm. He called to him to arouse himself.

"Oh, Jack, don't give way," he exclaimed. "If you fall asleep, the cold may overpower you."

Mr Gale, hearing Murray's exclamation, gave Jack a few drops of brandy, which revived him. Murray gladly took a few drops. At the moment of trial he was not found wanting. In spite of his more delicate frame, he bore up as well as the strongest. Thus the night drew slowly on. How earnestly did all on the wreck long for the blessed light of day. Three of them had the consciousness that they had remained both from a high sense of duty and from the call of friends.h.i.+p, and this undoubtedly contributed to support them. They too well knew in whose right arm they had to trust to save them. Jack had not forgotten the lessons he had received at home, nor the counsel given him by Admiral Triton. But Jack on no subject was much of a talker; he was a _doer_, however, which is more important. The nearer a matter was to his heart, the less he allowed it to come out on his tongue, except at the proper moment. By some of his s.h.i.+pmates, who did not understand him, he was considered rather a close fellow. The same might be said of Murray, even in a greater degree. Few indeed guessed, when they saw his slight frame and delicate features, how much he would both dare and do. The power of pa.s.sive endurance of all three was most fully tried during that awful night. None of them flinched. Murray alone, however, never allowed himself for a moment to lose his consciousness. The rain and sleet came down with pitiless force; the bleak wind howled round them, the sea beat over them, the ceaseless breakers roared in their ears all the night through. Murray felt as if it would never come to an end. Every moment too the s.h.i.+p seemed as if she was about to break up, when he knew that death must be the lot of all remaining on board. How thankfully he saw the first faint gleam of dawn breaking in the east, to him a sign, as he afterwards said, that the moment of their preservation was at hand. He shook Jack, and pointed it out to him.

"All right, old fellow," answered Jack; "I'm ready for a swim." But Rogers did not know what he was saying, for he nodded off again. Adair was with difficulty aroused to consciousness. He was utterly unable to help himself or to move. Had he been left alone he must have perished.

Murray called loudly on Mr Gale. He sprang up; though, when he moved, he found his limbs very stiff. They went to examine into the state of their other companions. Both the poor fellows were dead. The survivors felt that they had still greater reason for grat.i.tude that they had been spared while others had been taken.

When daylight increased sufficiently to enable them to discover objects on sh.o.r.e, they found Captain Hartland and several of the men, with a number of the Greeks, a.s.sembled on the beach to help them. Another pair of slings on a second traveller was now fitted, and Adair being placed in it, Mr Gale accompanied him on sh.o.r.e, helping him along through the surf. Murray and Jack followed, several of the men, with ropes round their waists, rus.h.i.+ng out into the surf to help them, for no men more than sailors know how to appreciate the act of devotion the two lads had that night performed. The captain met them as they came dripping out of the surf, and shook them heartily by the hand. He was one of those doing men who do not expend many words in expressing their feelings.

The words he did speak were very gratifying to the young mids.h.i.+pmen. He would not allow them, however, to remain on the beach, but had them all carried up to the nearest house, and put to bed, when the doctor soon arrived to attend to poor Adair's leg. The house where they were lodged was of some size. It belonged to a Greek n.o.bleman, who was absent at the time of their arrival, but an old woman, a sort of housekeeper, and her two daughters had charge of it, and took very good care of them.

Their attendants did not come very near the cla.s.sic models they had read about at school, but they were good-natured and kind, and evidently anxious to please them. The three mids.h.i.+pmen did their best to talk Greek, but though they summoned up all the choicest phrases they had learned at school, they signally failed at first in making themselves understood. At last they bethought them of putting all their previous knowledge of the h.e.l.lenic tongue out of the question, and of pointing to things and asking their names. Frequently they found a great similarity between the modern and ancient Greek, which a.s.sisted them very much in recollecting the names of the things they learned. They thus in their turn rather surprised the natives by the rapidity with which they acquired their language.