[Illustration: WAITING FOR HELP. ]

A Chapter

of

Adventures

BY

G. A. HENTY

[Illustration: Emblem]

 BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED LONDON GLASGOW AND BOMBAY

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

George Alfred Henty was born near Cambridge in 1832, and educated atWestminster School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. Hevolunteered for service in the Crimean War, and after some variedexperiences adopted a journalistic career. He served as warcorrespondent of the _Standard_ during the Austro-Italian campaign of1866, and was afterwards a correspondent in the Abyssinian War, theFranco-German War, the Ashanti War, &c. His first book for boys waspublished in 1868, and was followed by a long and very successfulseries, including _The Young Franc-Tireurs_ (1872), _In Times of Peril_(1881), _Under Drake's Flag_ (1883), _With Clive in India_ (1884), _TheLion of the North_ (1886), _Orange and Green_ (1888), _The Lion of St. Mark_ (1889), _By Pike and Dyke_ (1890), _By Right of Conquest_ (1891), _With Moore at Corunna_ (1898), _With Kitchener in the Soudan_ (1903), and _With the Allies to Pekin_ (1904). He died in 1902. 

CONTENTS. 

 CHAP. Page

 I. A FISHING VILLAGE 5

 II. CAUGHT BY THE TIDE 15

 III. A RUN FROM HARWICH 27

 IV. THE WRECK 37

 V. THE RESCUE 46

 VI. ALTERED PROSPECTS 57

 VII. ON BOARD THE _WILD WAVE_ 69

 VIII. ALEXANDRIA 78

 IX. THE RIOT IN ALEXANDRIA 89

 X. PRISONERS 99

 XI. THE BOMBARDMENT 110

 XII. FREE 120

 XIII. AMONG FRIENDS 131

 XIV. A SET OF RASCALS 143

 XV. A THREATENING SKY 153

 XVI. OLD JOE'S YARN 163

 XVII. IN DANGEROUS SEAS 180

 XVIII. A CYCLONE 191

 XIX. CAST ASHORE 201

A CHAPTER OF ADVENTURES

CHAPTER I

A FISHING VILLAGE

OF the tens of thousands of excursionists who every summer travel downby rail to Southend, there are few indeed who stop at Leigh, or who, once at Southend, take the trouble to walk three miles along the shoreto the fishing village. It may be doubted, indeed, whether along thewhole stretch of coastline from Plymouth to Yarmouth there is a villagethat has been so completely overlooked by the world. Other places, without a tithe of its beauty of position, or the attraction afforded byits unrivalled view over the Thames, from Gravesend to Warden Point, ever alive with ships passing up and down, have grown from fishinghamlets to fashionable watering-places; while Leigh remains, or at anyrate remained at the time this story opens, ten years ago, as unchangedand unaltered as if, instead of being but an hour's run from London, itlay far north in Scotland. 

Its hill rises steeply behind it; there is room only for the streetbetween the railway and the wharves, and for a single row of housesbetween the line and the foot of the hill. To get into Leigh from thecountry round it is necessary to descend by a steep road that winds downfrom the church at the top of the hill; to get out again you must go bythe same way. The population is composed solely of fishermen, theirfamilies, and the shopkeepers who supply their necessities. The men whostand in groups in the street and on the wharf are all clad in blueguernseys or duck smocks and trousers of pilot cloth or canvas. Broad-built sturdy men are they, for in point of physique there are fewfishermen round the coast who can compare with those of Leigh. 

A stranger in the place would think that the male population had nothingto do but to stand in the street and talk, but night is for the mostpart their time for work; although many of the bawleys go out on theday-tide also, for at Leigh the tide is all-important. For five hours inthe day it washes the foot of the wharves, for seven a wide expanse ofmud stretches away to Canvey Island in front, and Southend Pier to theeast. 

At the wells--for Leigh still depends for water on its wells--are, during the hours at which water is permitted to be drawn, lines oftwenty women and girls with pails, each patiently waiting her turn. There are not many boys about, for boys require more sleep than men, anda considerable portion of their time on shore is spent in bed. 

It is ten o'clock in the day; the bawleys have returned from the fishinggrounds, and scores of them have anchored in the Ray--a deep stretch ofwater lying between the spit of sand that extends from the end of CanveyIsland close up to Southend Pier, and the mud-flats of Leigh. The flatsare still uncovered, but the tide is rising fast in the winding channelleading up to the village. In a few minutes there will be water enoughfor the boats, and already these can be seen leaving the bawleys andmaking for the mouth of the channel. The wind is fair, and each boathoists its sail, white or yellow or brown, and with the crew sitting upto windward comes flying along the shallow channel, making, as theyalways do, a race of it home. 

The boats are large and roomy, and are, as they need to be, goodsea-boats; for they have at times to live in rough water that wouldswamp lighter craft like cockle-shells. Each boat carries two men and aboy, that being the regular crew of a bawley; although, perhaps, forrough winter work, they may sometimes take an extra hand. In the bow ofthe first boat that comes tearing along up to the wharf sits agood-looking lad, about fourteen years old. His face is bronzed with thesun and wind, his clothes are as rough and patched as those of the otherfisher lads; but although as strong and sinewy as any of his companionsof the same age, he is somewhat slighter in his build, more active inhis movements, and has a more springy and elastic walk in spite of theheavy boots that he wears. 

He helps the others to land several baskets of shrimps, and carry themto the railway-station hard by. They are already boiled, for the bawleyscarry coppers, into which the shrimps are baled straight from the nets, so that they are in readiness to send off to town as soon as they arelanded. When the baskets are all piled on the platform he crosses theline, follows it along for some fifty yards, and then enters a neatcottage facing it. 

"Back again all safe, Jack?"

"All right, mother! It's been a fine night, with just enough wind, andnot too much. I ought to have been in half an hour ago, but tide is latethis morning. "

"Lily brought word, just as she was starting for school, that the boatswere coming up the creek, so your breakfast is all ready. "

"And so am I, mother; though I had a piece of bread and cheese when wedropped anchor. I will just wash my hands, and be ready in a jiffey. "

Mrs. Robson was a native of Leigh. Her father had been a fisherman, whohad owned his own bawley; indeed, most of the boats at Leigh are theproperty of one of the men who work them. 

Bessy Tripper--not that her real name was Tripper, but Snow; but herfather for some unknown reason got the nickname of Tripper, and his sonsand daughters were also called by it, and would hardly have answered ifaddressed as Snow--was one of the prettiest girls in Leigh; so thoughtWilliam Robson, a young artist, who came down to Leigh to spend thesummer there, sketching the picturesque boats as they came in and out, or lay, with their heads pointing all round the compass, on the softmud. 

He had taken lodgings at Tripper's house, and when not at work with hisbrush spent much of his time on board the _Enterprise_. Bessy Tripperwas a conspicuous figure in the foreground of many of his sketches, andoccupied as prominent a place in his thoughts. She was as sweet-temperedas she was pretty, and at last Will Robson made up his mind to marry herif she would take him. He was himself an orphan, and had no friends whohad any right to object to his marrying according to his fancy, and hecould therefore do as he pleased without question or comment. BessyTripper was quite ready to take him when he asked her, and they weremarried at the church at the top of the hill, and went to live at alittle cottage near Dulwich. 

William Robson was no genius; he had the knack of painting pretty marinesketches in water-colours. These sold readily, but at low prices; andalthough he was always talking of doing a great picture in oils that wasto make his fortune, the picture never was painted. He was always toobusy at what he called pot-boilers, which had to be sold to dealers fora trifle, in order to enable him to meet the butcher's and baker'sbills. He never repented his marriage; Bessy was an admirable housewife, and made a shilling go as far as many women would a half-crown. In thesummer they generally went down for a couple of months to Leigh, for herto see her friends, for him to gather a fresh stock of new subjects. 

He died suddenly from the effects of a chill, and when his affairs werewound up Bessy found herself mistress of the five hundred pounds forwhich he had insured his life, and the furniture of the cottage. It wasnatural that she should return to Leigh. She had no friends elsewhere;and she knew that money went much further there than in most otherplaces. Two hundred pounds were spent in purchasing the cottage in whichshe now lived, and another two hundred in buying a bawley. At Leigh, asat most other fishing places, the men work on shares--the boat takes ashare, and each of the men a share--the owner of a boat supplying netsas well as the boat itself. The bawley, therefore, brought Mrs. Robsonin a sum equal to that earned by a fisherman, with deductions, however, for damages to nets and spars. 

In good seasons the receipts sufficed to keep her and her boy and girlcomfortably; in bad seasons they had to live very closely, and she wasobliged in specially bad times to dip a little into her reserve of ahundred pounds. Upon the other hand, there was occasionally a windfallwhen the smack rendered assistance to a vessel on the sands, or helpedto get up anchors or discharge cargoes. 

At the time of her husband's death Jack was ten years old and Lilyeight. For two years the former attended the school on the hill, andthen went as a boy on board a bawley belonging to one of his uncles. 

The lad's own predilections were entirely for the sea; his happiesttimes had been spent at Leigh, and his father's work had kept thelonging alive at other times. He would have preferred going to sea inone of the ships of which there was always such a line passing up anddown the river, but he was too young for that when he first began hiswork on board the bawley; and as the time went on, and he becameaccustomed to the life of a fisherman, his longings for a widerexperience gradually faded away, for it is seldom indeed that a Leighboy goes to sea--the Leigh men being as a race devoted to their homes, and regarding with grave disapproval any who strike out from the regulargroove. 

"We did well this morning, mother, " Jack said as he came downstairs in aclean guernsey and pilot trousers. "We had a fine haul off the lowerBlyth, and not a bad one higher up. I fancy most of the boats did well. The _Hope_ was close to us, and I expect she must have done as well aswe did. "

"That's good news, Jack. The catches have not been heavy lately, but nowthey have once begun I hope that we shall have a better time of it. "

The breakfast was fish, for fish is the chief article of diet at Leigh. 

"Are you going to bed, Jack?"

"No, mother; I did not start until half-past one, and so I got a goodsix hours before I turned out. I am going to help Uncle Ben put a freshcoat of pitch on our boat. He is going to bring her in as soon as thereis water enough. Tom stopped on board with him, but they let me comeashore in Atkins' boat; and of course I lent them a hand to get theirfish up. We shall land our lot when the bawley comes up. "

"Then you won't go out again to-night, Jack?"

"Oh, yes, we shall, mother. We shall go out with the tide as usual. Weshall only do up to the water-line, and the pitch will be plenty dryenough by night. We are going to fish over by Warden Point, I think. "

"I am glad to hear it, " his mother said. "I always feel more comfortablewhen you are on that ground, as you are out of the track of steamersthere. "

"Uncle is talking of going down to Harwich next week. "

Mrs. Robson's face fell. She had expected the news, for every year aconsiderable number of the Leigh bawleys go down to Harwich and fish offthat port for two or three months. The absence of Jack was always agreat trial to her. When he was with her she felt that he was safe, forit is an almost unheard-of thing for a bawley to meet with an accidentwhen fishing in the mouth of the Thames; but off Harwich the seas areheavy, and although even there accidents are rare--for the boats aresafe and staunch and the fishermen handle them splendidly--still therisk is greater than when working at home. 

The Leigh men themselves attribute their freedom from accident in noslight degree to the fact that their boats never go out on Sunday. Theyare God-fearing men these fishermen, and however bad the times, andhowever hard the pinch, it is seldom indeed that a bawley puts out fromLeigh on Sunday, save to the assistance of a vessel in distress. 

The excursionists who go down in summer weather to Margate and Ramsgatescarcely think that ships could be cast away and broken up upon thehidden sands beneath the sparkling waters. They know not that scarce oneof these sands but at low water is dotted with low, black timbers, andthat there are few more dangerous pieces of navigation in the world thanthe passage up the mouth of the Thames on a wild night when a fiercegale is blowing and the snow and sleet driving before it, obscuring theguiding lights that mark the channels between the sands. 

The _Bessy_--for so Ben Tripper had named his bawley, after hisfavourite sister--was lying on the mud just above Leigh. A fishy smellpervaded the air, for close by were the boiling-sheds, with their vastheaps of white cockle-shells. These were dug by the cocklers eitherfrom the sand at the end of the Canvey Island or on the Maplin Sandssomewhere off Shoebury. 

The large boats often return deeply laden with them. On reaching Leighthe cockles are thrown out in great heaps by the side of the creek, where they are covered at each tide. Here they are left to cleanthemselves, and to get rid of the sand they have taken in whenburrowing. Two or three days later they are carried up to theboiling-houses and thrown into great coppers of boiling water. They openat once, and the fish drop from the shells. The contents of the coppersare passed through large meshed sieves, to allow the fish to passthrough and retain the shells, which go to add to the heaps outside. These heaps would in time rival in size the cinder tips of the Midlandswere it not that there is a use for the shells. They make splendid lime, and are sometimes taken away in barge-loads and carried to town, wherethey are used instead of gravel in the parks, making, when crushed, thewhitest and tidiest of paths. 

Before starting, Jack had put on a canvas jumper, leggings and highboots, and was soon at work with his uncle, ankle-deep in the mud. Thebawleys are boats almost peculiar to Leigh, although a few hail fromGravesend and the Medway. They are from thirty to forty-five feet long, and are divided into three classes of from six to fifteen tons burden. They are very broad in comparison to their length, some of them having abeam of fifteen feet, and they carry their width almost to the stern, which is square. This gives the boats a dumpy appearance, as they lookas if they had been cut short. They are half-decked, with a roomyfo'castle and a well, where the fish are kept alive. They carry onemast. 

The peculiarity of their rig is that they have no boom to theirmainsail, which in shape somewhat resembles a barge-sail, and, like it, can in a moment be brailed completely up. They carry a lofty topmast andlarge topsails, and these they seldom lower, even when obliged to havetwo reefs in the mainsail. They are capital sea-boats, fast, and veryhandy; and it requires a good yacht to beat a bawley with a brisk windblowing. The men are keen sailors, and when the trawls are taken up andtheir heads turned homewards it is always a race to be first back. 

Ten years ago all the bawleys were clinker-built--that is, with thestreaks overlapping each other, as in boats; but the new bawleys are nowall carvel-built, the planks being placed edge to edge, so as to give asmooth surface, as in yachts and large vessels. They now for the mostpart carry spinnakers, boomed out when running before the wind, andballoon foresails, thereby greatly adding to their speed in light winds. One peculiarity of the bawleys is that, when at anchor, the mainsail, instead of being stowed with its spars parallel to the deck, is made upon its gaff, which is then hoisted with the throat seven or eight feetup the mast, while the peak rests on the stern. 

This is done to give more room on deck, and enable the men to get moreeasily in and out of the fo'castle. It has, however, a curiousappearance, and a fleet of bawleys at anchor resembles nothing so muchas a flock of broken-backed ducks. 

Ben Tripper and his mate, Tom Hoskins, finished tarring the boat underher water-line soon after four o'clock in the afternoon, Jack's share ofthe work consisting in keeping the fire blazing under the pitch kettle. 

"What time shall we go out, uncle?"

"Not going out at all, Jack. We will finish tarring her the first thingin the morning, and there are two or three odd jobs want doing. "

"Will you want me, uncle? because, if not, I shall go out early withBill Corbett cockling. His father has hurt his leg, and is laid up, sohe asked me to lend him a hand. I told him I didn't know whether youwere going out again to-night or whether you could spare me in themorning, but that if you didn't want me I would go with him. "

"You can go, Jack; besides, you will be in early anyhow. We will do thetarring without you. "

CHAPTER II. 

CAUGHT BY THE TIDE. 

JACK ran home. 

"I thought you would have been in by two o'clock, Jack, " his mother saidreproachfully, "so as to see Lily before she went off to school again. "

"So I should have done, mother, but I had to stick at the work until wehad finished up to the water-line. Uncle Ben thought it was not worthwhile knocking off. "

Jack's meal of bread and bacon was soon finished, then he waited alittle until Lily had returned from school. 

"Come on, Lil, " he said, "I have been waiting to take you out with me. "

"Be in by six, " Mrs. Robson said. 

"All right, mother! We are only just going down to the shore. "

Near the little coast-guard station they came upon Bill Corbett. 

"Can you come to-morrow, Jack?"

"Yes; uncle has agreed to do without me. What time are you going tostart?"

"We will go out as late as we can, Jack. We can get down the creek tillthree anyhow, so at three o'clock you be ready down here. "

"Joe is going, I suppose?"

"Oh, yes, he does to carry the cockles to the boat while we scrape themout. That is a nice bawley, that new one there; she only came in thistide. That is the boat Tom Parker has had built at Brightlingsea. Heexpects she is going to beat the fleet. She will want to be a rare goodone if she does, and I don't think Tom is the man to get the most out ofher anyhow. "

"I don't reckon he is, " Jack agreed. "He would never have bought thatboat out of his own earnings, that is certain. It is lucky for him hisuncle in town died and left him four hundred pounds. He is one of thelazy ones, he is. Half the times he never goes out at all. It is eithertoo rough, or there ain't wind enough, or he don't think it is a likelyday for fish. His mother will do a sight better now that he has got aboat of his own, and she will get someone else to work hers. I shouldnot like to work on shares with him though he has got a new boat andgear. "

"Well, I must be going, " Bill said. "Shall I knock at your door as Ipass in the morning?"

"You will find me there as the clock strikes three, Bill; but if Iain't, you knock. "

Bill Corbett, who was a lad some two years older than Jack, strolledaway. Jack and Lily sat down on the sloping stage from which thecoast-guardsmen launched their boats, and began to chat to the manstanding with a telescope under his arm at the door of the boat-shed. Jack was very fond of talking to the coast-guardsmen. They had not, likethe fishermen, spent all their lives between Gravesend and Harwich, buthad sailed with big ships and been to foreign parts. One of them hadbeen in the China War, another had fought in India with Peel's NavalBrigade, had helped batter down the palace fortresses of Lucknow, andwhen in the humour they had plenty of tales of stirring incident torelate. 

Jack was a favourite with the coast-guardsmen, for he possessed thevirtue rare in boys of being able to sit still; and as his favouriteplace was the slip in front of the boat-house, and he would sit therecutting out toy boats by the hour, he generally came in for a good dealof talk with the men who happened to be on duty. This afternoon, however, the men were busy burnishing up their arms and gettingeverything into apple-pie order, as the inspecting officer was to comeon his rounds the next morning; so Jack after a time strolled along thepath between the railway and the track, Lily prattling by his side andstopping to gather wild convolvulus and grasses. The sea was out now, and the mud stretched away, glistening red and brown in the sunlight. Beyond in the Ray lay a long line of bawleys, while a score or morenearer at hand lay heeled over on the mud as they had been left by thereceding tide. 

To a stranger the black hulks would have looked exactly like each other;but the Leigh men could tell every boat afloat or ashore, even withoutlooking at the number painted on her bulwarks, just as a shepherd canpick out one sheep from a flock. 

"It is time to go back, Lily, " Jack said at last. "Mother said we wereto be in at six, and it cannot be far off that now. There is theYarmouth steamer going up. It is about her time. "

"How do you know it is the Yarmouth steamer, Jack?"

"Oh, I don't know. I know her by her look. I know pretty near all ofthem--the Yarmouth, the Scotch, and the Dutch boats. "

"They all look to me alike. "

"Ah! that is because they are a long way oft, Lily. There is a lot ofdifference between them when you are close. We know them all, and whichwhistles if we are in the way, and which will give way for us, and whichwill come right on without minding whether they run us down or not. Thecolliers are the worst for that; they just go straight on, and expectyou to get out of the way, and don't mind a rap about the rule of theroad or anything else. I should like to see half a dozen of thosecaptains hanged. "

"I do not think it is right to say that, Jack. "

"Well, I should like to see them get five dozen lashes anyhow, " Jacksaid, "well laid on by some of our fishermen. They would give it 'emheartily, and it would do them a world of good, and save many a lifeafterwards. It is too bad the way those fellows go on; they don't care abit about running down a small craft in the dark. In the first place, they know very well that they are not likely to be recognized, and sosteam straight on, and leave men to drown; and in the next, if they arerecognized, they are ready to swear that black is white all round, andwill take their oaths you hadn't got your side-lights burning, or thatyou changed your course, and that they did all in their power to preventa collision. I wish some of the people of the Board of Trade would comedown the river sometimes in sailing-boats and see the way these coastersset the law at defiance, and fine them smartly. What is the use ofmaking rules if they are never observed? Well, here we are home, and thechurch is just striking six, so we have hit off the time nicely. "

By eight o'clock Jack was in bed, and having acquired the fisherman'shabit of waking at any hour he chose, he was at the door when BillCorbett and his brother Joe came along. The day was already breakingfaintly in the east, for the month was May. 

"Going to be fine, Bill?" Jack asked. 

"Dunno. Wind is blowing strong from the north, though we don't feel ithere. "

The water was off the flats and had sunk some distance in the creek. 

"It is lower than I expected, " Bill said. "Come on; come on. "

"Where is she, Bill?"

"Close to the foot of the steps. "

The boat had already taken ground; but Bill, getting into the water withhis high boots, shoved her off. The mast was stepped and sail hoisted, and she was soon running fast down the creek. 

"The boats were off an hour ago, I suppose?" Jack remarked. 

"Ay, more than that. Some of them turned out at half-past one. But thosewhose boats were down the channel didn't go for half an hour later. Father told me. I saw him before I started. He couldn't sleep with thepain in his leg. "

Twenty minutes' sailing took them down to the mouth of the creek andinto the wider channel. They now turned the boat's head directly offshore, and jibed the sail, and bore off for the sands stretching awayfrom the end of Canvey Island. 

"No other boats here this morning?" Jack asked as the boat ran ashore. 

"No; three or four of them went down to Shoebury last night. They saythere are more cockles down there than there are here now. But fathersaid we had best come here. I suppose he thought that Joe, you, and me, made but a poor cocklers' crew. Of course, with the wind blowing offshore, it is all right anyhow; but men never think us boys can doanything. Why, I would not mind a bit starting, us three, for Harwich. Ireckon these boats are just as safe as the bawleys?"

"I think so too; but they want more handling. However, I expect we couldmanage it. "

They had now got out their implements, consisting of a shovel, a largerake, and a couple of baskets, on shore, and fastening the boat with agrapnel, went to the place where experience had taught them it was bestto dig, and were soon at work. The cockles were for the most part buriedsome five or six inches in the sand, and were found in great numbers;the two elder boys digging and raking while Joe picked them up, andthrew them into the baskets. As these were filled Bill carried them downon his shoulder to the boat, put the baskets into the water, gave them aheave or two to wash some of the sand off the cockles, and then emptiedthem into the boat. 

It was a broad-beamed craft, of over twenty feet long, and would carrymore than a ton of cockles if filled up. 

The sun had long been up, the clouds were flying fast across the sky, and the wind was working round to the east, knocking up a short choppysea as it met the ebb, and covering the river with white horses. 

The boys worked away sturdily, ceasing occasionally from their laboursto go down and shove the boat further off as the tide fell. At six itwas dead low. They had each brought with them a bag with some bread andcheese, and a tin of cold tea, and now sat down on the gunwale of theboat for breakfast. Having finished that meal, they continued their worktill nine o'clock, by which time they had got several bushels on board. 

"Look there!" Joe exclaimed suddenly; "there is a big steamer has run onto the Middle Ground. "

The boys had just thrown down their spade and rake, and had agreed toknock off, and they now ran across to the outside of the strip of sand, which had by this time narrowed very considerably. 

"She will get off easy enough as the tide rises, " Joe said; "but theywon't be able to back her off now. "

"No; she does not move in the least, " Jack agreed. "Her screw is workinghard astern now. Look how high her head is. She has run a long way upwith wind and tide and steam. She must have gone on it hard. "

"She had best get a couple of anchors out astern, " Bill said, "beforeshe gets broadside on. "

This was evidently also the view of the captain, as two boats werelowered and anchors got into them. But it is no easy matter to row aboat with a heavy weight in it against wind and tide; and before theyhad got fairly away from the vessel she had already swung round aconsiderable distance, and was heeling over a good deal from the forceof the wind and tide. It was nearly half an hour before the boats werefar enough off to get the anchors over with any effect. 

"They won't dare to haul on them now, " Joe said. "They would only comehome. Those anchors ain't heavy enough to work her stern round. I expectwhen a tug comes along they will get them to help, else she will keep ondriving higher and higher. "

"Hallo!" The exclamation came from Jack, who now happened to look roundtowards the boat. They had accidentally taken their stand on the highestpoint of the sand-bank, and in watching the steamer had forgotten allabout the tide, which, under the influence of a north-east wind, hadrisen with great rapidity. The patch of dry sand was scarcely fifteenyards wide, and would be entirely covered in a very few minutes. 

"Look, Bill, the boat has gone!"

It was true. The grapnel, a very light one, with a short length of rope, had been thrown carelessly down on the sand when they last hauled theboat up, and as the full strength of the tide had caught the boat, ithad dragged a considerable distance, and was drifting away up the Ray. 

"What is to be done?" Joe exclaimed. 

"Do you think we could wade along to the island, Bill?" Jack asked. 

Bill shook his head. "No; there are deep channels where it would be overour heads. I can't swim a stroke, no more can Joe. "

"Shall I swim to the boat, Bill, and try and get her back?"

Joe shook his head. "She is in deep water now, Jack, and the grapnelain't holding her a bit; she will drift as fast as you can swim. But ofcourse you can try if you like, it don't make any difference to us, foryou could never beat back against this wind and tide. What fools we havebeen, to be sure!"

"The boats will soon be coming back now, " Jack said hopefully. "Thereare some of them this side of the Chapman now. "

Bill shook his head. "It will take them three quarters of an hour tobeat up, Jack. "

Jack turned and looked the other way. "Here are three of them coming infrom the Nore, Bill. They will not be very long before they are up. "

"They will be here before the others, Jack; but I doubt if they will bein time. Water will be breast-high before they get up, and they maydrop anchor down at the mouth of the Ray, and not see us. Our bestchance is the shore. "

He shaded his eyes and looked steadily across at Leigh. "There is a manrunning from the coast-guard station, " he said. "There! there are two orthree others running to meet him. Now they are going back together. "

The boys stood looking fixedly at the station. 

"Hooray!" Jack said after a minute; "there comes the boat out of thehouse. Do you see they are getting her down the slip; now she is in thewater. " Another minute passed, and then a white sail appeared. "She isheading straight off to us, Bill. With this wind she will be here in aquarter of an hour. "

But the tide was already half-way up to their knees, and the wavesbeginning to splash against them. 

"Will they be here in time, do you think, Bill?" Joe asked. 

"I hope so, Joe, " Bill said cheerily. "They would be in plenty of timeif it were not for the force of the tide. Still, I think it is allright. "

The minutes passed rapidly; higher and higher rose the water, and thewaves increased fast in size. It was as much as the boys could do tostand against the sweep of the stream. 

"Bill, you had better take Joe on your shoulders, " Jack said. "I haveread that one man can carry another across a stream that he couldn't getover alone. "

"Jump up, young un, " Bill said; "and you, Jack, get off your sea-boots. You stand just behind me and hold on, I feel much steadier now that Ihave got Joe on my shoulders. If you feel that you are going, leave goof me, you will only pull me backward holding on; and as you can swimyou are all right. You have only got to keep yourself afloat, the tidewill drift you up to the island in no time. "

"I don't mean to go if I can help it, " Jack said. "Of course I could notswim with you two, but if you would lie on your back quiet I mightmanage to keep you up for a bit anyhow. "

The boat, heeling far over to the breeze, was dashing along at a greatpace towards them. It was a question of minutes. Jack found it extremelydifficult to keep his feet, the sand seemed to be scooped out from underthem by the force of the tide. The wind, which was blowing in violentgusts, added to the difficulty of withstanding the force of the currentand waves. 

"Don't pull, Jack, " Bill said, "or you will have us over. "

"I can't hold on without, Bill. Which shall I do? Swim off alone, orhold on by you till we all go together?"

"Go off by yourself, Jack; the boat will be here in five minutes now. Ithink I can hold on until then; anyhow, it is the best chance. "

They were now waist-deep; for, little by little, as the sand gave wayunder their feet, they had been driven backwards towards deeper water. 

"There is one other thing, Bill. Do you think you can shift Joe so as tosit on one shoulder? If I get on your other it will add to your weight. "

"I will try it, " Bill said; "I was nearly off my feet then. Get on tomy left shoulder, Joe. Now Jack, you climb up. Yes, I think that isbetter. I should be all right if the sand would not slide away so muchfrom under my feet. "

Several times Jack felt Bill totter and sway; he was fast being sweptback into the deeper water. 

"If you do go, Bill, do you and Joe throw yourselves on your backs, andI will try and hold you up. The boat will be here in no time now. "

She was indeed less than a hundred yards away when Bill exclaimed, "I amgoing!"

"Keep on your back, Bill!" Jack shouted as he went backwards underwater. 

The three came up close together. Jack seized the others by the hair, and throwing himself on his back, and striking out with his legs, triedto keep them in a similar position with their faces above water. Billlay quietly enough; but Joe struggled to raise his head, and turning, grasped Jack round the body, and in a moment the three were under water. 

Jack kept his presence of mind; he knew that the boat was close at hand, and strove, not to loosen the grasp of his companions, which wasimpossible, but to come to the surface occasionally for an instant. 

Two or three times he managed this, and obtained a breath of air beforehe went under again. The last time, he saw the boat close at hand, and arope fell across his face; but he could not free his hands to grasp it, and went under immediately. His senses were leaving him, when he feltsomething grasp him, and then knew no more till he opened his eyes, andfound himself in the bottom of the boat with his two companions. 

CHAPTER III. 

A RUN FROM HARWICH. 

ONE of the sailors, dripping wet, knelt beside him. "That is all right, lad; you will be yourself again directly. "

Jack was already sufficiently recovered to sit up some time beforeeither Bill or Joe showed signs of life; for, unable to swim or to takeadvantage of their momentary intervals of coming to the surface, theyhad become insensible some time before he had done so himself. Thesailors rubbed their chests and hands, and at last both showed signs ofreturning animation. 

"That was a close shave, Jack, " the coast-guardsman who was at the helmsaid. "It was lucky I made you out with my glass when I did. It wastouch and go; I saw you trying to get them on their backs. If they hadkept quiet you would have managed it; but drowning people never willkeep quiet. "

They were now running up the Ray in pursuit of the boat, which haddrifted into shallower water near the end of the island, and here thegrapnel had brought it up. When they got up to it, the grapnel wasraised and brought into the stern of the boat, and the coast-guard boatlaid her course close-hauled for Leigh, towing the other behind her. 

Before they arrived at the slip the other two boys were both able to situp. They would have taken their boat up beyond the village, but one ofthe fishermen said, "You go home and change; you have done quite enoughfor to-day. Tom and I will take the boat up for you. "

"That has been a lesson to me I shall not forget, " Bill said as theywalked along. "You saved our lives, Jack, there is not much doubt aboutthat. "

"Oh, I expect we should all have been fished out anyhow!" Jack replied. 

"No, we should not, Jack. Anyhow, not alive. I thought just at first youwere going to keep us up pretty easy, and then young Joe twisted roundand got hold of you, and we all went down together. But I could feelthen that somehow you were keeping us up, and I tried not to catch holdof your legs. "

"You did not, Bill. I was able to use them just at first, and then, somehow, Joe got hold of them. However, we all kept together, that was agood thing. If we had separated, I don't suppose they would have got usall. "

Fortunately the news of the danger Jack had run had not reached hismother, for she had been engaged in the back-room washing, and Lily hadgone up to school. 

At the first alarm many people had run down to the shore; the officer ofthe coast-guard with his glass had reported what was going on, and up tothe last moment it had been believed that the boat would get to them intime, and there had been a gasp of dismay as he suddenly exclaimed, "They are down! The boat is only a few lengths away, " he went on; "Iexpect they will get them. One of the men is standing up in the bowready to jump. "

A half-minute later he exclaimed, "There he goes! There, they arehoisting them into the boat!"

"Have they got them all, sir?"

"That I can't see; but I expect they have, for you see they have loweredthe sail. Yes! they must have got them all, for none of them arestanding up looking about, as they would be if one was missing. "

Five minutes later the sail was hoisted again. The officer watched for aminute or two, and then closed his glass. 

"They are going up the Ray, " he said, "I expect they are going to towthe boat in here; she is under the island. They would not trouble aboutthat unless those they have picked up were all right, but would bemaking straight back again to see what could be done for them. "

The little crowd, now feeling that nothing worse than a ducking hadhappened to those on the sand, broke up and scattered to their houses. No one had known at first what boat it was whose occupants had got intotrouble, and it was not till it was half-way back that it was made outto be Corbett's. 

"Why, I thought he was ill in bed?" one said. 

"So he is, but I expect his boys went out with it. It was not likelythere was a man on board. No one but boys would be fools enough to getcaught like that, and I should have thought Bill Corbett had too muchsense. "

"Why, Jack, what has happened?" Mrs. Robson asked as her son entered thehouse. 

"Nothing much, mother; but we have had a ducking. There was a steameraground on the Middle Ground, and watching her we forgot all about thetide, and the boat drifted away and we got caught. Of course I couldswim, so there was no danger for me; but it would have gone hard withthe two Corbetts if the sailor at the coast-guard station had not madeus out, and their boat put off and picked us up. "

"Well, go and change your clothes at once, Jack; it has taken all thecolour out of your face. I will get a cup of hot tea ready for you bythe time you come down. "

It was not until some of her neighbours came in, and talked to her aboutthe narrow escape her son had had, that Mrs. Robson realized that Jack'slife had been in considerable danger, and it was well that she had himbefore her enjoying his tea before she learnt the truth. 

"It is no use getting into a fuss about it, mother, " Jack saidcheerfully; "it is not going to happen again, you know. It has been agood lesson to me to keep my eyes open; and when I go cockling again Iwon't lose sight of the boat, not if there were twenty vessels ashore. "

A few days later Jack started with his uncle in the _Bessy_ for Harwich. For himself he liked the life there better than at Leigh. At home mencould not be said to live on board their boats. They went only for shorttrips, taking a meal before starting, and another on their return; butdoing no cooking on board. Here they were out for longer hours, and theboat was always their home. They were more independent of the tide; andunless it and the wind were both dead against them, could at all timesrun out to their fishing ground, ten miles away, near the Corklightship. 

The fishing was various. Soles, whiting, and haddock were the principalfish brought up in the trawls; but there was occasionally a big skate ortwo in the net, and these had to be handled with considerablecircumspection, as they could take off a finger or two with the greatestease with their powerful jaws and sharp teeth. These fish were alwayshung up in the air for a day or two before eating, as the flesh improvesby keeping; the eatable portions were then cut out, and the rest wasthrown overboard. These fish were for the most part eaten by the crew;the small soles, dabs, and flounders were hawked in the town, and therest of the take sent up to London. 

There was an excitement, too, in the fishing itself, apart from thatconnected with hauling up the trawl and examining its contents, for thesands off this coast are dangerous, and the wrecks, that have at onetime or another taken place there, innumerable. Occasionally a net wouldcatch in one of the timbers that had perhaps been lying there a hundredyears or more, and then it either came up torn into fragments, or if itobtained a really firm hold, there was nothing for it but to cut thetrawl-rope and lose it altogether. In fine weather, however, this stepwould not be taken except as a last resource. After trying in vain toget the net and trawl up the rope would be buoyed, and the next dayanother attempt would be made to raise the net, the boat being assistedby three or four others. The loss of a net was a serious one, as ittook ten pounds or more to replace it and the trawl-beam and itsbelongings. 

Sometimes a storm would blow up suddenly, and then the nets had to begot on board with all speed, and the topsails lowered and mainsailsreefed, and the fleet of perhaps a hundred vessels would go racing backinto Harwich, there to anchor just above the Guard, or under shelter ofthe Shotley Spit, or a short way up the Orwell, according to thedirection of the wind. 

The hardest part of a Leigh fisherman's life Jack had not yetencountered, for boys are seldom taken stow-boating. Stow-boating isreally sprat catching, and no one can exactly explain the meaning of theterm. It is carried on in winter at the edge of the sands, far down atthe mouth of the river. Boats are out for many days together, frequentlyin terrible seas, when the boat is more under than above the water. Thework of getting up the net is heavy and exhausting, and for all thishardship and labour the reward is often exceedingly slight. Sometimesthe sprats are abundant, and good pay is made; sometimes, when thewinter accounts are balanced up, the crew find that their share willbarely suffice to pay for their keep on board, and not a farthing isleft for the support of their wives and children. 

Londoners who purchase sprats at an almost nominal price know but littleof the hard struggle those who have caught them have to make ends meet. 

After fishing for a month, Ben Tripper said one Friday evening, "We willrun up to Leigh to-morrow and spend Sunday at home. I don't think weshall lose much, for the weather looks bad, and I don't think therewill be any fishing to-morrow. "

"I am pretty sure there won't, Ben, " his mate said. "I think that it isgoing to blow really hard, and that we shall get wet jackets as we goup. "

"We are accustomed to that, " Tripper said carelessly. "Anyhow, if itcomes to blow too hard for us we can make for shelter into the Crouch orBlack Water. "

"Oh, we are all right as to that, Ben! It is not a question of wetjackets or sea that I am thinking of, only whether we are likely to dropanchor in the Ray to-morrow night. If I were sure of that I should notmind a dusting; but I would rather lie here quiet than have a regularday's heavy knocking about, and then have to run in to Burnham afterall. "

"So would I, " Ben assented. "If the wind comes from anywhere to the westof south it is no use thinking about it. It has been chopping andchanging about to-day, and there is no saying which way it will comewhen it fairly makes up its mind about it; but I think from the look ofthe sky this evening that it is as likely to come from the north-east asnot, and in that case I allow we shall make a good passage of it. "

"Ay, that is right enough, " Tom Hoskins assented. "They say the run fromHarwich Pier to Leigh has never been done yet by a Leigh bawley undersix hours, though it has been pretty close several times. We have gotthe springs on now, and with the wind from the north-east we should runthe six hours very close, if we didn't beat it. There are two or threeof them can go faster than the _Bessy_ close-hauled, but running free Idoubt if there is one can touch her. "

"We will make a start at seven, " Ben said. "We shall take the last ofthe ebb down to Walton, and then catch the flood and have it at its fullstrength by the time we are opposite Clacton. "

Jack was delighted at the thought of spending a Sunday at home with hismother; but though it was not for him to give an opinion, he agreed withTom Hoskins that they were likely to have a dusting on the way up. Thesun had gone down angry and threatening; the stars could be only seenoccasionally through driving masses of cloud, and even at her snuganchorage the _Bessy_ was rolling heavily. 

Jack was out soon after dawn. There was a haze over sea and sky, and thewind was blowing strongly; it was from the north-west now, but Jackthought that it was likely to draw round to the quarter his uncle hadpredicted. "There must be a heavy sea on now all the way from the SwinMiddle to the Nore with the wind meeting a lee tide, " he said tohimself; "but of course when the ebb is done it will smooth down a bit, and will be all right if the weather does not come on too thick. A fogis bad enough and a gale is bad enough, but when you get the twotogether I would rather be at home and in bed by a long way than onboard the _Bessy_. "

"Well, Jack, what do you make out of the weather?" Ben Tripper asked, ashe came out from the fo'castle. 

"It looks rather wild, uncle; but I think the wind is working round tothe north of east, just as you thought it would last night. "

"Yes; I think it is, " Ben said, surveying the sky. "Well, get the firealight at once, Jack, and get breakfast ready; we will have our mealbefore we start. We shall have enough to do when we are once under way. I will run down to the Naze anyhow, and then we shall see what it islike outside. If we don't like its looks we can pop back anyhow; andshall have lost nothing, for there is no shooting nets to-day, that isquite certain. "

The topmast was lowered, small jib and foresail got up, and two reefsput in the mainsail; then they began to get up the anchor. 

"What! are you going up home, Tripper?" shouted a man from the nextboat. 

"Ay, ay, lad!"

"You will get your decks washed before you get to the Mouse!"

"Do them good and save us trouble!" Tripper shouted back. 

"Tell the missis if you see her she may expect to see me next Saturdayif the wind is right. " Tripper threw up his arm to show he understood, and then lent his aid in getting up the anchor. 

"Put up the helm, Jack; the anchor is free. That is enough. Keep her jibjust full and no more till we have stowed all away here. " When the chainwas stowed below, and the anchor securely fastened, Tripper went aft andhauled in the main-sheet. "Up with the foresail, Tom. That is it. Youkeep the tiller, Jack. " The two men now proceeded to coil down all theropes, and get everything ship-shape and tidy. By the time they hadfinished, Harwich was fairly behind them, and they were laying theircourse a point or two outside the Naze, throwing the spray high eachtime the boat plunged into the short choppy sea. 

"Nice place this, Jack, " his uncle said. "There is always a sea on theshallows if the wind is anywhere against tide. No wonder they call itthe Rolling Ground. There, I will take the helm now. You had best getthe compass up; I can't make out the point sometimes through the mist. "

An hour and a quarter from the time of getting up the anchor the _Bessy_was off the point. As soon as the ugly ledge of rocks running far outunder water was weathered, Tripper put down the helm. 

"Haul in the sheet, Tom. That is right; now the sail is over. Slackout--slack out all it will go; the wind is nearly dead aft. Ease off thejib-sheet, Jack. That is it. Now she is walking along. "

The motion was smooth and easy now. The waves were much higher than inthe shelter of the bay, but they were running easily and regularly, innearly the same line the boat was following. Coming up threateninglybehind her, they lifted the stern high into the air, passing gentlyunder her, hurrying her along as she was on the crest, and then passingon ahead and dropping her gently down into the hollow. 

"I think she would stand a reef shaken out, uncle, " Jack said. 

"She has got quite enough on her, Jack, and is walking along at a grandpace. Always leave well alone, lad. The squalls come up very strongsometimes, and I would not carry as much sail as we have got if she werea cutter with a heavy boom. As it is, we can brail it up at any momentif need be. We sha'n't be long getting down off Clacton. Then you mustkeep a sharp look-out for the Spitway Buoy. It comes on very thick attimes, and it is difficult to judge how far we are out. However, I thinkI know pretty well the direction it lies in, and can hit it to within acable's length or so. I have found it many a time on a dark night, andam not likely to miss it now. It will take us an hour and a half or sofrom the time we pass Walton till we are up to the buoy. "

CHAPTER IV. 

THE WRECK. 

"I CAN see the buoy, uncle, over there on the weatherbow. "

"That is right, Jack. I am always glad when we get that buoy; it is thehardest to find of any of them. We shall have to jibe going round it. You stand by to brail the sail up when I give the word; we might carryaway the gaff at the jaws if we let the sail go over all standing now. "As soon as they neared the buoy Tom Hoskins got in the oar with whichthe mainsail was boomed out. "Now, Jack, brail up the sail as she comesround. Haul in the sheet as fast as you can, Tom, and pay it out againhandsomely as it comes over. That is the way. Now fasten the sheet andthrow off the main-tack and trice the sail up pretty near to the throat. 

"That will do. Slack the brail off, Jack. Now haul in the sheet a bit. You had better let the foresail down, Tom; the wind is heavy, and thereis too much sea on here to drive her through it too fast. "

The sea would have been far heavier than it now was in another twohours' time, but the water was still very shallow on the sands, and thisbroke the force of the waves. The boat was now running along the narrowchannel of deep water leading between the Spitway Buoy and the BellBuoy, and almost at right angles to the course they had before beenfollowing. The wind was almost on their beam, and even under the reducedcanvas the _Bessy_ was lying far over, the water covering three planksof her deck on the starboard side. They could see the buoy, andpresently could hear its deep tolling as the hammers struck the bellwith every motion of the buoy. 

"Ah! here is another heavy rain squall coming down. I am glad we areround the Bell Buoy before it came up. Jack, you may as well put thetea-kettle on. A cup of tea will be a comfort. "

All three were wrapped up in oil-skins; but in spite of this they had ageneral sensation of dampness, for it had been raining more or less eversince they started. Jack was below, when he heard a far louder roar ofthe wind than before, and heard his uncle shout, "Brail up the main asfar as you can, Tom--the jib is about all we want now!"

Jack looked out from the fo'castle. The wind was blowing tremendously, sweeping the heads off the waves and driving them into sheets of spray;then great drops of rain struck the deck almost with the force ofbullets, and a minute later it came down almost in bucketfuls. 

"Do you want me, uncle?" he shouted. His voice did not reach Ben's ears, but he guessed what he had said and waved his hand to him to remain inthe fo'castle. Jack took off his sou'-wester and shook the water fromhis oil-skin, and then opening the locker where the coke was keptreplenished the fire. It settled down so dark when the squall struck theboat that he could scarce see across the little cabin. Regardless of thehowling of the wind and the motion of the vessel, he sat on the floorputting in stick after stick to hasten up the fire. As soon as thekettle boiled he put in a handful of tea and some sugar and took thekettle off the fire, then he got a couple of large mugs and half-filledthem with tea, and sat balancing them until the fluid was sufficientlycool to be drunk. Then tying on his sou'-wester again he made his wayout and gave a mug to each of the others. 

"Go down below again, Jack!" his uncle shouted at the top of his voice, and although Jack was within two or three feet of him, he scarcely heardhim. "There is nothing to be done at present here, and it is no uselooking out for the Swin Middle at present. "

Jack took a look round before he went below. Away at some distance oneither hand were white masses of foam where the sea was breaking on thesands. He went up to the bow and looked ahead through the darkness, thenhe went back to his uncle. "I caught sight of a light right over thebowsprit. "

"Ah! they have lit up then, " Tripper said. "I thought they would, forit is almost as dark as night. You had best get the side-lights readyand the flareup. I don't suppose we shall want them, for if we see asteamer coming down we will give her a clear berth. They won't be ableto look far ahead in the face of this wind and rain. " Jack went forwardagain and lay down on the lockers. He thought little of the storm. Itwas a severe one, no doubt, but with the wind nearly due aft, and aweather tide, it was nothing to the _Bessy_, whose great beam incomparison to her length enabled her to run easily before the wind, whena long narrow craft would have been burying herself. 

Presently he thought he heard his uncle shout, and getting up lookedaft. Tom Hoskins was now at the helm. Tripper was standing beside him, and pointing at something broad away on the beam. Jack at once made hisway aft. 

"What is it, uncle?"

"I saw the flash of a gun. Ah! there it is again. There is a ship ashoreon the Middle Sunk. " Jack gazed in the direction in which his uncle waspointing. In a minute there was another flash. 

"It is all over with her, " Ben Tripper said solemnly. "The strongestship that ever was built could not hold together long on that sand withsuch a sea on as there will be there now. "

"Cannot we do something?"

Tripper was silent for half a minute. "What do you think, Tom? We mightget there through the swashway. There is plenty of water for us, and wecould lay our course there. It is a risky business, you know, and we maynot be able to get near her when we get there; but that we cannot telltill we see how she is fixed. Still, if we could get there before shegoes to pieces we might perhaps save some of them. "

"I don't mind, Ben, if you don't, " the other said. "I have neither wifenor child, and if you like to take the risk, I am ready. "

Ben Tripper looked at Jack. "I would not mind if it wasn't for the boy, "he said. 

"Don't mind me, uncle, " Jack burst out. "I would not have you hang backbecause of me, not for anything in the world. Do try it, uncle. It wouldbe awful to think of afterwards, when we hear of her being lost with allhands, that we might have saved some of them perhaps if we had tried. "

Ben still hesitated, when another bright flash was seen. It was anappeal for aid he could not resist. "Put down the helm, Tom, " he said. "Now, Jack, help me to rouse in the sheet. That will do. Now then for apull on the jib-sheet. Now we will put the last reef in the foresail andhoist it, slack the brail and haul down the main-tack a bit. We mustkeep good way on her crossing the tide. " Now that they were nearlyclose-hauled instead of running before the wind, Jack recognized muchmore strongly than before how heavy was the sea and how great the forceof the wind. Lively as the boat was, great masses of water poured overher bow and swept aft as each wave struck her. Her lee bulwarks werecompletely buried. 

"Give me the helm, Tom, " Tripper said; "and get those hatchways up andcover the well, and lash the tarpaulin over it. It is bad enough here, it will be worse when we get into broken water near the wreck. " Most ofthe bawleys are provided with hatches for closing the long narrow placeknown as the 'well, ' but it is only under quite exceptionalcircumstances that they are ever used. Jack and the man got them up andmanaged to fit them in their places, but getting the tarpaulin over themwas beyond their power. 

"I will throw her up into the wind, " Ben said. "Haul on the weatherfore-sheet as I do, and belay it with the foot of the sail just towindward of the mast. Now rouse in the main-sheet. That is right. "

Quitting the tiller as the boat lay-to to the wind, Ben lent his aid tothe other two, and in three or four minutes the tarpaulin was securelylashed over the hatches, and the boat completely battened down. 

"Now, Jack, you had best lash yourself to something or you will be sweptoverboard; we shall have it a lot worse than this presently. Now, Tom, before we get well away again get the last reef in the mainsail, then wecan haul the tack down taut again; the sail will stand much better so, and we shall want to keep her all to windward if she is to go throughthe swashway. "

When all was ready the fore weather-sheet was let go, and the lee-sheethauled taut. The main-sheet was slacked off a little and the _Bessy_proceeded on her way. It was a terrible half-hour; fortunately the denseheavy clouds had broken a little, and it was lighter than it had been, but this only rendered the danger more distinct. Once in the swashway, which is the name given to a narrow channel between the sands, the waveswere less high. But on either hand they were breaking wildly, for therewere still but four or five feet of water over the sands. The sea wasnearly abeam now, and several times Jack almost held his breath as thewaves lifted the _Bessy_ bodily to leeward and threatened to cast herinto the breaking waters but a few fathoms away. But the skipper knewhis boat well and humoured her through the waves, taking advantage ofevery squall to eat up a little to windward, but always keeping hersails full and plenty of way on her. At last they were through theswashway; and though the sea was again heavier, and the waves frequentlyswept over the decks, Jack gave a sigh of relief. They could make outthe hull of the vessel now looming up black over the white surf thatsurrounded it. She had ceased firing, either from the powder beingwetted or her guns disabled. 

"Which way had we better get at her, Tom?" Ben Tripper asked. "She ispretty near on the top of the sand. "

"The only way we have a chance of helping her is by laying-to, oranchoring on the edge of the sand to leeward of her. They may be able todrift a line down to us. I do not see any other way. Our anchorswouldn't hold to windward of her. "

"No; I suppose that is the best way, Tom. We must make the bestallowance we can for the wind and the set of tide, otherwise they willnever drift a line down to us. She won't hold together long. Her sternis gone as far as the mizzen, so we must be quick about it. "

The wreck was evidently a sailing vessel. Her masts were all gone, herbulwarks carried away, and she lay far heeled over. A group of peoplecould be seen huddled up in the bow as they neared her. Tom Hoskins andJack had for the last ten minutes been busy getting the spare anchor upon deck and fastening to it the wrap of the trawl-net, which was by farthe strongest rope they had on board. 

"What water is there on the sand, Ben?"

"Six or seven feet on the edge, but less further on. We do not draw overfive feet, so we will keep on till we touch. The moment we do so let thetwo anchors go. Wind and tide will take her off again quick enough. Payout ten or twelve fathoms of chain, and directly she holds up drop thelead-line overboard to see if she drags; if she does, give her some morerope and chain. "

The anchors were both got overboard and in readiness to let go at amoment's notice, the instant the _Bessy_ took ground. 

The foresail was lowered and the mainsail partly brailed up, so that shehad only way on her sufficient to stem the tide. As they entered thebroken water Jack was obliged to take a step back and hold on to themast. Her motion had before been violent, but to a certain extentregular; now she was tossed in all directions so sharply and violentlythat he expected every moment that the mast would go. Tom looked roundat Ben. The latter pointed to the sail and waved his hand. Tomunderstood him, and going to the mast loosened the brail a little togive her more sail, for the waves completely knocked the way out of her. When she forged ahead again, Tom returned to his post. 

Jack held his breath every time the boat pitched, but she kept onwithout touching until within some eighty yards of the wreck; then asshe pitched forward down a wave there was a shock that nearly threw Jackoff his feet, prepared for it though he was. In a moment he steadiedhimself, and crept forward and cut the lashing of the hawser just as Tomsevered that of the chain. The latter rattled out for a moment. Therewas another shock, but less violent than the first, and then the renewedrattle of the chain showed that she was drifting astern. Ben now leftthe tiller and sprang forward. The jib was run in by the traveller andgot down, the foresail had been cast off and had run down the forestaythe moment she struck, and the three now set to work to lower themainsail. 

"She is dragging, " Tom said, examining the lead-line, "but not fast. "

"Give her another five or six fathoms of chain, " Ben said, himselfattending to the veering out of the hawser. 

This done they again watched the lead-line. It hung straight down by theside of the vessel. 

"They have got her!" Ben said. "Now then for the ship. "

For the first time since they entered the broken water they had leisureto look about them. Those on board the ship had lost no time, and hadalready launched a light spar with a line tied to it into the water. 

"It will miss us, " Ben said, after watching the spar for a minute. "Yousee, I allowed for wind and tide, and the wind does not affect the spar, and the tide will sweep it down thirty or forty yards on our port bow. "

It turned out so. Those on board payed out the line until the sparfloated abreast of the smack, but at a distance of some thirty yardsaway. 

"What is to be done?" Ben asked. "If we were to try to get up sail againwe should drift away so far to leeward we should never be able to beatback. "

"Look here, " Jack said; "if you signal to them to veer out some morerope I could soon do it. I could not swim across the tide now, but if itwere twenty fathom further astern I could manage it. "

"You could never swim in that sea, Jack. "

"Well, I could try, uncle. Of course you would fasten a line round me, and if I cannot get there you will haul me in again. There cannot be anydanger about that. "

So saying Jack at once proceeded to throw off his oil-skins andsea-boots, while Ben went to the bow of the boat and waved to those onthe wreck to slack out more line. They soon understood him, and the sparwas presently floating twenty yards further astern. Jack had by thistime stripped. A strong line was now fastened round his body under hisarms, and going up to the bow of the boat, so as to give himself as longa distance as possible to drift, he prepared for the swim. 

CHAPTER V. 

THE RESCUE. 

JACK was a good swimmer, but he had never swum in a sea like this. 

"If I raise my arms, uncle, pull in at once. If I see I cannot reach thespar I sha'n't exhaust myself by going on, but shall come back and takea fresh start. Let me have plenty of rope. "

"All right, Jack! we won't check you. "

Jack took a header, and swimming hard under water came up some distancefrom the boat. 

"He will do it, " Tom shouted in Ben's ear. "He is nigh half-way betweenthis and the rope already. "

It was, however, a more difficult task than it looked. Had the waterbeen smooth it would have been easy for Jack to swim across the tide tothe spar before he was swept below it, but he found at once that it wasimpossible to swim fast, so buffeted and tossed was he by the sea, whilehe was almost smothered by the spray carried by the wind to the top ofthe waves. He trod water for a moment with his back to the wind, took adeep breath, and then dived again. When he came up he was delighted tosee that he was as near as possible in the line of the spar, which wastowing but a few yards from him. He ceased swimming, and a moment laterthe tide swept him down upon it. 

He had before starting fastened a piece of lashing three feet long tothe loop round his chest, and the moment he reached the spar he lashedthis firmly round the rope, and passing one arm round the spar liftedthe other above his head. In a moment he felt the strain of the roperound his chest, and this soon tightened above the water. But Jack feltthat the strain of pulling not only him but the spar through the watermight be too much for it, and rather than run the risk he again wavedhis hand, and as soon as the line slacked he fastened it to the ropefrom the wreck, loosened the hitches round the spar and allowed thelatter to float away. He was half drowned by the time he reached theside of the bawley, for he had been dragged in the teeth of the wind andtide, and each wave had swept clean over his head. 

[Illustration: THE RESCUE OF THE PASSENGERS FROM THE WRECK]

At first those on board pulled but slowly, in order to enable him toswim over the top of the waves. But the force of the spray in his facewas so great that he could not breathe, and he waved to them that theymust draw him in at once. As soon as they understood him they pulled inthe rope with a will, and more under than above the water he was broughtto the side of the smack and lifted on board, the wind bringing down thesound of a cheer from those on board the wreck as he was got out of thewater. Ben undid the line round his body, carried him downstairs, wrapped a couple of blankets round him and laid him down on the lockers, and then ran upstairs to assist Tom, who had carried the line forwardand was already hauling it in. 

"That is right, Tom. They have got a good strong hawser on it, I see, and there is a light line coming with it to carry the slings. "

As soon as the end of the hawser came on board it was fastened to themast. The line by which it had been hauled in was unfastened and tied tothat looped round the hawser, and payed out as those on the deck hauledon it. A minute later two sailors got over the bulwarks, and a woman waslifted over to them and placed in the strong sling beneath thehawser. A lashing was put round her, and then they waved their hands andthe fishermen hauled on the line. In two minutes the woman was on thedeck of the smack; the lashing was unfastened and knotted on to thesling ready for the next passenger, then at Ben's signal that all wasready those on board the wreck hauled the sling back again. 

Jack remained between the blankets for a minute or two. He had not lostconsciousness; and as soon as his breath came he jumped up, gave himselfa rub with the blanket, slipped into some dry clothes, and was on deckjust as the woman arrived. She was all but insensible, and directly thesling had started on its return journey Ben carried her on into thefo'castle. 

"Jack! set to work and make a lot of cocoa. There are no spirits onboard; but cocoa is better, after all. Put the other kettle on and chuckplenty of wood upon the fire, and as soon as the one that is boiling nowis empty, fill that up again. I should say there are twenty or thirty ofthem, and a pint apiece will not be too much. Take a drink yourself, lad, as soon as you have made it. You want it as much as they do. "

Fast the shipwrecked people came along the line. There was not a momentto lose, for the wreck was breaking up fast, and every sea broughtfloating timbers past the bawley. 

"It is a good job now, Tom, that we anchored where we did, instead of inthe direct line of the tide, for one of those timbers would stave a holein her bow as if she were a bandbox. "

"Aye, that it would, Ben. I thought we had made rather a mess of it atfirst; but it is well that, as you say, we ain't in the line of thedrift. "

Nineteen persons were brought on board--the captain being the last tocome along the line. The first four were women, or rather, the first twowere women; the third a girl of ten years old, and the fourth a woman. Then came a middle-aged man, evidently a passenger. Then came tensailors, a steward, two mates, and the captain. 

"Is that all?" Ben asked as the captain stepped from the slings. 

"I am the last, " the captain said. "Thank God all are saved who wereleft on board when you came in sight. We all owe our lives to you andyour men. I had little hope that one of us would live to see the nightwhen we made you out coming towards us. But there is no time to talk. The ship cannot hold together many minutes longer, and when she breaksup in earnest some of the timbers will be sure to come this way. "

"I have got the buoy with a length of rope on the chain ready to slip, "Ben said, "and a spar lashed to the hawser. Now, Tom, let the chain out;I will jump below and knock out the shackle. Now, captain, if one or twoof your men will lend us a hand to get up some canvas, we shall be outof it all the sooner. And please get them all except the women out ofthe cabin, and put them aft. We want her head well up for running beforethis sea. "

"Now, lads, tumble out and lend a hand, " the captain said. "I see youhave got some cocoa here. Well, all who have had a mug come out at once, and let the others get aft as soon as they have had their share. Theladies are all right, I hope?"

"Quite right, captain, " one of the men answered, "and begin to feel warmalready; which is natural enough, for this cabin is like an oven afterthe deck of the _Petrel_. "

"Now, skipper, do you give the orders, " the captain said as Ben took thetiller. 

"Run up the foresail and haul in the starboard-sheet. That will bringher head round. "

"Now let go the cable and hawser. " There was a sharp rattle of chains, and the cry "All free!"

"Slack off that weather-sheet and haul down on the lee-sheet, " wasTripper's next order. "Not too much. Have you got the jib hooked on tothe traveller? Out with it, then. Now, up with her. Now man the throatand peak halliards. Up with her. Slack out the main-sheet well, and boomthe sail out with an oar. Trice the main-tack up as far as it will go. "

The _Bessy_ was now running almost before the wind. Every moment thegreat waves loomed up high behind her stern, and looked as if they woulddash down upon her deck, but she slipped easily away. The clouds hadbroken up much now, but the wind had in no way abated. A gleam or two ofsunlight made its way through the rifts of the clouds, and threw lightgreen patches upon the gray and angry sea. 

"She is a splendid sea-boat this of yours, " the captain said. "I wouldhardly have believed such a small craft would have made such goodweather in such a sea. "

"There are few boats will beat a bawley, " Ben said. "Well handled, theywill live through pretty near anything. "

"I can quite believe that. Which of you was it who sprang overboard toget our line?"

"It was not either of us, " Ben said. "Neither Tom nor I can swim astroke. It was my nephew Jack--that lad who has just come out of thefo'castle. "

"It was a gallant action, " the captain said. "I should have thought itwell-nigh impossible to swim in such broken water. I was astonished whenI saw him leap overboard. "

"He saw that the spar had drifted with the tide to windward of you andthere was no other way of getting at it. "

"I was in hopes of seeing you throw the lead-line over our line. Youmight have hauled it in that way. "

"So we might, " Ben agreed, "if we had thought of it, though I doubtwhether we could have cast it so far. Still we ought to have tried. Thatwas a stupid trick, to be sure. I allow I should have thought of it anyother time; but we had had such a dusting in getting up to you that ourbrains must have gone wool-gathering. "

"One cannot think of everything, " the captain said. "You had your handsfull as it was. Is there anything else I can do at present? If not, Iwill just go below for a minute and see how my wife and the passengersare getting on, and have a cup of that cocoa, if there is any left. "

They were now in the Knob Channel, and the sea, although still heavy, was more regular. As they passed the Mouse Light-ship there wereseveral large steamers at anchor there, but it was now a straight rundown to the Nore and they held on. 

Ben Tripper had already asked the captain where he would like to belanded. "I can put you either into Sheerness, Southend, or Leigh, " hesaid. "Tide is high now, and you can land at any of them withoutdifficulty. But you would get more quickly up to town from Southend orLeigh; and I should recommend our side, because tide will be running outfrom the Medway pretty strong before we get there, and when that is thecase there is a nasty sea at the mouth. "

"I think we cannot do better than Leigh, " the captain said. "Of course Iam anxious to get on shore as soon as I can to get the women into dryclothes. "

"It will not make more than twenty minutes' difference whether you landat Leigh or Southend; and it is much handier for landing at Leigh, andno distance to the inn, where they can get between blankets while theirthings are being dried. "

"Then Leigh let it be. A few minutes will make no difference one way orthe other, and if they have not caught cold already they will not do soin that warm cabin. "

The wind was blowing far too strongly to admit of conversation, exceptin shouted sentences. Fortunately there was a good supply of tobacco onboard, and the rescued sailors, who had almost all a pipe in theirpockets, had, after the smack was once clear of the broken water, enjoyed the consolation of a smoke. 

Accustomed to look down on the water from the high deck of a largeship, they had at first felt some doubt as to the ability of the lowbawley to struggle safely through the towering waves; but as soon asthey saw how well she behaved, and how little water she took over thesides, they felt that all danger was over, and became disposed to lookat things more cheerfully. 

The steward had, as soon as he came on board, relieved Jack of hisduties at the galley, and had kept the kettles going; he now served outa second supply of cocoa all round, and hung up as many of the ladies'things as they could dispense with round the fire to dry. 

The passenger had remained below with the ladies. He was suffering froma broken leg, having been knocked down and swept along by the sea soonafter the vessel struck. Six of the sailors and two of the mates hadeither been washed overboard or crushed to death when the masts wentover the side. 

As they passed the Nore a perfect fleet of steamers and sailing-vesselswere at anchor there. Tide had turned strongly now, and there was anasty heavy choppy sea until the _Bessy_ passed the end of SouthendPier, when she entered comparatively smooth water. In less than half anhour the sails were lowered, and she anchored some fifty yards from thecoast-guard station. 

The look-out there had already observed the number of people on herdeck, and had guessed at once that she had taken the crew off a wreck ofsome kind, and as soon as the anchor was dropped their boat camealongside. 

The captain had as they neared the shore asked Tripper about inns, andat once sent the crew ashore in charge of the mate, with orders to go tothe "Bell, " and to see that they had everything they required, sayingthat he would himself, as soon as the ladies were on shore, go to one ofthe shops and order a supply of clothes to be sent up for them. 

The ladies were next taken ashore, and then the injured man carried upand placed in a boat, a stretcher being sent off for him to be laid on. A messenger had been already sent up to the doctor on the top of thehill to come down to the Ship Inn, where the party now went. The ladieshad become so thoroughly warmed by the heat in the little cabin thatthey declined to go to bed, and having been supplied with dry garmentsby the landlady, they were soon comfortable. 

The surgeon on his arrival pronounced the fracture of the passenger'sleg, which was a few inches above the ankle, to be a simple one, and notlikely to be attended with any serious consequences whatever. Aftersetting it he bandaged it in splints, and said that although he shouldrecommend a few days' perfect quiet, there was no actual reason why thepatient should not be taken up to London if he particularly wished it. 

Ben Tripper had gone with the captain, and a pile of flannel shirts, stockings, guernseys, trousers, and shoes had at once been sent up tothe "Bell. " Furious as was the gale, it was possible to speak so as tobe heard in the street of Leigh, and Ben now learned for the first timesome particulars about the wreck. 

"The _Petrel_ was a seven hundred ton ship, " the captain said, "and onher way home from Australia. She belongs to James Godstone & Son. Thereis no James Godstone now. The son is the passenger you saved; he is theowner of a dozen vessels all about the same size as the _Petrel_. Hiswife and daughter are two of the ladies saved. They went out with us toAustralia. The girl was not strong, and had been recommended a seavoyage. 

"I had been married when I was at home last time, and was taking my wifeout with me; so Mr. Godstone arranged that his wife and daughter shouldgo with me. We carried no other passengers; the other woman saved is thestewardess. Mr. Godstone himself did not go out with us, but went acrossby Suez and joined us there for the homeward voyage. We made a fine runhome; and took our pilot on board off Deal. The gale was blowing upthen; but as it looked as if it was coming from the north-east we didnot care about riding it out in the Downs, or going back so as to beunder shelter of the South Foreland. 

"It did not come on really heavy till we were nearly off Margate, andthen we got it with a vengeance. Still, as the wind was free, we kepton. Then, as you know, it came on almost pitch dark, and I think thepilot lost his head. Anyhow, as he was one of those who were drowned, weneed not say whether he was to blame or not. I thought we were gettingtoo close to the broken water, and told him so, but he said we were allright. He didn't make allowance enough, I think, for the leeway she wasmaking, and a minute later she struck, and you can guess the rest. Herback broke in a few minutes, and her mizzen went over the side, carrying with it the pilot, my first mate, and six sailors. 

"She soon after began to break up at the stern. I cut away the other twomasts to relieve her, but the sea made a clear breach over her. I gotthe ladies and Mr. Godstone, who had been on deck when she struck andgot his leg broken by the first sea which pooped her, forward as soon asI could, and managed to fire one of her guns three times. I had no hopeof rescue coming from shore, but there was a chance of some ship comingup helping us; though how she was to do it I could not see. However, nothing came near until I saw your sail. I expect that any steamerscoming up from the south brought up under the Foreland, while those fromthe north would of course take the Swin. Anyhow, it would have been allover with us had you not come to our rescue. Even when I saw you makingover towards us I had not much hope, for I did not see how you could getclose enough to us to aid us, and I was quite sure that no open boatcould have lived in that broken water. "

CHAPTER VI. 

ALTERED PROSPECTS. 

AS soon as the shipwrecked crew were on shore, Jack Robson landed andmade his way homeward. At the railway-crossing he met his motherhurrying down, for the news that the _Bessy_ had arrived with a numberof shipwrecked people had spread rapidly through the place. 

"Well, Jack, so I hear the _Bessy_ has been helping a wreck. I had noidea that you would be home to-day. What in the world induced your uncleto make the run in such weather as this?"

"It was nothing like so bad when we started, mother, and as we had bothwind and tide with us there was nothing to fear for the _Bessy_. We areaccustomed to wet jackets, and should have got nothing worse if it hadnot been for our hearing guns and making for the wreck. Then wecertainly had a tremendous sea, the heaviest I have ever been out in. However, we were under storm-sails and did very well. It was nasty workwhen we anchored in broken water near the wreck, and she jumped about soI thought the mast would have gone. However, everything held, and wemanaged to save nineteen people from the wreck. That is a pleasantthought, mother, and I would go through it again twenty times to do it. "By this time they had reached the door of the house. 

"There, run upstairs and change, Jack. I will get you some tea ready bythe time you come down. "

"I have had some hot cocoa, mother, and am as right as possible. Still, I shall not object to a cup of tea and something to eat with it. We hadbreakfast before we started at eight, and it is seven now. We thoughtwhen we hoisted sail we should be down here under the six hours, but ofcourse going off to the wreck made all the difference. And, anyhow, wecould not have driven her fast in such a sea. "

By the time Jack had had his tea a comfortable glow had come over him. Now that it was all over he felt bruised and stiff from the buffeting hehad gone through, and after half an hour's chat with his mother andsister, in which he told them more fully the events of the wreck, heturned into bed and slept soundly till the morning. Captain Murchison, for that was his name, came round half an hour after Jack had gone up tobed to ask him to go round to the inn, as the ladies wished to see himand thank him for his share in rescuing them, but on hearing that he hadgone up to bed asked his mother to request him to come round in themorning at ten o'clock. 

"You have reason to be proud of your son, Mrs. Robson, " he said. "Hisleaping over in such a sea as that to get hold of the line from our shipwas a most gallant action. "

"He told me the line was tied round him, sir, so that there was nodanger in it at all. "

"There is always danger in such a business as that, Mrs. Robson. Theforce of the waves in shallow water is tremendous, and will beat a manto death if they do not drown him. Then there is the difficulty of hisgetting on board again when a vessel is rolling and pitching sotremendously, and the danger of his being struck by a piece ofdrift-wood from the wreck. I can assure you that it was a very grandaction, whatever your son may have told you about it. "

The next morning the gale was still blowing fiercely, although with lessstrength than on the previous day. Jack had heard from his mother of hisappointment to go to the "Ship" with much discontent, and had at firstpositively refused to go. 

"I hate going up to see strange people, mother, anyhow; and I am surethat I do not want to be thanked. I am glad enough to have had a sharein saving all their lives, but of course it was all Uncle Ben and Tom'shandling the boat that did it; I had nothing to do with it whatever, except that little swim with the rope tied safely round me. Why, it wasnothing to that affair that I had with Bill and Joe Corbett. "

"But you must go, Jack; the ladies naturally wish to thank you for whatyou did for them, and whether you like it or not you must go. It wouldbe very rude and uncivil not to do so. They would be sure to send roundhere if you did not come, and what should I say except that you were sounmannerly that you would not go. "

Jack twisted himself on his chair uncomfortably. 

"I don't see why they shouldn't thank Uncle Ben for the lot and havedone with it, " he grumbled. "It is his boat and he was the skipper, andhe did it all; besides, I expect the _Bessy_ will have to be overhauledbefore she goes out again. She came down with a tremendous crash on herforefoot, and the water was just coming up through the boards in thefo'castle when we came in. Of course it may have come in from above, butI expect she sprang a leak somewhere forward. I thought she was very lowin the water when she came in, and I expect that she must have been halffull aft, for she was very much down by the stern. 

"We had the pump going all the time, and it was always clear water. Idid not think of it at the time. We had had such a lot of water over usit was likely it might have got in through the hatches; but I feel surenow that it was a leak. Well, I suppose if I must go, I must, mother;but I hate it for all that. "

However, just before Jack was about to start there was a knock at thedoor, and Mrs. Robson opening it saw two ladies and a girl. Immediatelyon their arrival the evening before, Mrs. Godstone had telegraphed homefor a servant to come down in the morning by the first train, withclothes for herself and daughter, and she had arrived with them an hourbefore. Mrs. Godstone had therefore been enabled to resume her usualattire, and to lend an outfit to Mrs. Murchison. Jack did not in theleast recognize in the three ladies the soaked and draggled women, ofwhose faces he had caught but a slight glimpse on the previous day. 

"We have come round, Mrs. Robson, " Mrs. Godstone began, "to thank yourson for his share in saving our lives yesterday. We thought that itwould be more pleasant to him than coming round to us at the inn. "

"Thank you, madam, " Mrs. Robson replied. "It was kind of you to think ofit. I have had a good deal of trouble in persuading Jack to go round. Hewas just starting; but it was very much against the grain, I can assureyou. Come in, please. "

Mrs. Godstone was surprised at the tone in which this fisher lad'smother spoke, for during her thirteen years of married life Bessy Robsonhad lost the Essex dialect, and acquired the manners of her husband'sfriends. She was still more surprised at the pretty furniture of theroom, which was tastefully decorated, and the walls hung with picturesof marine subjects, for Bessy had brought down bodily her belongingsfrom Dulwich. Mrs. Godstone at once walked up to Jack with outstretchedhand. 

"I hope you are none the worse for your exertions of yesterday, " shesaid. "My daughter and I have come round to thank you for the very greatservice you rendered us. "

Mrs. Murchison and Mildred Godstone also shook hands with Jack. Theformer added her thanks to Mrs. Godstone's. 

Jack coloured up hotly and said, "It is my uncle you have to thank, ma'am. It was his bawley, and he and Tom sailed it, and I had nothing todo with it one way or the other. "

"Except when you swam out for the line, " Mrs. Godstone said smiling. 

"I had one tied round me, and was all right, " Jack protested. 

"My husband does not think it was nothing, as you seem to consider, "Mrs. Murchison said; "and as he has been a sailor all his life he oughtto know. He says that it was a very gallant action in such a sea asthat, and, you see, we are bound to believe him. "

The ladies had now taken seats. Mrs. Godstone felt a little at a loss. Had Jack's home and Jack's mother been what they had expected to findthem the matter would have been simple enough, but she felt at once thatany talk of reward for the service Jack had rendered them would be atpresent impossible. 

"What a pretty room you have got, Mrs. Robson, and what charmingpictures!"

"They are my husband's painting, " Mrs. Robson said quietly. "He was anartist. "

"Oh! I know the name, " Mrs. Godstone said. "I have four of Mr. Robson'spictures in my drawing-room. I am very fond of marine subjects. "

This served as an introduction, and for half an hour the conversationproceeded briskly. Then Mrs. Godstone rose. 

"My husband's leg is very painful this morning, " she said, "and I fearthat he will have to keep his bed for the next two or three days. Whenhe is well enough to lie down on the sofa I will come down and fetchyour son, for Mr. Godstone is of course anxious to see him, and I amafraid that if I do not come round myself we shall not get Jack to theinn. "

"Well, that was not so very bad, was it, Jack?" Mrs. Robson asked afterher visitors had left. 

"No, mother, it wasn't. You see, it was ever so much better their cominghere than it would have been if I had gone to the inn, because there wasyou for them to talk to, so that really there was not much said to me. If it had been at the inn there would have been nothing to talk about atall, except about the wreck. Well, now that is over I will go down andsee how the bawley is; but I had best change my things first. Uncle wasgoing to get her up as high as he could at the top of the tide, so as tobe able to look at her keel. "

Jack found that his uncle and Tom had turned out at three o'clock in themorning, and had got the _Bessy_ as high up as possible on the slopingshore, just beyond the houses. They were standing beside her now, whileBenting, the local boat-builder, was examining her bottom. 

"Well, Jack, you have taken it out in sleep this morning, " his unclesaid. 

"That I have, uncle. I never woke until eight o'clock, so I had justtwelve hours' sleep. "

"Nothing like a good sleep, Jack, when you have had a hard day's work;and yesterday was enough to take it out of anyone. "

"Is she damaged at all?" Jack asked. 

"Yes, her forefoot is sprung just where it joins the keel; she came downjust on the joint. "

"That will be a rather nasty job to get right, won't it?"

"Yes, Jack, Benting says she must have a new stem altogether. He doesnot think the keel is damaged, but the stem is cracked right through. "

"That will cost a lot, won't it?" Jack said. 

"Yes, it is a nasty job, Jack; because, of course, she will want a lotof fresh planks in her. In fact, she will want pretty well rebuildingforward of the mast. "

"It will cost about twenty pounds to make a good job of it, " Bentingsaid as he joined them. "I shouldn't like to take the job for less, noton contract. If I did day-work it might come to a little less or alittle more, I cannot say. "

Jack looked anxiously up into his uncle's face, for he knew that twentypounds was a serious matter. 

"It won't be at my expense, Jack, " Ben replied to his look. "CaptainMurchison came down at seven o'clock this morning and had a look at herwith me. I told him yesterday that I was afraid she had damaged herselfon the sand, as she had made a lot of water on her way up. He said thatI was to have her examined at once and get an estimate for repairing herthoroughly, and that he would undertake it should be paid. He asked whather age was. Of course I told him she was only four years old, and thatI had only finished paying off the money I borrowed when I had herbuilt, last year. He said that as she was only four years old she wasworth spending the money on; but if she had been an old boat, it wouldnot have been worth while throwing money away on her. But Benting sayshe can make her as good as new again. "

"Every bit, " the carpenter said. "She will be just as strong as she wason the day she was turned out. "

"How long will you be about it?"

"I would get her done in three weeks. I will go over to Southend by thetwelve o'clock train and order the timber, and you can arrange thisevening whether you will have her done by contract or day-work. "

Captain Murchison that evening when he returned from town, where he hadgone up to report to Lloyd's the loss of the ship, had a talk withBenting, and being assured by him that the _Bessy_ would after theexecution of the repairs be in all respects as stout a craft as before, arranged with him to do it for the sum he named, and to set to workimmediately. 

Three days later Mr. Godstone was able to be brought out on to the sofain the sitting-room. Captain and Mrs. Murchison had gone home two daysbefore, but the former came down again to Leigh on the morning Mr. Godstone got up. After a talk together Captain Murchison went out andfetched Ben Tripper in, and Mr. Godstone presented him with a cheque fora hundred pounds for himself and fifty for Tom Hoskins. 

"We owe you our lives, " he said, "and we shall never forget the serviceyou have rendered us. Captain Murchison tells me that your boat will beas good as before after she is repaired; but if she should not be so, sell her at once for what you can get for her and order a new one, Iwill pay the difference. In any case I consider I owe you a boat. Whether it is five years hence or ten or fifteen, if I am alive and youwant another boat I give you authority to order one of the best that canbe built, and to tell them to send the bill in to me. I have not givenyou anything for your nephew, for I have been talking to my wife, andmaybe we can serve him better in some other way. "

Mrs. Godstone had indeed been in for a chat each day with Jack's mother, and had told her husband that she felt sure neither Mrs. Robson nor Jackwould like an offer of money. 

"The lad is very intelligent, " she said, "and he and his mother are ofquite a different class to the fisher people here. His father was agentleman, and she has the manners of a lady. I should like for us to dothe boy some permanent good, William. "

"Well, we will see about it, my dear, " her husband had said. "As soon asI am well enough to talk to him I will find out what his own wishes inthe matter are. "

Jack was therefore sent for after his uncle had left the inn. 

"Well, my lad, " Mr. Godstone said as he entered, "I am glad to see youat last and to thank you for what you did for us the other day. My wifetells me that you do not like being thanked, and as deeds are betterthan words we won't say much more about it. So I hear you have only beenliving here about two years?"

"That is all, sir; we lived at Dulwich before. "

"So I hear. And your father was an artist? Have you any taste that way?"

Jack shook his head. "No, sir; I never thought of being an artist. Ialways wanted to go to sea. "

"To go to sea--eh?" Mr. Godstone repeated, "Well, then, you have gotyour wish. "

"Oh, I do not call this going to sea, " Jack said contemptuously. "Imean, I wanted to be a sailor--not a fisherman. "

"And why didn't you go then, lad?"

"Well, sir, in the first place mother did not know anyone who had to dowith ships; and then her friends were all here, and she knew the placeand its ways, and she thought that by buying a bawley, as she has done, in time I should come to sail her and earn my living as my uncle does. And then I don't think she would ever have agreed to my going to searight away from her; but I do not know about that. "

"Well, lad, you see the case is changed now. I have to do with ships, and Captain Murchison here commands one. At least he doesn't at thepresent moment, but he will do so as soon as I can buy another tosupply the place of the _Petrel_. And as he saw one yesterday that hethinks highly of, I shall probably buy her as soon as she has beensurveyed. So you see that difficulty is at an end. As to your mother, nodoubt she would have objected to your going as a ship's-boy, but perhapsshe wouldn't if you were going as an apprentice. We call them midshipmenon board our ships; I like the name better than apprentice, though thething is about the same. Captain Murchison will, I am sure, be glad tohave you with him, and will do his best to make a good sailor of you. And you may be sure that I shall push you on if you deserve it as fastas possible; and it may be that in another ten years you will be incommand of one of my ships. Well, what do you say to that?"

"Oh! thank you, sir, " Jack exclaimed. "I should like that better thananything in the world, if mother will let me. "

"I don't think that your mother will stand in the way of your good, " Mr. Godstone said. "And she must see that the prospect is a far better onethan any you can have here; for after all, the profits of a bawley arenot large, and the life is an infinitely harder one than that of asailor. You had better not say anything to your mother about it until mywife has had a chat with her. "

CHAPTER VII. 

ON BOARD THE "WILD WAVE. "

MRS. GODSTONE found no difficulty whatever in persuading Jack's motherto allow him to take advantage of her husband's offer. Mrs. Robson hadat her husband's death decided at once that, with the small sum of moneyat her disposal, the only method she could see of making ends meet wasto go down to Leigh and invest it in a bawley. She had never told Jackthat she had even thought of allowing him to carry out his wish to go tosea; but she had thought it over, and had only decided on making afisherman of him after much deliberation. The desire to keep him withher had of course weighed with her, but this was a secondaryconsideration. She had so decided, because it was evident that had hegone to sea it must have been as a ship's-boy. In such a rough life hewould have had no time whatever to continue his studies, and wouldspeedily have forgotten most that he had learned, and he might haveremained many years before the mast before he could pass as a thirdmate. She thought therefore that he would do better by remaining atLeigh and becoming in time master of a bawley. 

In the two years that had passed she had come to have doubts as towhether she had decided wisely. The profits of fishing were exceedinglysmall, and the prospects were but poor. She knew well that her husbandhad hoped that his son would follow some line that would maintain him inhis own rank of life, and she fretted at the thought that Jack wouldsettle down for life as a Leigh fisherman, and that Lily would probablyin time become a fisherman's wife. When therefore Mrs. Godstone told herthat her husband was ready to place Jack on board one of his ships asmidshipman, and that he would take care he had every chance of makinghis way up, Mrs. Robson thankfully accepted the offer. 

"The boy has always wished for a life at sea, " she said; "and I amthankful indeed that he should have such a chance of getting on. I ammost grateful to Mr. Godstone for his offer, and most gladly accept it. "

"It is the least my husband can do, Mrs. Robson, considering the shareyour son took in saving his life. But you must not consider that thisdischarges the debt that I owe for myself and Mildred. That is anothermatter altogether. Now, in the first place, I am sure you must wishsometimes that your little girl could have an education of a differentkind to that which she can obtain here. Now, I should like to send herto a good school where she would be well educated. We need not lookfarther forward than that at present. She is only ten years old now, andin another seven or eight her brother may be a second mate, and, withthe prospect of becoming a captain in another three or four, would likehis sister to be educated as a lady. "

"You are very kind, Mrs. Godstone, " Mrs. Robson said with tears in hereyes. "But in the first place, I don't think I could bring myself topart with her, and in the second, I do not like to take advantage ofyour kindness. "

"The second reason is absurd, " Mrs. Godstone said decidedly. "Supposeinstead of saving all our lives your son had helped to get out anchorsand had got the ship off, he would have had his share of the salvage, which might have come to many hundreds of pounds; and it is nonsensebecause he saved lives instead of goods there should be no reward forthe service. As to your first reason, I can quite enter into it; and Iknow that I should not have liked to be parted from Mildred. Therefore Ido not propose to send her away from you, but to do it in another way. To send your girl to a really good school will not cost less than ahundred a year, and that sum I shall be very glad to pay until she is ofan age to leave school. 

"Now, I understand that your principal reason in coming to Leigh wasthat your son should in time be able to sail your boat. That reason doesnot exist any longer, and you might therefore be as well anywhere elseas here. Your brother can look after your interests in your boat, andyou will get the same share of its profits as if you were living here. Ithink for your son's sake as well as your daughter's, it would bepleasanter and better that you were away from here. 

"Now I am going to pay a hundred a year for your girl to be educated, but it makes no difference to me how that hundred is spent, providingshe gets the education. It seems to me, therefore, that it would bebetter if you were to move again, say to Dulwich, where no doubt youhave still friends, having lived there for so long. Then you could sendher as a day-boarder in a good school for some thirty or forty pounds ayear. You could still keep her with you, and have a nice home for Jackwhenever he comes back from sea. 

"Well, think this over. It seems to me and to Mr. Godstone to be by farthe best plan for all parties. And it will be much the most pleasant tous; as I should then hope to see you often, and to see for myself howyour child is getting on. Do not give an answer to me now: it will beanother week before my husband can be moved up to town, so there will beplenty of time for you to look at it in all lights before you decide. Iknow that it will be a sacrifice for you to leave Leigh where you haveso many relations and friends; but I am sure this will not weigh withyou as against the interest of your children. "

So saying the ship-owner's wife shook hands with Mrs. Robson and at oncewent out. Half-way down the street she met Jack. 

"It is all settled, Jack, " she said, in answer to his look. "Your motherhas agreed to your going. "

"Has she?" Jack exclaimed in delight. "Hurrah! Thank you so much, ma'am, " and throwing his cap in the air he caught it again, and thenstarted home at a run at the top of his speed. Bursting in at the doorhe was sobered instantly by seeing his mother in tears. 

"My dear mother!" he exclaimed, "don't cry over it. Of course I shouldlike to go to sea and always wanted it, still I would not think of doingit if it makes you unhappy. Although you did tell Mrs. Godstone that youconsented, I will go off at once and tell them that I have changed mymind, and that on thinking it over I have concluded to stay here withyou. "

"No, no, Jack, " his mother said, as he turned to carry his offer intoeffect. "It is not that at all. I am quite willing that you should go, my boy. Of course I shall miss you; but other women have to see theirsons go to sea or abroad, and I shall be no worse off than they are. Iam very pleased, indeed, that you should have the life you wish for opento you. There is now a far better prospect of your getting on and doingwell than there was when your father consented that you should go to seasome day. I am not crying about that at all, Jack, but from pleasure, with perhaps a little pain in it, at the kind offer Mrs. Godstone hasjust made me with regard to Lily and myself. "

And she then told Jack the proposal that had been made to her. 

"And are you going to accept it, mother? Oh, I do hope you will. I havenever cared for myself, but I have sometimes been so sorry when Ithought that Lily would grow up so different from what my father wouldhave wished her. "

"And so have I, Jack. Boys are boys, and can to some extent makethemselves what they like. Poor men's sons can, if they are steady andindustrious and clever, rise in the world; rich men's sons can come downto beggary. But it is different with girls. And it always has been agreat grief to me too when I have thought of Lily's future. For myself, I do not like taking the money--that you can well believe, --but for hersake I should be very wrong to refuse the offer. I shall be sorry toleave Leigh; and yet, you see, after living for thirteen years such adifferent life, I do not see things as I did when I was a girl, andhave blamed myself often because I have felt the difference. But I havefelt it, and therefore the idea of going back to Dulwich again is not sopainful to me as I think it ought to be. "

"Of course it is quite natural, mother, " Jack said; "and it would becurious if you did not feel so after living there so long and mixingwith people so different in their ways. And won't it be splendid havinga nice little home like that to come back to, and Lily being educated asa lady, and I making my way on. It will be grand, mother!"

"I shall have a talk with my father and Ben, " Mrs. Robson said. "My ownmind is quite made up; still I should like to speak to them before I seeMrs. Godstone again. "

Tripper senior and Ben quite agreed with Mrs. Robson that she ought toaccept the offer. 

"We shall be always glad to see you down here, Bessy, you know, wheneveryou like to come; but it is certainly best for you and the young onesfor you to accept the offer. It is a grand thing for Lily; and though weshall be very sorry to lose you, it would be awfully foolish to say noto such a proposal as that. "

At heart, perhaps Tripper senior and his son were not altogether so verysorry that Bessy should go to London. They felt that she was now not oneof themselves; and Tripper senior, who was much more fond of his glassthan was good for him, felt her presence in Leigh as a sort of restraintupon himself, and had often informed Ben confidentially that Bessy hadgrown altogether too nice for him. When, therefore, Mrs. Godstone calledagain at the end of the week, Bessy thankfully accepted her offer, andit was settled that she should move up to London as soon as she couldfind a house. She would, she knew, have no difficulty in obtaining atenant for her present residence; for houses were scarce at Leigh, andone so conveniently situated would find many eager for it as soon as itwas generally known that it was to let. 

Accordingly, two days after Mr. Godstone and his wife had left Leigh, Mrs. Robson went up to town with Jack, and going down to Dulwich had nodifficulty in finding a little cottage that would suit them well, and tothis a fortnight later they moved up with their belongings. The very dayafter they moved in, Jack received a letter from Captain Murchisontelling him to come down on the following morning to St. KatharineDocks, as the _Wild Wave_ had now been purchased by Mr. Godstone, andwould at once be fitted out for sea. 

At eight o'clock next morning Jack found himself alongside the _WildWave_, a fine barque-rigged ship of about eight hundred and fifty tons. A number of riggers were at work on board, and Captain Murchison was onthe poop talking to an officer, whom Jack at once guessed to be thefirst mate. 

"That's right, Jack, " the captain said as the lad mounted to the poop;"nothing like getting into harness in good time. We only took possessionof the barque yesterday, and have put the hands to work this morning. Ithought you had better come to work at once, because there is nothinglike learning things from the beginning; and if you keep your eyes openyou will learn as much as to the way things should be done as you woulddo in six months afloat. Mr. Timmins, this is Jack Robson, who sailswith us as a midshipman. He is the lad I told you of who aided in savingall our lives on board the _Petrel_. If it had not been for him and thetwo men with him the house of Godstone & Son would have lost its head. As the owner as well as myself owe so much to him, I am sure you will doall you can to help him to learn his work. He is not like a new handaltogether, having already had two years' experience in a fore-and-aftcraft. Of course the work is very different here; still it is a capitalapprenticeship, and men who can manage a bawley in such a sea as was onwhen the _Petrel_ was wrecked are fine sailors, and would soon be athome on any craft that ever floated. "

"I will do the best I can for him, Captain Murchison, and will make asailor out of him--never fear. There is nothing for you to do on boardyet, my boy, except to keep your eyes open. Watch all that is going on. This is a rigger's job; but it is well to learn how everything is done, because you may be called upon to do it any moment. Do not be afraid ofasking me questions about anything you do not understand, and do notmind if I answer you sharp if I happen to be busy when you ask me--thatis my way; and I daresay the riggers, when they see that you really wantto learn, will be willing enough to give you a hint or two. "

"I am going ashore with him now for a couple of hours, Mr. Timmins. After that he will be at your disposal. "

Jack followed the captain across the gangway on to the wharf. "I amgoing with you to order your outfit, " the captain said. "I had intendedto have done it on my own account, but Mr. Godstone would not hear ofit; so I must obey orders. Your own things will do well enough until weget the riggers out of the ship and the painting done. Till then Mr. Timmins will be the only officer on board; the others will not join tillshe begins to take in her cargo. The second and third mates of thePetrel will sail with me again, and so will all the men who wererescued. Naturally they like a run ashore as long as they can; and thereis nothing for them to do till the ship is out of the painter's hands. "

Captain Murchison took Jack to an outfitter's in Fenchurch Street, andordered him a complete midshipman's outfit. Then Jack went back to thedocks, and for the rest of the day watched the operations of theriggers. With many of the processes he was already familiar, but heobserved several differences in the methods pursued on board a largeship. As soon as he had come on board he had asked the first mate ifthere was any objection to his lending a hand if the riggers would allowhim. 

"None at all, my lad. An officer ought to be able to show his men how todo everything, and he can never do that if he is afraid of dirtying hishands. Of course you do know a good deal already about the serving andparcelling of ropes and stays, but likely enough they are done in adifferent fashion here to what they are on board a smack. I will speakto the head-rigger myself, and tell him you want to learn your business, and are ready to do anything that he likes to set you to; and as youhave been already two years at the work he will not find you a lubber. "

The rigger at once placed Jack at work with one of the gangs, and heworked steadily until four bells sounded, and the men knocked off. 

"You need not get here till eight in the morning, " Mr. Timmins said tohim as he was about to leave. "The captain said you were living atDulwich, and that it would take you an hour to get here; so as atpresent you are a sort of volunteer, it will be quite time enough if youare here by eight. I am glad to see that you are handy at your work; butthat I expected. There is no better training for a sailor than a coupleof years on board a smack. You learn to turn your hand to everythingthere very much better than you can on a large craft. "

CHAPTER VIII. 

ALEXANDRIA. 

TEN days' hard work and the _Wild Wave's_ equipment was nearly complete. The riggers were to put the finishing touch to their work that evening, and the carpenters to finish all below, and were to begin in the morningscraping and cleaning the decks, and there then remained only thepainting to be done. The captain's usual hour for coming on board waseleven o'clock, but the men were just knocking off for dinner when hearrived. 

"Well, Mr. Timmins, when do you think we can be ready to take cargo onboard?"

"Well, sir, it will take them three days to get the decks planed. Theyare in a beastly state, you see. She must have had a dirty lot on boardher on her last voyage, and she has picked up six months' dirt in thedocks. Nothing short of planing will get them fit to be seen. Then thepainters will take another four days, I should say, perhaps five, as thebulwarks and all the paint on deck must be done. "

"That makes eight days' work, Mr. Timmins. I suppose we cannot set thepainters at work until the carpenters are done?"

The mate shook his head. "Decidedly not, if the paint is to be worthlooking at, sir. It would be throwing money and time away to begin topaint as long as the chips and dust are flying about. "

"If we were to get the painting on deck done directly the carpentersknock off we might do the outside while we are taking the cargo in?"

"Yes, we might do that, " the mate assented; "though even then if it isanything like a dusty cargo the paint wouldn't show up as smooth andclean as one would like to see it. "

"Well, we can't help that, " the captain said. "I have just come from theoffice, and they have had an offer for a freight, part to Alexandria andpart to Smyrna; but they wanted to begin to load at once. I said thatwas out of the question, but that I thought I could begin to take it onboard next Monday. "

"Well, it will be quick work, sir. However, if you can get them to put agood strong gang of carpenters on board they might get the deck finishedoff by Wednesday evening. Anyhow, we might have the painters on boardon Thursday morning, and if they are sharp they should finish by thetime they knock off on Saturday. "

[Illustration: "WE ARE DESPERATE MEN AND WELL ARMED"]

"Yes. Two coats will be sufficient, " the captain said; "at any rate inmost places. They might send a man or two to-morrow to put a coat atonce on at the gangways and other places where it is worst. "

"Do you know what the cargo is, captain?"

"Mixed cargo; some railway iron for Egypt, the rest hardware and drygoods of one sort and another, but beyond that I did not hear anyparticulars. "

"Well, captain, I think we can say that we shall be ready to take it onboard on Monday. Will you get them at the office to write to the twomates to tell them to be here the first thing in the morning?

"I think you are in luck, youngster, " Mr. Timmins went on as the captainleft the ship to see that a strong gang of carpenters were set to work. "A trip up the Mediterranean will be a capital breaking in for you. Youwill hardly be out of sight of land all the way, and Alexandria andSmyrna are two ports well worth seeing. We don't very often get a jauntup the Mediterranean now; those rascally steamers get all the work. "

When the riggers had once left the ship Jack had nothing more to do, andMr. Timmins told him that it would be no use his coming again untilMonday morning. 

"You will be useful then, " he said, "helping to check off the cargo asit comes on board. You had better bring your chest down and take up yourquarters here. I shall get the cook in on Monday, and I expect we shallall stop on board. Of course when work is over you can always go backhome when you are disposed. "

To Mrs. Robson's delight, therefore, Jack was able to spend the next fewdays at home, and also to assure her that his first voyage was to be ashort one only. 

All was in readiness on Monday morning. The second and third mates cameon board early; the crew were not to join until the evening beforesailing, as the work of loading was done by stevedores. The second andthird mates were both young men. They had spoken to Jack on board thebawley, and had shaken hands with him when they left Leigh with warmexpressions of gratitude, and they both greeted him most cordially assoon as they met him on the deck of the _Wild Wave_. Jack thereforecommenced his career as a sailor under altogether exceptionally pleasantconditions. The captain and two of the mates were under very deepobligations to him, and Mr. Timmins had already conceived a veryfavourable opinion of him from his willingness to turn his hand toanything, and from his quickness and handiness. 

For the next three days work went on from morning until night. Jack wasstationed at one of the hatchways with the second mate checking offevery box, bale, and package as it went down. The boatswain and crewcame on board on the Tuesday, as there was the work of bending the sailsand getting all in readiness for the start to be got through. Jack hadnot returned home on Monday or Tuesday night, but on Wednesday he wenthome to say good-bye, for the vessel was to go out of dock at noon onThursday. 

Before leaving home he donned for the first time his neat uniform, whichhad only come a few days before. Lily was delighted with his appearance, and his mother felt no little pride as she looked at him, and, sad asshe was at the prospect of his long absence, was thoroughly convincedthat the choice he had made was a wise one. Mrs. Godstone and herdaughter had been down twice to call upon Mrs. Robson since her arrivalat Dulwich, and on the previous Saturday Jack and his mother had gonethere to dine, Captain and Mrs. Murchison being the only other guests. 

After a tearful good-bye Jack started from home. On his arrival on boardhe found two other lads, one a year older than himself and one as muchyounger. Jim Tucker, the elder, had already made two or three voyages inMr. Godstone's ships. Arthur Hill was going to sea for the first time. Jack knew that two other midshipmen were sailing in the _Wild Wave_, andfound them arranging their things in the little cabin, with three bunks, allotted to them. 

"Hallo! You are Robson, I suppose?" Jim Tucker began as he entered. "Youhave got a lot of gear here in the cabin, and you must stow it away in asmaller space than it takes up at present or we shall never fit in. "

"I have not begun to stow it away yet, " Jack said. "I was waiting to seehow much you had both got, and which berth you were going to choose, before I began to settle at all. "

"Yes, that is all right enough, " Tucker answered. "Well, as I am thesenior, I will take this berth under the port. "

"I suppose I am next, " Jack said. "I will take the top one opposite. "

This being settled the lads proceeded to put things straight and stowaway their portmanteaus. 

As soon as they had done this they went on deck. The vessel was alreadywarping out of the dock, and as soon as she was through the gates asteam-tug seized her and took her down the river. It was eight o'clock, and the sun was just setting, when the hawser attached to the tug wasthrown off. Some of the sails had already been hoisted, for the wind wasnortherly. The rest were now shaken out and sheeted home, and under acloud of white canvas--for the _Wild Wave_ had been fitted with anentirely new suit of sails--the vessel proceeded on her way. Theofficers were divided into two watches. The first and third mates andArthur Hill were in one watch, the second mate and the other two lads inthe other. 

After the constant work on board the smack Jack found it strange as hecame down the river to be walking up and down the deck with nothing todo. The _Wild Wave_ passed through a fleet of bawleys trawling off HoleHaven; he knew every one of them by sight, but the _Bessy_ was not amongthem. 

Meals had been irregular that day with the officers, for there was muchto be seen after in coiling down ropes, washing the decks, and ingetting everything neatly in ship-shape. As they passed the Middle Sunkthe second mate touched Jack on the shoulder. 

"That's her, " he said; "at least all that remains of her, " and hepointed to some black timbers just appearing above the surface of thewater. 

"Yes; that's her, " Jack said. "I heard from my uncle that they blew herup three weeks ago. "

"Rather a different scene from what it was that day, " the mate, whosename was Hoare, said. "I thought it was all up with us, and even when wesaw you coming we hardly believed that you could get near enough to takeus off; and now it is as smooth as glass. "

"It was a lucky day for me, sir, that was, " Jack said. "I had thennothing to look forward to, beyond sailing a bawley; now I have got thelife I always wanted to follow, and every prospect of getting on. "

"That you have, my lad, " Hoare agreed. "It was a rare bit of luck foryou that you made us out, no doubt, and a rare bit of luck for us too. "

The voyage began well. The wind continued light and in the right quarterall the first week. Jack and his companions were not idle, and alwayswent aloft with the watch when there was occasion to make any changewith the sails. This was at first a trial for Arthur Hill; but JimTucker was an old hand at it, and Jack, who had often had to make hisway up the _Bessy's_ mast when she was rolling heavily, was soon quiteat home on the yards of the _Wild Wave_. For two hours every morning thethree boys worked at navigation, Mr. Hoare acting as instructor. 

So smooth was the sea and so slight the motion that Jack could hardlybelieve that he was sailing down through the Bay of Biscay, of which hehad heard so much; and he was quite surprised when, on the fifth dayafter sailing, Mr. Hoare pointed to land on the port bow, and told himthat was Portugal. 

"We have had capital luck, so far, " the officer said. "If the wind doesbut hold till we once get fairly round Cape St. Vincent, it may changeas soon as it likes into any quarter except the east, and we are notvery likely to get that at this time of the year. "

"I should not mind a change of wind a bit, sir, " Jack said; "it wouldbring us something to do. "

"Ah, yes; after being accustomed to go about every five minutes or so onthe Thames, I understand you finding this monotonous, Jack. When youhave had a little more of the sea, you won't mind how much you get offine weather and favouring winds. As for storms, I don't care if I neversee another. They are very grand to read of in books, and when you havegot a stout ship and plenty of sea room there is no need to be afraid;but when you are wet through for a week at a spell, and the galley-firescan't be kept going, there is very little comfort in it. "

The wind changed next day to the west, and by evening was blowing hard. A good deal of the canvas was taken off, and the ship edged further awayfrom land; but after blowing strongly the wind abated again, and thenext day the _Wild Wave_ passed Cape St. Vincent and headed for theStraits of Gibraltar. As the wind still held from the west they made arapid run, and in ten days after passing St. Vincent dropped anchor inthe harbour of Alexandria. 

The next day the captain said to Jim Tucker, "You three lads can goashore after dinner to-day. There is nothing particular for you to do onboard, and it is well to get a view of these foreign towns while youcan. When you once get to be mates you will not have much chance to doso, for then you will have to be looking after the loading and unloadingof the cargo. Come off before gun-fire. There are about as cut-throat alot of thieves in Alexandria as in any port on the Mediterranean, andthat is saying a good deal. "

"It is quite possible that there will be trouble here before long, " Mr. Hoare remarked at dinner. 

"I saw something in the paper about it, " Mr. Alston, the third mate, said; "but I did not trouble to read through the accounts. What is itall about?"

"There has been a sort of peaceable revolution, " Mr. Hoare said. "Thecolonels of the regiments in Cairo, headed by a general named ArabiPasha, mutinied, and the viceroy had to give way to them. "

"What did they mutiny about?" the third mate asked. 

"Well, in the first place they wanted privileges for the army, and inthe second place they wanted a lot of Europeans who hold berths to bedismissed, and the government to be entirely in the hands of natives. Itis a sort of national movement, with the army at the head of it; and theviceroy, although still nominally the ruler of Egypt, is in fact littlemore than a cipher in the hands of Arabi and the colonels. They say theFrench are at the bottom of it, and it is likely enough. They havealways been jealous of our influence in Egypt. However, I do notsuppose we shall interfere in the matter, unless they break regularlyout and ill-treat Europeans, and threaten to seize the canal orsomething of that sort. "

After dinner the three boys landed together in a boat. Half a dozennatives pressed round them directly they stepped ashore, and offered toact as guides; but these offers they refused, for, as Jim Tucker said, "We have only got to walk about, and we are certain to find ourselvessomewhere. It will be time enough talking about taking a guide when itis time for us to make down to the port again. This is a long street, let us follow it. It must lead somewhere. "

Staring into the funny little shops, and at the varying crowds, composedof people of all the nationalities of the Mediterranean, mingled with aswarm of scantily-clad natives, and women wrapped up in dark blue cottoncloths, the lads made their way along. 

"What an awful place for flies!" Arthur Hill said, after brushing two orthree off his cheek. "Just look at that child! Why, there are a dozenround its eyes, and it doesn't seem to mind them in the least; and thereis another just the same!"

"I expect the coating of dirt is so thick that they do not feel it, " JimTucker said. "Poor little beggars, most of them look as if they had nothad a wash for the last month. The women are ugly enough, what you cansee of them, and that is not much. What a rascally set the Europeanslook! The Egyptians are gentlemen by the side of them. I fancy from whatI have heard they are the sweepings of the European ports--Greeks, Italians, Maltese, and French. When a fellow makes it too hot at homefor the place to hold him, he comes over here--

"Ah! this is more like a town, " he broke off as they entered the greatsquare. "My goodness! how hot the sun does blaze down here. I say, hereis a refreshment place. Sorbette--Ices. It is lucky that they put theEnglish. Come on, you fellows, an ice would be just the thing now. "

As they came out they were accosted by an Egyptian driver. "Take acarriage, gentlemen? Drive to Sweet-water Canal. See the gardens. "

"What do you say, Jack?" Tucker asked. "I suppose we may as well gothere as anywhere else. "

"Well, we will go there later, Tucker. One does get shade in the narrowstreets; but there would be no fun in driving with this sun blazing downon us. By five o'clock, when the sun gets a bit lower, it will bepleasant enough. I vote we go into the narrow streets, where we shallget shade, and see the natives in their own quarters. "

The others agreed, and turning out of the square they were soon in thelanes. 

"This is not half as amusing as the Indian towns, " Tucker said. "Lastvoyage I went to Calcutta, and it is jolly in the natives' town there, seeing the natives squatting in their little shops, tinkering andtailoring, and all sorts of things. And such a crowd of them in thestreets! This is a poor place in comparison, and most of the shops yousee have European names over them. However, one gets the shade; that issomething. "

CHAPTER IX. 

THE RIOT IN ALEXANDRIA. 

FOR half an hour the lads sauntered on, interested in the people ratherthan the shops. They bought a few things. Jack invested in half a poundof Egyptian tobacco and a gaily-decorated pipe for his Uncle Ben, twolittle filigree brooches, and a couple of very large silk handkerchiefsof many colours, with knotted fringes, for his mother and sister. 

"I do not know what they will do with them, " he said; "but they will doto put on the back of a sofa or something of that sort. "

The others also made some purchases, both expending a good deal morethan Jack did; but the latter said that he would keep his money forSmyrna, where probably he would get all sorts of pretty things. 

They were walking quietly along, when they saw a commotion in front ofthem. A number of men were shouting and gesticulating angrily, and blowswere exchanged. 

"Let us get out of this, " Jack said. "It is no good running the risk ofgetting our heads broken. "

People were now running from the shops, while from side streets thenatives poured down. 

"This is a regular row!" Jim Tucker exclaimed. "Look! those fellows areall armed with big sticks. Listen! there are pistols going off somewhereelse. "

A moment later the natives fell suddenly upon some Europeans standingclose to the boys. These drew knives and pistols, and a fierce combat atonce raged. 

"Come out of this!" Jim exclaimed, running into a shop close by. "Wemust make a bolt for it somewhere. "

At that moment an Italian, armed with a pistol, rushed in from behindthe shop. 

On seeing the three lads he exclaimed in broken English, "Shut the door, they mean to kill us all!"

The boys closed the door, and the owner piled some boxes and other goodsagainst it; but there was no fastening up the window, for the fasteningswere outside. 

"Come upstairs, " the man said, and the lads followed him to the floorabove. 

The battle was still raging in the street. Groups of Greeks and Italiansstood together, defending themselves with their knives from the heavysticks of their assailants, but were being fast beaten down. The shrieksof women rose loud above the shouting of the combatants, while from theupper windows the cracks of revolvers sounded out as the Greek, Maltese, and Italian shopkeepers who had not sallied out into the streets triedto aid their comrades below. 

"Now, have you got any arms you can give us?" Tucker asked. "This lookslike a regular rising of the natives. They would never all have theirsticks handy if they hadn't prepared for it. "

"There are some long knives in that cupboard, " the man said, "and thereis another pistol my brother Antonio has got. He is sick in bed. "

Just at this moment the door opened and another Italian came in introusers and shirt. 

"What is it, Joseph?"

"The natives have risen and are massacring all the Europeans. "

The sick man made his way to the window. 

"I am not surprised, " he said, as he discharged his pistol and broughtdown a native who was in the act of battering in the head of a fallenman. "You said only yesterday, you thought there was mischiefbrewing--that the natives were surly and insolent; but I did not thinkthey would dare to do this. "

"Well, brother, we will sell our lives as dearly as we can. "

The conflict was now pretty nearly over, and the two men withdrew fromthe window and closed the jalousies. 

"Most of them are making off, " Antonio said, peeping cautiously outthrough the lattice-work. "I suppose they are going to attack somewhereelse. What are the police doing? They ought to be here soon. "

But the time went on, and there were no signs of the police. The nativesnow began to break open the shops and plunder the contents. The two menplaced themselves at the top of the stairs. It was not long before theyheard a crashing of glass and a breaking of wood, then a number of menrushed into the shop. 

"Don't fire, Joseph, " Antonio said, "so long as they do not try to comeup here. They may take away the soap and candles and other things ifthey choose, if they will but leave us alone. "

The stairs were straight and narrow, and led direct from the shop itselfto the floor above. After plundering the shop the natives departedladen with their spoil, without attempting to ascend the stairs. 

"We are in an awful fix here, " Jim Tucker said. "What do you think wehad better do? Shall we get out at the back of the house and try andmake a bolt of it?"

"I do not think that is any good, " Jack replied. "I was at the backwindow just now, and could hear shouts and the report of firearms allover the place. No; if we go out into the streets we are safe to bemurdered, if we stop here they may not search the house. Anyhow, at theworst we can make a better fight here than in the streets. "

Two hours passed. At times large bodies of natives rushed along thestreets, brandishing their sticks and shouting triumphantly. Some few ofthem had firearms, and these they discharged at the windows as theypassed along. 

"We ought to have had some troops here long before this, " Antonio saidto his brother. 

The latter, who was sitting on a chair evidently exhausted by hisexertions, shrugged his shoulders. 

"They were more likely to help the mob than to interfere with them. Thetroops are at the bottom of the whole trouble. "

A clock on the mantel-piece struck five, just as a fresh body of nativescame down the street. They were evidently bent upon pillage, as theybroke up and turned into the shops. Shouts and pistol-shots were againheard. 

"They are sacking the houses this time, Joseph. Now the hour has come. "

The two brothers knelt together before the figure of a saint in alittle niche in the wall. The boys glanced at each other, and each, following the example of the Italians, knelt down by a chair and prayedfor a minute or two. As they rose to their feet there was a sudden dinbelow. Pistol in hand, the brothers rushed out on the landing. 

"Do not try to come up!" Antonio shouted in Egyptian. "You are welcometo what you can find below, but you shall not come up here. We aredesperate men, and well armed. "

The natives, who were just about to ascend the stairs, drew back at thesight of the brothers standing pistol in hand at the top, with the threelads behind them. The stairs were only wide enough for one to advance ata time, and the natives, eager as they were for blood and plunder, shrank from making the attempt. Some of those who were farthest backbegan to slink out of the shop, and the others followed their example. There was a loud talking outside for some time, then several of themagain entered. Some of them began to pull out the drawers, as if in thehopes of finding something that former searchers had overlooked, otherspassed on into an inner room. 

"What are they up to now, I wonder?" Arthur Hill said. 

"No good, I will be bound, " Jim Tucker replied. "There! They seem to begoing out again now. "

Just as the last man passed out Antonio exclaimed in Italian, "I smellsmoke, Joseph; they have fired the house! They have set fire to the roombelow, " he translated to the lads; but even before he spoke the boysunderstood what had taken place, for a light smoke poured out from theinner room, and a smell of burning wood came to their nostrils. 

"The beggars have done us, " Jim Tucker said bitterly. "We could haveheld these stairs against them for an hour, but this fire will turn usout in no time. "

The smoke rose thicker and thicker, and they could hear the crackling ofwood. 

"Let us get out of the back window, we may get off that way. "

Touching Antonio's arm he beckoned him in that direction. The Italiannodded, and the party went into the back room. Antonio drew the sheetsfrom the beds and knotted them. Jim went to the window and looked out. As he did so there was a yell of derision from below. A score of thenatives had made their way through the adjoining houses, and taken uptheir station from behind to cut off their retreat. It needed no wordsto tell those in the room what had taken place. Antonio threw down thesheets and said to his brother, "Let us sally out, Joseph; the sooner itis over the better. See, the smoke is coming up through the flooralready. Let us go out before we are suffocated. "

"I am ready, " the other replied. 

Followed by the boys the brothers left the room and descended thestairs. The flames were already rushing out of the back room. There wasa shout from without as the defenders were seen to descend the ladder. The boys grasped each other's hands as a final farewell, and then withset lips and knives firmly grasped followed the two Italians and dashedinto the street. Sharp cracks of the revolvers sounded out, and then inan instant the mob closed round the little party. Keeping closetogether, cutting and thrusting with their knives, the boys tried tomake their way through. The crowd was so thick, that mixed up as theywere in it, the natives could not use their sticks, but drawing theirknives grappled with the boys. Jack felt a sharp pain in several places;he fell, struggled to his feet again, was again struck down. He seemedto hear a voice raised above the din, then he knew nothing more. 

When he recovered his senses he found that a native was stooping overhim and pressing a cloth to his forehead. He lay still for a minute ortwo, wondering faintly what had become of him. Looking round he couldsee he was in a small room. An Egyptian of the better class, inbuttoned-up frock-coat and light trousers, and with a scarlet fez on hishead, was standing looking down at him, and was apparently givinginstructions to the native, who was endeavouring to staunch one of hiswounds. As soon as he took this in, the thought of his comrades flashedacross his mind, and pushing the man's hand back from his forehead hestruggled into a sitting position. 

"Hurrah, Jack! I was afraid that they had done for you, " a voice said, and he saw Tucker and Hill sitting propped up against a wall. 

Two of the natives now took hold of him, dragged him along the floor, and placed him by the side of the others. Then the Egyptian said, "Youkeep quiet, I save your lives. If you move or make noise we kill you atonce. "

The lads were all faint from loss of blood, and half stupefied from theheavy blows they had received; and after a word or two of thankfulnessat finding themselves all together and alive, they lay quiet. There weretwo or three natives in the room, and from time to time one went out orcame in with news as to what was passing in the streets. Each time therewas much talk among their guards, and it was evident that they weredissatisfied with the result. The outbreak, indeed, had not been, as theboys supposed, universal; had it been, the whole European populationwould probably have been destroyed. It was confined to a portion only ofthe lower part of the town. Whether it was planned or not beforehand isa disputed point. 

It began in a quarrel between some Maltese and natives; but this quarrelseemed to be accepted by the latter as a signal for a general attack, and they rushed from their houses armed with heavy sticks and knives andattacked the Europeans. Rumours had for some time been current amongthem that the Christians intended to conquer Egypt and to put down theMahomedan religion, and in their excited state a spark caused anexplosion. It was perhaps fortunate that it came when it did, and wasconfined to a comparatively small part of the town; for had it spreadover the whole city the loss of life would have been great indeed, forthe natives had entirely their own way from three o'clock in theafternoon until seven in the evening. 

The police made no attempt whatever to put down the riot. The Englishand Italian consuls, immediately they heard what was going on, drovetogether to the governor's to call upon him to send for the troops, andto take vigorous steps to restore order. They were attacked upon the wayand both wounded, but they succeeded in reaching the governor's palace. By means of the strongest representations, and by telling him that hewould be held personally responsible by the Powers they represented forthe consequences of the disturbance, they at last induced him to act, and at seven o'clock the troops arrived and were marched through thestreets, when the natives at once dispersed to their homes. 

Some seventy Europeans, including ten or twelve women, were killed, andall the shops in the quarter where the riot took place, pillaged. Nodamage was done in the business part of the town. There the Europeans atonce armed themselves as soon as the news of the riot reached them, andformed up in the square. Strong parties were landed from the ships ofwar, and were prepared to give so hot a reception to the mob should theycome that way, that the rioters confined their work to the quarter inwhich it began. The Egyptians are timid people, and the population ofAlexandria were not sure that the army would go to any great lengthagainst the Europeans, or that the country in general would be withthem. The outbreak was therefore rather the result of the hatredexisting among the lower class against the riffraff of the variousnationalities gathered in Alexandria, whose conduct frequently gave goodgrounds indeed for the feeling entertained against them, than ofdeliberate intention. 

How many of the natives were killed in the fight was never known; thebodies were hastily carried away and buried by their friends as soon asthe rumour spread of the arrival of the troops, and only some eight orten of their dead were found lying in the streets. The rescue of theboys was due to the presence in the mob of a wealthy bey, who lived ashort distance out of the town. This man was a brother of one of theleaders of the military insurrection at Cairo, and was in closecommunication with Arabi and the colonels. 

He had been actively preparing for a general rising against theEuropeans by the propagation of stories hostile to the latter, and byexciting the greed of the lowest classes of the town by pointing out howgreat was the wealth they could obtain by looting the well-filled shopsand warehouses. Some of his agents had assisted to bring about the riot. But he had not intended it to go so far, and had only wished to add tothe excitement and ill-feeling that prevailed, by a tumult attended withloss of life upon both sides. 

He was well satisfied when he saw how eagerly the natives rushed toarms, but as soon as the conflict fairly began he had sent his men amongthe rioters urging them not to proceed further until the army was athand to support them. He knew that the plunder they had obtained fromthe small shops would only excite their desire to appropriate thecontents of the rich stores in the Europeans' quarters, and wastherefore well contented with what had been done. He had happened to bepassing when the little party rushed from the burning house into thecrowd. As they did so he caught sight of the naval uniform of the boys, and imagined that they belonged to one of the ships of war. 

He saw at once that their lives might be valuable to him. If his partytriumphed he could hand them over and take credit for their capture; ifthe great insurrection that was already planned failed, he could usethem as a means of obtaining favourable terms for himself. He thereforecalled together two or three of his men who were in the crowd, and madehis way to the scene of conflict just as the lads succumbed to theirfoes. With great difficulty he succeeded in rescuing them from theirassailants, and then had them carried into a house hard by. 

As soon as it was dark the boys were wrapped up in dark cloths andcarried away through the streets. As many dead bodies were beingsimilarly taken off by the natives no questions were asked, nor did thesoldiers now scattered about interfere with their bearers. The motionstarted the boys' wounds into bleeding again. They had difficulty inbreathing through the cloths bound round them, and when they were atlast thrown heavily down upon the ground their consciousness had almostentirely left them. 

CHAPTER X. 

PRISONERS. 

FOR two or three minutes after the door was shut and bolted not a wordwas spoken by the three boys. All were sorely bruised, and bleeding frommany cuts and wounds, and breathless and exhausted by the way in whichthey had been carried along and the force with which they had beenthrown down. Jack was the first to speak. 

"I say, how are you both--are either of you badly hurt?"

"I don't know yet, " Tucker replied. "It seems to me there is nothingleft of me. I am sore and smarting all over. How are you, Arthur?"

"I don't know, " Arthur said. "I wonder that I am alive at all, but Idon't know that I am really much hurt. "

"Well, let us try and see, " Jack said. 

"See!" Jim repeated scornfully. "Why, I can't see my own hand. "

"Well, I mean let us find out if we can stand up and move about. Weshall find out, anyhow, whether any of our bones are broken. "

With some difficulty and with many exclamations of pain the lads rose totheir feet. 

"Are both you fellows up?" Jim asked. 

"Yes. "

"Well, then, we can't be very bad, anyhow. My arms are very stiff, andit seems to me that my jacket is soaked with blood, but where it comesfrom I do not know. I feel as if my head and face were one mass of cutsand bruises. "

"That is just how I feel, Jim, " Arthur replied, and Jack agreed. 

"Well, this is the rummest affair!" Jim said more cheerfully, now itseemed that none of them had sustained any very serious injury. "Therewere we a few hours ago eating ices and enjoying ourselves stunningly;then this frightful row took place (what it was all about I have not theleast idea), and just as it seemed all up with us the fellow this placebelongs to (at least I suppose it belongs to him) steps in and saves us, and then we are dragged up here and chucked into this hole. "

"It seems like a dream, " Arthur said. 

"It is a good deal too real to be a dream, it is a mighty unpleasantreality. Well, I wish there was a little daylight so that we could seewhat has happened to us and tie ourselves up a bit; as it is, there isnothing to do but to lie down again and try to get off to sleep. I say, won't there be a row after this, when they get to know at home what hastaken place. I wonder what they are going to do with us in the morning?Do you think they mean to kill us, Jack?"

"No, I should not think there was a chance of that. This fellow wouldnot have taken us out of the hands of the mob just for the pleasure ofcutting our throats privately. Still the rough way we were carried alongand thrown down here does not look as if he did it from any feeling ofkindness, " Jack remarked. 

"No, I do not suppose he did it from kindness, Jack; anyhow, it does notlook like it. Well there is no use halloing about that now, let us tryand get a sleep. My head feels as if it was swollen up as big as afour-gallon keg. "

Accustomed not unfrequently to get a nap when on watch under the lee ofthe bulwark, the hardness of the ground did not trouble the boys, andbefore many minutes they were all asleep. --Jack and Tucker were awakenedby a shout from Arthur. 

"Watch on deck!"

They started into a sitting position and looked round. A ray of sunlightwas streaming in through an opening some six inches square, high up onthe wall. 

"Well, we are objects!" Jim said, looking at his two companions. Theywere indeed; their faces were bruised and stained with blood, their hairmatted together. Arthur's right eye was completely closed, and there wasa huge swelling from a jagged bruise over the eyebrow. Jack had receiveda clear cut almost across the forehead, from which the blood was stilloozing. Jim's face was swollen and bruised all over, and one of his earswas cut nearly off. He was inclined to bear his injuries philosophicallyuntil Jack told him that half of his ear was gone. This put him into afurious rage, and he vowed vengeance against the whole of the Egyptianrace. 

"Fancy going about all one's life with half an ear. Why, every boy inthe street will point at it, and one will be a regular laughing-stock. You fellows' wounds are nothing to that. "

"You will have to wear your hair long, Jim; it won't be noticed much ifyou do. "

"Don't tell me, " Jim replied. "I tell you I shall be a regular sightwherever I go. I shall have fellows asking me what has happened to me. Now, had it been an arm, chaps would have been sorry for me; but who isgoing to pity a man for losing half an ear?"

"I don't think I would mind giving half an ear just at present for agood drink and a bucket of water to wash in. "

"Nor would I, " Arthur agreed. 

"That is all very well, " Jim grumbled. "I have lost half an ear andhaven't got any water to drink. "

"Well, " Jack said, "I suppose they do not mean to starve us anyhow, sono doubt they will bring us something before long. "

Little more was said. Their tongues were swollen, their mouths parched, they still felt dizzy and stupid from the blows they had received; sothey sat down and waited. The room they were in was apparently anunderground cellar, generally used as a store-room. It was about twelvefeet square, and the only light was that obtained through the littleopening in the wall. Jack thought as he looked at it that if one of themstood on another's shoulders he could look out and see where they were. But as that mattered nothing at present, and they were not in the moodfor any exertion, he held his tongue. 

In about an hour a footstep was heard descending some stairs, then boltswere undone, and two Egyptians with swords and pistols in their girdlesentered. They brought with them some bread and a jar of water. Jackjumped up. 

"Look here, " he said, "that is all right enough to eat and drink, but wewant some water to wash with. Wash, you understand?" he went on as themen looked at him evidently without comprehending. "Wash, you see, --likethis;" and he went through a pantomime of washing his hands and slushinghis head and face. The Egyptians grinned and nodded; they said a word toeach other and then retired. 

"I believe it is all right, " Jack said, "and that they are going tobring some. "

A long draught of water from the jar did them an immense deal of good, but none had at present any inclination to eat. Presently the steps wereheard coming down the stairs again, and the men entered, bringing in alarge pan made of red earthenware, and containing three or four gallonsof water. 

"Good men!" Jim exclaimed enthusiastically; "I will spare your lives forthis when I slay the rest of your countrymen, " and he shook theEgyptians warmly by the hand. "I have nothing to give you, " he went on, "for they turned our pockets inside out; but I owe you one, and will payyou if I ever get a chance. Now, lads, this is glorious!"

For half an hour the three boys knelt round the pan, bathing their facesand heads. Then they stripped to the waist, and after a general washtore strips off their shirts and bandaged the various cuts they hadreceived on the head, shoulders, and arms. In no case were theseserious, although they were deep enough to be painful. 

"It's nothing short of a miracle, " Jack said, "that we have got off soeasily. If the beggars had not been in such a hurry to get at us thatthey got into each other's way they would have done for us to acertainty; but they were all slashing away together, and not one couldget a fair drive at us. Well, I feel about five hundred per cent. Betternow. Let us get on our things again and have breakfast. I feel as if Icould tuck into that bread now. "

Just as they had got on their clothes the door again opened, and agigantic negro entered. He carried with him a wooden box of the shape ofa bandbox. He opened this and took out a melon and three large bunchesof grapes, laid them down on the ground without a word, nodded, andwent out again. 

"My eye, this is first-rate, " Jim said in delight. "Well, you see, it isnot going to be so bad after all. That chap who brought us up here isevidently friendly, though why he should have sent us the fruit byitself instead of with the bread and water I do not know. However, nevermind that now; let us set to. "

The boys enjoyed their breakfast immensely. They first ate the grapes;when these were finished they looked longingly at the melon, which was avery large one. 

"How on earth are we to tackle that?" Jim asked. "Our knives have gonewith our other things. "

"Perhaps we can find something to cut it up, " Jack said, getting up andturning over the litter on the floor with his foot. For two or threeminutes he searched about. "Hurrah!" he exclaimed at last, "here is abit of old hoop-iron that will do first-rate. It is not stiff enough tocut with, but I think we can saw with it, if one takes hold of eachend. "

Without much difficulty the melon was cut into three parts, and devouredto the rind. Breakfast over they had time to consider their situationagain. 

"I expect, " Jack said, "this pasha or whatever he is who has got us hereis waiting to see how things go. If the Egyptians get the best of it hewill hand us over to Arabi, or whoever comes to be their chief. If weget the best of it he will give us up, and say that he has saved ourlives. That would account, you see, for this breakfast business. He onlysent us bread and water by his Egyptian fellows, and he sent us thefruit privately by that black slave of his, whom he can rely upon tohold his tongue. "

"I should not be surprised if that was it, Jack. That makes it lookhopeful for us, for there is no doubt in the world who will get the bestof it in the end. We may not thrash the beggars for a time. Alexandriais a big place, and there are a lot of troops here, and they can bringany number more down from Cairo by rail. The crews of the ships of warhere are nothing like strong enough to land and do the whole business atonce; besides, they have no end of forts and batteries. I expect it willbe some time before they can bring ships and troops from England tocapture this place. "

"But there are the Italians and French, " Arthur said. "They are just asmuch interested in the matter as we are, for I expect there were a goodmany more Italians and French killed yesterday than there were English. "

"Ten to one, I should think, " Jim agreed. "I don't think there are manyEnglish here, except the big merchants and bankers and that sort ofthing, while all the small shops seem to have either French, Italian, orGreek names over the door. Well, if it is going on like this, we canafford to wait for a bit. "

"Look here, Arthur, " Jack said, "I will stand under that opening, andyou get on my shoulders and look out. I don't suppose you will see much, but one likes to know where one is and which way one is looking. We knowwe are somewhere on the high ground beside the town. We must be lookingsomewhere north-east by the way that gleam of sunlight comes in. Verylikely you can get a glimpse of the sea. " Jack placed himself againstthe wall, and Jim helped Arthur on to his shoulders. 

"Yes, I can see the sea, " Arthur said as soon as his head reached thelevel of the loop-hole. "I can see the outer harbour, and several shipslying there and boats rowing about. "

"Well, that is something anyhow, " Jim said as Arthur leapt down again. "We shall be able to see any men-of-war that come in, and form some ideaas to what is going on. How thick is the wall?" Jim went on. 

"I should say quite a couple of feet thick. I could only see a smallpatch of the water through it. "

"Then I am afraid there is no chance of our working our way out, " Jimsaid. "The only way of escape I can see would be to spring on those twofellows who bring our food. We are stronger than they are, I am sure, and we might master them. "

"I don't expect we could do it without noise, " Jack said. "Besides, theyhave got pistols, and we certainly could not master them without theirbeing able to shout. We might manage one easy enough, if one sprang onhim and held his arms and prevented him getting his pistol, and anotherclapped his hands over his mouth; but the three of us could not managetwo silently. Besides, I should not like to hurt them after theirbringing us that water to wash in. "

"No; we certainly couldn't do that, " the other boys agreed. 

"Besides, " Jack went on, "we do not know where this staircase leads. Butno doubt it goes up into the house, and when we got to the top someonewould see us at once; and even if we broke through there would be such achase we should never get away, and anyhow could not pass through thetown down to the port and steal a boat. No, Jim, I don't think it is theleast use in the world trying to escape that way. If we could digthrough the wall and make our way out at night, and get quietly downamong the sand-hills by the shore, we might manage to get hold of a boatand row out to the ships; but I do not see that there is any chance ofour being able to do that when we haven't got as much as a knife amongus. "

Jim examined the walls. "There would not be much difficulty in workingthrough them if we had a couple of good knives, they are made ofsun-dried bricks. However, we will hunt about among this rubbish and seeif we can find some more bits of iron. Anyhow, we can wait a day or twobefore we make up our minds about it and see what comes of it. I vote weclear up this litter a bit, and chuck it out through the opening. Thereis a close, musty smell in the place. The opening will be very handy forchucking everything out and keeping the place as clean as we can. "

"Yes, Jim; but the rubbish will be very useful to us if we decide to tryto cut our way out, as we can put a lot of brick-dust and stuff underit. It would not do to throw that out of the window, for it would beseen at once by anyone passing. "

"Yes; you are right there, Jack. Well then, we have nothing to do but totake it as easy as we can. "

The closest search through the rubbish did not bring to light any otherpiece of iron, and the bit they had used as a knife was so thin andrusted as to be altogether useless for the purpose for which theyrequired it. 

The days passed slowly. The two Egyptians brought bread and waterregularly, and the Nubian as regularly additions to theirmeal--sometimes fruit, sometimes a dish of meat. Three bundles of maizestraw were brought down the first evening to serve as beds for them, andon the following morning three or four men came down and swept up allthe rubbish from the floor. Once every two days they were taken outunder a guard of three men with swords and muskets, and allowed to sitdown in the sun, with their backs against the wall, for an hour or two. The shipping still lay in the harbour, over which they commanded a goodview; and after a few days they saw that several more vessels of war hadentered it. 

"I can see that the boats are going backwards and forwards to theshore, " Jim said, "so there is no regular war begun yet. "

"Look, Jim, over there to the right, " Jack said. "There is a swarm ofmen at work. I believe they must be getting up a fresh battery there. That looks as if the Egyptians had made up their minds to fight. "

"So much the worse, Jack. I don't mind how much they fight when we areout of their hands (we know what will come of that when it begins), butif they fight while we are here it may turn out bad for us, whicheverway it goes. "

CHAPTER XI. 

THE BOMBARDMENT. 

WHILE the riot had been going on, a considerable proportion of theEuropean community of Alexandria had taken refuge on board the ships inthe harbour, the men who remained behind to protect their propertysending off their wives and children. Many returned on shore as soon asit was known that the troops had arrived, but the alarm was by no meansabated when it was seen next day by the manner of the soldiers that theysympathized entirely with the rioters. In two or three days a largeproportion of the garrison of Cairo arrived, and Arabi himself came toAlexandria. No steps were taken to punish those concerned in the riot, although many were known to the Europeans who had escaped. 

The khedive was evidently powerless. The remonstrances of the Europeanconsuls were received by Arabi's council with contempt, and it was tooevident to all that the riot had been but the beginning of a very muchmore serious affair. The women and children remained on board the ships;but the Europeans reopened their shops and continued business as usual, encouraged by the fact that not a day passed without vessels of war ofone European power or another arriving in port. These had beendespatched in all haste upon the news being received of the riot inAlexandria, and of the threatening aspect of affairs there. 

In ten days after the outbreak there were in port English, French, Italian, Spanish, and German ships of war, and the European communitynow regained confidence, believing that with so powerful a fleet closeat hand the Egyptians would not venture upon any fresh act ofaggression. 

Captain Murchison had been engaged in business connected with the cargoat the office of one of the principal merchants, when one of the clerksran in with the news that there was a serious riot in the native part ofthe town, and it was said that the Europeans had been massacred. Theoffice was at once closed, and the strong shutters put up. The clerksand employés were armed and placed in readiness to defend the placeagainst an attack, and then Mr. Spratt and Captain Murchison went out tothe great square to see what was going on. The greatest confusionreigned there. Numbers of women and children, the families of theItalian and Greek shopkeepers, were hurrying past on their way down tothe port. 

The shops and offices had been hastily closed and barricaded. The clerksof the great mercantile houses and banks were turning out rifle in hand. The wildest rumours prevailed as to the extent of the riot, and it wasnot until two hours after the commencement of the disturbance that theconsuls, finding that they could obtain no aid from the governor, tookupon themselves to summon aid from the two ships of war that happened tobe lying in the port. The appearance of two hundred sailors fully armedand ready for action at once restored confidence among the Europeans, and prevented the riot from extending. 

Upon his return to his ship after the arrival of the Egyptian troops andthe termination of the riot, Captain Murchison was astonished andalarmed to hear that the three boys had not returned. He at once went onshore again, and remained for some hours making inquiries for them, butwithout obtaining any information whatever. The next morning he renewedthe search. Matters had now settled down a little, and the shops werereopened. Going to the various restaurants in the great square helearned that three young officers had come in and eaten ices at one ofthem between two and three o'clock the day before, but he could learnnothing further. 

He went to the English consul. The latter sent a dragoman with him tothe head of the police, who promised to have inquiries made. The firstand second mates also went on shore and joined in the search. Theyagreed the best way would be that they should take various streetsleading from the square and inquire at every European shop if three ladsin European uniform had been noticed. For some time no success attendedthem; but at last they met with a Maltese at whose shop Jack hadpurchased two little filigree brooches. He said he had noticed thatafter they left his shop they walked down the street which led directlyto the spot where the riot had began, and where the greater proportionof Europeans had lost their lives. The two officers went down to thescene of the riot, but could obtain no further information respectingthe missing lads. 

The Europeans who had remained shut up in their houses while the riotwas going on had all left immediately order was restored. The whole ofthe shops were wrecked and plundered, two or three houses had beenburned down, and dark stains in the roadway showed where men had fallenand died. 

"I fear there is no doubt whatever, " Captain Murchison said, when thetwo mates reported to him the result of their inquiries, "that the ladsmust have been just at the spot where the riot broke out; the time atwhich they passed exactly answered to it. But in that case what couldhave become of them? Mr. Cookson has shown me the official list of thekilled as far as it is known at present. Their bodies have all beenfound; but neither in that list, nor in the list of the wounded, isthere any mention of three young English lads. If they had been killedtheir bodies would have been found with the others, and indeed theiruniforms would have at once attracted attention. "

"What in the world can have become of them? Could they have been in oneof the houses that are burned?" Mr. Hoare suggested. 

"I should hardly think that possible, " the captain said. "Their remainswould have been found, and would have been returned in the list as threepersons unrecognized; but all the bodies seem to have been identified. "

"Perhaps they have been carried off, and are prisoners somewhere, " Mr. Timmins suggested. 

"That is more likely, Mr. Timmins. They may have been taken formidshipmen belonging to one of the ships of war, and have been seized bysomeone in the hope of getting a handsome ransom for them. Anyhow, Icannot believe that they are dead; or, at any rate, if they have beenkilled, it has not been in a fight in the street, or their bodies musthave been found. I am most anxious about them, but I cannot believe thatthe worst has happened to them. "

Captain Murchison had bills printed in English, French, Italian, andEgyptian and distributed through the town, offering a reward for anyinformation that would lead to the discovery, either dead or alive, ofthe missing lads. The bills met with no response. The Egyptians engagedin the attack upon the shops, who alone could have furnished informationregarding the boys, were afraid to come forward, as they could not havedone so without admitting their share in the massacre. As he could donothing more, Captain Murchison left the matter in the hands of Mr. Cookson, the English consul, and a week after the riot the _Wild Wave_sailed for Smyrna, Captain Murchison saying that he should look in atAlexandria on his way back, and that the boys if found were to await hisreturn there. He did not write home to announce their disappearance; hisbelief that they must be still alive was strong, and he was unwilling toplunge their friends into anxiety and grief until a further time hadbeen allowed to elapse. 

For a long time negotiations went on between Admiral Seymour, whocommanded the British fleet now at the port of Alexandria, and thegovernment of the khedive. The ministers were really nothing more thanthe nominees of Arabi and the army, and the demands of the Englishadmiral for satisfaction for the outrages, compensation to thesufferers, and the punishment of the guilty, were met with evasiveanswers. So threatening and insolent was the bearing of the Egyptiantroops, that the greater part of the European population again lefttheir houses and took refuge on board the ships in the harbour. 

More and more peremptory became the demands of the English admiral, butstill no results were obtained. Egyptian troops now commenced throwingup fortifications at points commanding the position of the British shipsin the harbour. The admiral sent ashore and insisted that these worksshould be at once discontinued. No attention was paid to the demand. Amessage was then sent through the consuls warning all Europeans in thetown to embark at once, and an ultimatum was despatched to the Egyptianministry, saying that unless the works were stopped and a satisfactoryanswer to the demands returned before nightfall the ships would openfire the next day; in the afternoon, as no reply had been received, themen-of-war steamed out of the harbour and took up their position off thetown. 

The warships of the other nationalities also left the harbour; but astheir governments refused to support actively the action of the English, they either steamed away or anchored at a distance as spectators of theapproaching event. The various merchant-ships in harbour also sailedout, all of them crowded with fugitives from the town. The English fleetconsisted of the _Invincible_, _Monarch_, _Penelope_, _Sultan_, _Alexandria_, _Superb_, _Inflexible_, and _Temeraire_, with thegun-boats _Signet_, _Condor_, _Bittern_, _Beacon_, and _Decoy_. 

Nearly a month had passed since the lads had been taken prisoners. Theywere in absolute ignorance as to what was going on in the town, exceptthat they had been told by one of their guards, who spoke a few words ofEnglish, that Arabi and his troops were masters of Alexandria, and thatevery European in Egypt would be destroyed. 

"They may be masters of Alexandria at present, " Jim Tucker said to hiscomrades as they talked the matter over, "but they won't be masterslong. It is possible enough that they may cut the throats of all theEuropeans in Egypt, but they will have to pay dearly for it if they do. I do not believe they will keep Alexandria long. Just look at all thosemen-of-war in the harbour. Why, there are white ensigns flying over adozen of them! I suppose they are wasting time palavering at present, but when the time for action comes you see they will astonish theseEgyptians. "

"That fellow said this morning that there were twenty thousand troops inthe town, " Jack said. 

"If there were a hundred thousand it would make no odds, Jack. "

"It would make no odds about our blowing the place up, Jim, but it wouldmake a lot of odds if it came to landing. I do not suppose they couldland more than a couple of thousand sailors from the fleet, if they didas much, and though I have no doubt they could lick about five timestheir own number in the field, it would be an awkward business if theyhad to fight their way through the narrow streets of the town. "

"Well, I suppose there will be some ships along with troops soon, " Jimsaid. "It would take them a fortnight or three weeks to get ready, andanother fortnight to get out here. Perhaps they waited a week or so tosee whether the Egyptians were going to cave in before they began to getready; but at any rate there ought to be troops here in anotherfortnight. "

The next morning early four of their guards came down and motioned themto follow them. They were evidently in high glee. Among them was the onewho spoke English. 

"Come along, you English boys, " he said. "Big fight going to begin. Yousee the forts sink all you ships in no time. "

"Well, we shall see about that, " Tucker muttered as they followed theirguard. "Perhaps you are crowing too early, my fine fellow. "

"At any rate, " Arthur Hill said, "we may thank them for giving us a viewof it. "

The guards led them to a spot where six or seven other men, all likethemselves armed with muskets, were standing or sitting on a bank whichcommanded a view of the port and the sea beyond it. The boys threwthemselves on the ground and looked at the panorama stretched awaybefore them. They could see the two great ports, known as the Old andNew Ports, with the peninsula jutting out between them, on which stoodthe khedive's palace, named Ras-el-tin, and other important buildings. Beyond stretched a long spit of land parallel with the shore, andsheltering the two ports. 

This spit was studded with forts, which formed the principal defencesof Alexandria, although there were several forts, among them Forts Mexand Marabout, on the mainland near the mouths of the harbour. Most ofthese forts had been erected under the superintendence of Frenchengineers, and were considered capable of defending the town against anynaval force that could be brought against it. They were armed with heavyartillery of the best modern construction. 

The ports were entirely clear of shipping, but ranged along facing theforts lay the eight British ironclads. Four of them faced the forts atRas-el-tin and the mouth of the harbour, three lay off the MexBatteries, and one off a fort commanding what was known as the BoghazChannel, while the little group of gun-boats lay out beyond the line ofbattleships. 

Further away to the east could be seen a great number of sailing-boatsand steamers. Just at seven o'clock a great puff of white smoke brokeout from the black side of the _Invincible_, which was carrying theadmiral's flag, and even before the sound reached the ears of the littleparty on the hill similar bursts of smoke spurted out from the othervessels. Then came the deep roar of heavy artillery, mingled with therushing sound of their huge missiles through the air. Almost immediatelyan answering fire broke out from all the batteries fringing the sea. 

In a minute or two the hulls and lower masts of the men-of-war wereentirely hidden in clouds of white smoke. The very ground seemed toshake with the thunder of heavy guns, mingled with which came thesharper sound of some of the smaller artillery in the forts and thelong rattle of the machine-guns in the tops of the men-of-war. Soterrible was the din that the Egyptians ceased their chatter and sat inawed silence. The shell from the Egyptian guns could be seen burstingover the vessels, while jets of water spurting out far to seaward in alldirections marked the course of the round shot. 

"It is downright awful, isn't it?" Arthur Hill said in a hushed voice. "I've often thought I should like to see a sea-fight, but I neverthought it would be as terrible as this. "

"No more did I, Arthur, " Jack agreed. "I feel just as I have done when Ihave been out in the bawley and a big thunder-storm has burst overhead. If it feels like this here, what must it be on board a ship?"

"I don't believe it is half so bad there, " Jim Tucker said. "They areall hard at work there at those big guns, and haven't got much time tothink about it. I wish we could see what harm the shot are doing them. They have got some tremendous guns in some of the forts--pretty well asbig as they are on board. "

For an hour there was no change whatever in the state of things, thenthe little gun-boats were seen to be in motion. Steaming away to thewest, they engaged the Marabout Fort, which had hitherto taken its partin the fray without any return on the part of the assailants. 

"I believe the fire of the forts is slackening, " Jack said. "Look atthat fort at the entrance to the harbour, its outline is all ragged anduneven. I wish the wind would freshen up a bit, to let us see a littlemore of what is going on. "

Another hour and it was evident to them all that the fire of the fortswas nothing like as heavy as it had been at first, while the guns of thefleet continued to thunder as steadily as when they first commenced. Attwelve o'clock several of the forts had ceased to fire altogether. Atone, the gun-boats having silenced the Marabout Fort, joined the threemen-of-war in the bombardment of the Mex Batteries, and the _Temeraire_, having silenced the fort at the entrance of the Boghaz Channel, joinedin the attack on the Ras-el-tin and Pharos Forts. 

At three o'clock there was a tremendous explosion in the Pharos Fort, and now only an occasional gun answered the fire of the assailants. Thissoon ceased, and at four some signal flags were seen to run up to themasthead of the _Invincible_, and instantly the fire from the Britishships ceased, and a dead silence succeeded the din of battle that hadcontinued almost unbroken for nine hours. 

CHAPTER XII. 

FREE. 

FOR two or three hours before the cessation of bombardment flames hadbeen bursting out from several buildings in the neighbourhood of thepalace of Ras-el-tin. These being in the line of fire, had doubtlessbeen struck by shell from the ships passing over the forts in front. 

When the fire ceased the Egyptians rose and motioned the boys to returnto their prison. 

"Well, you see, my friend, " Jack said to the man who spoke English, "youhave not sunk the English vessels in a few minutes, as you talked about. Not even one of the little gun-boats; and as far as I can see from hereyou have not even damaged them. "

The man made no reply. To him and his comrades the escape of the Britishships was a mystery. That they were made of iron they understood, buthad no idea of the enormous thickness of their sides; and could not evenimagine that ships could be built sufficiently strong to keep out themissiles discharged by the immense cannons in the forts. That not even amast should have been knocked away seemed to them almost miraculous. Inpoint of fact the ships had been struck but once or twice with theshells from these massive cannon. The Egyptian gunners were unaccustomedto the use of the huge pieces, and had consequently aimed too high, andthe shell had passed either between the masts or far overhead. 

Upon the other hand the smaller guns had been worked with accuracy, buttheir missiles had dropped harmless from the iron plates of the ships. The fire of the men-of-war had, in the first place, been directed mainlyagainst these great cannon. The machine-guns in the top had createdterrible havoc among the men who were carrying on the laborious and tothem difficult operation of loading them, while the huge shell from thegreat guns had carried wholesale destruction among them. Thus thepowerful guns upon which the Egyptians had relied to beat off anyattack from the sea, had been fired but seldom, and one by one had beendismounted or rendered unserviceable by the fire from the ships. 

The gallantry with which the Egyptian gunners stuck to their work wasthe object of surprise and admiration to the British sailors. It seemedscarce possible that men could work under so tremendous a fire as thatto which they were exposed. The forts were literally torn to pieces, andat the end of the day were little better than heaps of ruins scatteredthickly with the corpses of the Egyptian artillerymen. 

"Well, what do you suppose they will be up to next, Jim?" Arthur Hillasked when the door had again closed upon them. 

"I suppose they will begin again to-morrow if these fellows have not hadenough of it. You see, they hardly fired a gun for the last three hours, and as far as we could see the forts were pretty well knocked to pieces;the one at the mouth of the harbour blew up, and there were severalother explosions. They held out a lot better than I thought they woulddo, I must say, but I cannot believe they will be fools enough to go onto-morrow. "

They chatted for some time as to the chances of surrender or ofresistance to the last, and as to what was likely to befall themselves;then, wearied with the excitement of the day their voices became moreand more drowsy and they dosed off upon their heaps of straw. Jack wasthe first to wake. He sat up and looked round, puzzled for a time. 

"I say, wake up, you fellows!" he exclaimed suddenly. "There is atremendous fire somewhere. "

The others sat up at once. They had been asleep for some hours andnight had fallen, but there was a red glow of light in the cell. 

"Here, Arthur, you jump up on my shoulders, " Jim said, standing underthe opening in the wall. 

Arthur climbed up, and uttered an exclamation as his eyes became levelwith the opening. "I cannot see the town, but I think it must be all onfire; it is almost as light as day outside, the whole air is full ofsparks and red clouds of smoke. It is tremendous!"

"Jump down and let us have a look, " Jim said impatiently, and he andJack had by turns a view of the scene. A quarter of an hour later thedoor opened suddenly and four of their guards ran in. 

"Come, quick!" one of them said, and seizing the boys by their wriststhey hurried them up the stairs. The house was in confusion. Men werepacking up bundles and the bey giving directions in an angry voice. Assoon as his eye fell on the boys he gave an order in Egyptian. 

"Take off your clothes, quick!" The guard translated the order. 

It was evidently no time for hesitation. The boys took off theirwaistcoats, jackets, and trousers, then the guard picked up from abundle lying beside him three women's dresses, and wound them roundthem, bringing an end as usual over the head and falling down to theeyes. Then he put on the thick blue veil, extending across the face justunder the eyes and falling down to the waist. The disguise was thuscompleted, and the three boys were transformed into Egyptian peasantwomen, of whom only the eyes were visible. 

Another five minutes all were ready, and the bey with ten or twelve menand the boys started out from the house. Most of the men carriedmuskets, all had large bundles upon their shoulders. As they issued fromthe house the boys obtained a full sight of the city, and uttered asimultaneous exclamation as they did so. Half the city appeared to be inflames. A sea of fire extended from the port over the European quarter, including the great square, while in many other parts separateconflagrations were raging. 

There was, however, no time to pause to examine the scene. The partyhurried along until they came down upon the road leading across thenarrow strip of land running between the two inland lakes. It wascrowded with fugitives: mixed up pell-mell together were Egyptiansoldiers in great numbers, and the population of the town--men, women, and children. For four hours they walked along. Then the throng alongthe road thinned; the Egyptian drums were sounding, and the soldiersturned off and lay down in the fields, ready to form into regimentsagain in the morning. 

The rest of the fugitives, feeling that they were now beyond danger ofpursuit, soon followed their example. The party to which the boysbelonged kept on for a short distance further and then turned off. Theyfollowed a by-road for a quarter of a mile, and then stopped at a farmbuilding. On their knocking at the door a peasant came out, but at aword from the bey he at once drew aside for the party to enter. The beytook possession of the cottage, and the men leaving their bundles insidethrew themselves down on the ground without and were soon fast asleep. The idea that their captives might escape did not even occur to them. 

The boys had thrown themselves down a little apart from the rest. 

"This is a nice go, " Jim said. "I suppose this chap is taking us off ashostages, and we may be dragged about like this for any time; for untilan army is got together and conquers the whole country, I do not see howwe are going to be released. "

"I don't see what there is to prevent us going straight back again, "Jack said; "we have got splendid disguises and might go anywhere. "

"That is not a bad idea, Jack; but how are we to do it? Every one iscoming the other way. "

"Yes, I don't think we can go back by that road, " Jack agreed; "but wemight get round the other side of the lake, I should think. "

"But how are we to do that, Jack? We do not know anything about thecountry. "

"No, we do not know much about it, Jim; but I remember the day before welanded, when we were looking at that book Mr. Hoare lent us so as to getup something about Alexandria before we landed, there was a map of thetown. I remember that the lake behind it, called Mareotis or some suchname, extended some eight or ten miles to the west of the town, and isonly separated from the sea by the high beach on which the Mex Fortsstand. I do not see why we should not work round there, and get down onto the beach and make our way on to the town. Our fellows are sure toland to-morrow morning and take possession of it. We have passed acrossthe isthmus between the two lakes, so the one we want to get round mustlie somewhere to the north-west. Anyhow, the fire will be a guide to us. If we keep rather to the left of that we must strike the lake, and haveonly got to follow that to keep right. "

"I am with you, " Jim said. "What do you say, Arthur?"

"I am game, " Arthur replied, "but let us be off at once. What time doyou think it is?"

"I have no idea. I don't know how long we slept, but it was quite darkexcept for the fire, so it must certainly have been past eight o'clock. We set out half an hour later. I should say that it must be betweentwelve and one now, if not later. It will begin to get light again soonafter four, so we have no time to lose. "

"Well, let us crawl away as quietly as we can, " Jack said. "I thinkthose chaps are all asleep, but we cannot be too careful until we get abit away from them. "

The boys found it very difficult to crawl in their female garments, butkept on as noiselessly as possible until some distance from the cottage, then they stood up. They followed the lane until they came to the road, crossed the line of railway beyond it and swam the fresh-water canal, and then, guided by the glare of light over Alexandria, made their wayacross the fields. After half an hour's walking they found themselves onthe shore of the lake. It was low and swampy, and they had to keep somedistance from its edge. The reflection of the light on its smoothsurface enabled them to follow its direction as well as if they had beenwalking close to it. They kept on until morning broke, by which timethe glare of light above Alexandria lay due north of them. 

"We had better lie up here, " Jim said. "There is sure to be a villagenear the lake, and the first person who came across us and questioned uswould find us out. "

"I shall not be sorry to stop at all, " Jack said, "for these looseyellow slipper things are horrid for walking in. I have tried goingbarefoot for a bit, but there are prickly things in the grass and I soonhad to give that up. "

There was no difficulty in finding shelter, for in many places belts ofhigh rushes bordered the lake. Entering one of these for some littledistance, and pressing down a lot of the rushes to make a dry bed on thedamp earth, the lads lay down and were soon fast asleep. The sun wasblazing high overhead when they awoke. 

"My eye, isn't it hot!" was Jim Tucker's first exclamation. "It isenough to roast a fellow alive. "

"It is hot, " Jack agreed; "and the worst of it is there isn't anythingto eat. "

"No, and there is not likely to be, " Jack replied, "till we get toAlexandria. There are the guns of the fleet still at it. It is evidentthat the forts have not surrendered. I don't see how we can possibly getalong past those forts on the beach to the west as long as they holdout, besides it is not likely that there has been a landing from theships yet, and the rabble of Alexandria will be plundering and killing. We shall be safer anywhere than there. "

"So we should, " Jack agreed. "But there is one thing quite certain, wecannot stop here without food or water. We might perhaps do withoutgrub for a day or two, but certainly not without water. There is maizeand grain ripe in the fields, so we shall do well enough for eating. "

"I suppose they must have wells. People must drink here, Jack. "

"I suppose there must be wells, " Jack said doubtfully. "But, you see, the water in this lake is salt, and I should say they get no fresh wateranywhere near, because the ground is so sandy. I rather expect they getit in small channels from the fresh-water canal. "

"Well, anyhow, we can get water there, " Arthur Hill said. "I vote we goback there again. Not of course anywhere near where the Egyptians are;though I do not know whether that would make much difference, for weshould be on one side of the canal and they on the other. Still, we hadbetter go beyond them; then we can, as you say, keep ourselves going bypicking maize or corn or whatever we can find for a day or two, till wehear the firing cease. "

"There are sure to be some boats somewhere on this lake, " Jack said, "and we might get hold of one and go across to Alexandria some night, and reconnoitre. If we find there are no sailors or troops there, we cantake to our boat and pull back again. I think it would be better to dothat than to try to work round by the sea-shore, for I believe they havefortifications running across from the sea to the lake, so as to preventthe place from being attacked by a force landing beyond the forts. "

"Well, I vote we set out at once, " Jim Tucker said. "I am frightfullythirsty. There are very few houses as far as I can see; if we keep asharp look-out we ought to be able to manage so as not to meet anyone. If any peasant does run against us and ask questions, so much the worsefor him. "

The others agreed, and they at once started across the country, whichwas only cultivated here and there. They laid their course so as tostrike the canal at a point some miles higher up than that at which theyhad left it. They only saw a few peasants in the fields, and madedetours so as not to come near any of these. On the way they picked adozen heads of maize, but were too thirsty to attempt to eat them. Afterthree hours' walking the vegetation became brighter and greener, thecultivated fields thicker, and in another half hour they stood on thebank of the canal. They went down to the edge, knelt down and took along drink. 

"Shouldn't I like a dip!" Arthur Hill said. 

"We will have one, Arthur, when it gets dark; it would never do to bathenow. I do not see a soul about, but still someone might come up on thefurther bank at any moment, and our white skins would betray us at once. Now we have had a good drink we can hold on. We will go back again now, and sit down among the bushes and eat our corn. "

When they had finished their meal the boys agreed that maize eaten rawwas not by any means desirable food; however, it satisfied their hunger, and they sat discussing their plans until evening. They agreed thatArthur Hill's plan was certainly the best. 

"We will give them one more day, " Jim Tucker said. "I vote we stop hereto-night, then have a good drink in the morning and then start backagain, keeping along the canal here until we are close to the lake; thenwe will have another good drink and start out and walk along the lakeuntil we find a boat, then we will hide away somewhere near it and crossafter it gets dark. "

It was agreed that this plan should be carried out, and after a goodnight's rest they started again next morning. They kept down by the footof the bank of the canal, and followed it until they saw the lakestretching away on the left, then they went up and had another drink. 

"Hurrah!" Arthur Hill exclaimed, as he picked up a broken earthenwarepot, which had apparently been thrown out by some passing boat; "thiswill hold a quart of water. That will give us a drink each to-night. "

As they walked they had heard the heavy guns still booming over the sea, and felt by no means certain that the troops had yet landed. However, they determined not to put off their expedition across the lake if theycould find a boat. Carrying their jar of water carefully with them, theystruck across to the lake and followed it as before, keeping a carefullook-out for boats. They had proceeded about two miles along its edge, when they saw the stern of a boat projecting beyond the rushes thatfringed the water's edge, and pushing more rapidly forward they cameupon a beaten path through the reeds, and following this came upon a lowflat boat, very roughly constructed. 

"It is not much of a craft, " Jim Tucker said; "but it will do for uscapitally. Now, we have only to lie down and take things quietly untildark. I fancy it is about three o'clock in the afternoon now by thesun. "

They lay down among a clump of bushes a short distance from the lake, and as soon as the sun had set went back to the boat again. They hadalready made another meal, and had finished their maize and water. Theystood by the boat waiting until it should become perfectly dark, andlooking across the tranquil sheet of water at the distant town, overwhich the smoke still hung heavily, and as the sky darkened flashes offire could be seen. They were at last just going to get on board whenthey heard an exclamation of surprise behind them. Looking round theysaw two natives, who had evidently come down with the intention of goingout in their boat. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

AMONG FRIENDS. 

THE astonishment of the two natives at seeing, as they supposed, threewomen standing with their boat, was no less than that of the boys atbeing thus suddenly surprised. Suspecting no harm, however, they at oncemoved forward, asking in Egyptian, "What are you doing here with ourboat?"

"Down with them, boys?" Jim Tucker exclaimed, and at once threw himselfupon one of the boatmen, while Jack and Arthur instantly sprang upon theother. 

Wholly unprepared for the attack, the men were thrown down almostwithout resistance. 

"Get some rope from the boat, Arthur!" Jim Tucker exclaimed. 

Leaving Jack to hold the prostrate man, Arthur Hill jumped on board theboat, and in a minute returned with two pieces of rope. With these thearms and legs of the natives were soon firmly tied. 

"Now, what are we going to do next?" Jim Tucker asked. 

"It would not do to leave them here, " Jack said. "If they managed tountie each other they would give the alarm, and if we had to come backwe should be caught. If they could not manage to untie each other theymight lie here and die. I think we had better take them with us. "

"I suppose that will be the best plan, " Jim agreed. "I do not know thatit will make much difference in the end, for they must be left tiedsomewhere; still, it would certainly make it safer for us. "

Accordingly the men were lifted into the boat and laid down in thebottom. Then the boys threw off the female garments, and taking the longpoles punted the boat out into the lake. The water was so shallow, thatit was not until they had gone more than a mile from shore that theylaid in the poles and took to the clumsy oars. An hour's rowing, and theshore began to rise high in front of them. As they approached it theystopped rowing, and listened attentively. 

"Now, before we go any nearer we had better gag these fellows, " Jacksaid. "If they were to set-to to shout as soon as we had landed, ourchance of getting back again would be at an end. "

They tore off two strips from the cloths, rolled them up, and put themin the prisoners' mouths, putting some lashings across so that theycould not get them out; then they put the men so far apart in the boatthat they could not touch each other, and lashed them in thesepositions. This done they again wrapped themselves in their women'sgarments, and quietly rowed to the shore. They had but little fear offinding anyone here. The natives, if no landing had been effected fromthe ships, would be all engaged in the work of plundering; while if theEnglish had taken possession of the town they would probably be keepingin their houses. No one was near when they landed, and fastening thehead-rope of the boat to a stone they pushed her gently off again. 

"If anyone should come along, " Jim said, "it is too dark for them to seethose fellows lying in the boat. Now, we must take our bearingsaccurately as we go along, so as to be able to find the boat again ifthings go wrong with us. "

They had landed half a mile beyond the town, and now made their waytowards it. As they came to the houses a few people were about, but noone paid any attention to the three veiled figures. The glare of lightwas a sufficient indication to them of the direction they should follow, for they had agreed that if a landing had been made the sailors would becertain to be at work trying to put a stop to the spread of the flames. 

Presently they came to the edge of the district swept by the fire. Thewalls for the most part were standing, although in many cases they hadfallen across the road. The heaps of rubbish inside still glowed, andnow and then little tongues of fire leapt up. On they went, making theirway very cautiously until they reached a wide open space surrounded byruins. 

"This is the great square, " Jack said. "Look, there is the fountainstill playing in the middle. There are some fires there too, and a lotof people round them. "

"Let us wait a bit. If they are Egyptians we shall be in a nice mess. "

They stood for some time, afraid to approach closer, then they heard aburst of laughter. 

"That must be English, " Jack said. "I don't believe Egyptians ever laughlike that. "

"I don't think so either. Let us move a bit closer; but mind, we must beready for a bolt if we find we are wrong. "

They went quietly forward, and again stood irresolute. Presently theyheard a voice call "Tom Jones!" and heard the reply "Aye, aye, sir!"

"It is all right!" Jim exclaimed joyfully, and they at once hurriedforward. They soon arrived at the fire, round which three or four navalofficers were sitting. The boys tore the veils from their faces andthrew back the cotton cloth from over their heads, and a generalexclamation of surprise broke from the officers as they saw the heads ofthree European boys. 

"Hallo!" one of them exclaimed. "Who are you, and where do you springfrom?"

"We were wounded and carried off last month, on the day of the rising, "Jim said, "and have been kept prisoners ever since, sir. We got away thenight after the bombardment, and have just arrived. We belong to thebarque _Wild Wave_; we are midshipmen on board her. "

"Well, I am glad you have got out of their hands, " the officer said;"but I cannot do anything for you now. These rascals keep on setting thetown on fire in fresh places, and we are just starting to put one outthat began half an hour ago. "

"What is this?" an officer asked, hurrying up to the spot. 

"Three lads, Lord Charles, who have been kept prisoners by the Egyptiansfor the last month, and have just escaped. They belong to a merchantvessel, and were captured at the rising. "

"Please to march off your men at once, sir; I will overtake you in aminute or two. Well, lads, what can I do for you?"

"Well, sir, you might give us something to eat, perhaps, " Jim suggested. "We have had next to nothing for the last three days. "

"Come along with me, " Lord Charles Beresford said, and he hurried withthem to another party of sailors at the further end of the square. 

"Give those lads something to eat and drink, " he said. "You had betterstop here until I come back, lads, then I will see what can be done foryou. "

A kettle was boiling over a fire, and before many minutes the lads weresupplied with a basin each of cocoa and a lump of bread, and felt asthey ate their supper that their troubles were at an end. It required, however, more than one bowl of cocoa and a considerable quantity ofbread before their appetites were appeased. 

While taking their supper the boys gave to the officers gathered roundthem a sketch of the adventures they had gone through. 

"Now that you have done your supper, " one of the officers said, "Isuppose the next thing you want is some clothes. The question is how toget them. "

"Yes, sir; it is awful going about like this. "

"Well, you are rather objects, " the officer agreed with a laugh; "but Ido not see what is to be done for you at present. You see, all this partof the town is burned down, and the shops in the other parts are alllocked up and deserted, and most of them have already been broken intoand robbed. We have no time to see about that sort of thing at present;our time is entirely occupied in fighting the fire, and in preventingthese scoundrels from lighting fresh ones. There were seven or eightfresh outbreaks to-day. However, you must stop here for the present. Lord Charles Beresford will not be long before he is back, I daresay. "

In another half hour the party of sailors returned, having pulled downtwo or three houses, and prevented the flames from spreading. Theircommander at once came up to the boys, followed by a sailor bringing alarge bundle. 

"I have not forgotten you, youngsters. One of the houses we pulled downwas a clothier's, which had by some good luck or other escaped beinglooted, so I told the men to pick out half a dozen suits and as manycaps, and bring them on. They would only have been taken by the nativesdirectly our backs were turned. No doubt you will find something thereto fit you. "

With great joy the boys seized the bundle, and going a little distanceoff examined its contents. After a good deal of trying on they eachfound things that fitted them fairly. Feeling vastly more comfortable intheir new attire, they rejoined the sailors. 

"I expect your ship has left long ago, " Lord Charles said. "Your bestplan will be to go round in the morning to the consul, Mr. Cookson. Hehas established himself in a temporary office just beyond the range ofthe fire. One of my men will show you the way. Most likely your captainwill have left some message with him in case you turned up again. Afteryou have seen him you can, if you like, come back here; I daresay Ishall be able to find something for you to do. Or if you like you can besent off to one of the steamers, where the refugees are on board. "

"We would much rather stay here, sir, if we may, " Jim Tucker said. "Wewill do anything that you like to set us to. "

As they sat by the fire talking with the officers the boys learned whathad happened in the town. As soon as it became evident that the fire ofthe ships of war was mastering that of the forts the troops and thepopulace began the work of plunder. The European stores were all brokeninto; everything portable was carried away and the furniture broken andsmashed. 

Fire was applied in scores of places. A considerable number of thepoorer classes of Europeans had remained in their houses, being afraidto desert their possessions, and many of these houses were broken intoby the mob and the inmates massacred. 

It was calculated that upwards of five hundred were killed. The clerksat the Anglo-Egyptian Bank had determined to stay and defend it, and assoon as the work of plunder and massacre began a number of Europeansmade for this point, and the little garrison was swelled until itnumbered nearly a hundred men. The place had been attacked by the moband soldiers; but had held out gallantly and beaten off the assailants, who had before long scattered to points where plunder could be moreeasily obtained. 

At night a steam-launch from the fleet entered the harbour. Two or threemen had landed, and making their way through the burning streetsreturned and reported the town was empty. 

The next morning at daylight a force had landed and driven theplunderers from the European part of the town, while the ships hadbattered the forts that still held out. The following day a strong forceof marines came ashore and patrolled the streets. At the sight of theBritish uniforms many doors were opened, and the wretched inmates, whohad for forty-eight hours being trembling for their lives, made theirway down to the water-side and went off to the ships. In the evening, ashort time before the boys arrived, four hundred and fifty men had beenlanded from the British ships, and one hundred and twenty-five from anAmerican man-of-war, and these at once set about the work ofre-establishing order. 

In the morning a sailor conducted the boys to the house where Mr. Cookson had established himself. As soon as they gave an account ofthemselves to him he shook them heartily by the hand. 

"I am glad to see you back in safety, lads. Your captain was in a greatway about your loss, and hunted high and low for you. He traced you tothe spot where the riot began, but could learn nothing more; and as noneof your bodies could be found, we had hopes that you had not beenkilled. Of course he could not delay his vessel here, and went on toSmyrna. He was going to look in here again on his way back; but as hehas not done so, he probably got a freight and had to sail straighthome. He asked me if you did turn up to let you have any money yourequired, and to do all I could for you. I can let you have the money, but I cannot do much else beyond sending you on board one of the shipsoutside to wait there until there is a chance of sending you home. "

"Thank you very much, sir, " Jim said. "We shall be glad of some money, but we do not want to go on board ship. Lord Beresford said he wouldgive us something to do here. "

"Oh, if Lord Charles said that, I need not trouble about you, " theconsul said. "He will find you plenty of work. How much shall I give youeach?"

"I think two pounds apiece, sir, would be plenty, " Jim said. "One doesnot like having no money; but I do not see how we are going to spendit. "

The lads now went back to the square, and there waited for some hours, Lord Charles Beresford being away at work. He returned at mid-day, bywhich time the party in the square had cooked the dinners for theircomrades. There were now two thousand sailors and marines on shore, posted in various open places, the grand square serving ashead-quarters. Sailors and officers were alike blackened with ashes anddust, having been engaged in the work of pulling down houses andchecking the progress of the flames. 

Lord Charles called the lads to him and made them sit down and join theofficers and himself at dinner, and while the meal was going on heobtained from them an account of their adventures. When they hadfinished he said to one of the marine officers: "Captain Archer, you areto take command of that gang of fellows over there, " pointing to sometwo hundred natives who were gathered a short distance away, "I hope weshall have a thousand at work to-morrow morning. You can take theseyoung gentlemen with you; they will remain under your command for thepresent, and you will put them on rations. It will be a great thinggetting these gangs of natives at work. I shall have time now to put astop to the looting and incendiarism. Besides, they say the Egyptiantroops are approaching the town again. I only hope they will try to comein. "

There was a murmur of agreement among the circle of officers. The momentthe meal was over the party rose, for there was no time to waste. Captain Archer, followed by the three boys and six marines, went over tothe group of natives, by whom one of the dragomans of the consulate wasstanding. 

"These are all I could hire to-day, sir, " the man said. "They are toomuch frightened to come out of their houses. To-morrow we shall getplenty of men. The consul told me to go with you as interpreter. "

"Thank goodness for that, " the captain said. "I was wondering how I wasgoing to get them to understand me. Tell them to fall-in two and two andfollow. "

Through the streets, where the heat from the houses was so intense thatthey hurried through with their hands shading their faces, clamberingover masses of fallen stonework, broken furniture, and goods of allsorts scattered about, the party made their way to the edge of the fire. Here the flames were ascending, and the conflagration was stillspreading, although fortunately but slowly, for there was scarce anywind. 

"Now, lads, " the captain said, "set to work and get down four houses oneach side of the way. "

The marines set the example by entering the houses, and, runningupstairs, soon managed to break their way through the tiles and emergeupon the roofs. 

"Come on, darkies!" they shouted. "Don't be afraid of blacking yourhands!" They at once began to throw off the tiles, and were soon joinedby a score of the most active natives. 

"That is right, down with them!" the captain shouted, and in a very fewminutes the last tiles had fallen. As soon as the shower had ceased thewhole of the contents of the houses were carried into the streets. Thenthe marines began with the axes and crowbars with which they wereprovided to tear up the floor-boards and break down the rafters andbeams. Then grapnels fastened to long ropes were fixed on the top of thebrickwork, a score of hands caught hold, and the lightly-built wallreadily yielded to the strain, coming down in great masses. As soon asthe walls had fallen the natives were set to work carrying away thebeams and woodwork, and in a little more than half an hour from the timethe operations commenced two heaps of brickwork and rubbish alone markedthe spot where the eight houses had stood. 

As soon as the work was finished the party moved on into the nextstreet, there to repeat the operations. As parties of sailors were atwork at a score of other places the operations proceeded rapidly, and bynightfall the workers had the satisfaction of knowing that the fire wascompletely cut off, and that there was no chance of its spreadingfarther. Four other outbreaks had occurred in the course of the day. Intwo cases the sailors arrived upon the spot before the incendiaries hadmade their escape. One man was shot, and four taken before the Egyptianmagistrate who had been appointed to try cases, and they were, aftertheir guilt had been fully proved, sentenced to death and summarilyhanged. 

The following evening, on their going round to the consulate as usual tohear if he had received any news of the _Wild Wave_, Mr. Cookson said, "I had a telegram an hour since, lads, saying that your ship arrived inthe Thames yesterday, and asking if I had any news of you. I have sentoff my answer, 'All here safe and well, making themselves useful andwaiting instructions. ' I am sure to get an answer some time to-morrow. "

The next day the answer came, "Delighted at news. Tell boys remainAlexandria. Ship coming out with cargo coal. "

CHAPTER XIV. 

A SET OF RASCALS. 

THE work of pacification had gone on steadily. It was on Thursdayevening, the 13th of July, the boys had returned to the town. On the15th Captain Fisher, who was in command of the naval party on shore, marched through the streets disarming the Egyptian soldiers, of whomthere were large numbers still in the place, and had a skirmish with astrong party of them at the Rosetta gate. Lord Charles Beresford was incharge of the police arrangements, and with a force of marines and threehundred disarmed Egyptian soldiers was occupied in stamping out thefires and in arresting marauders. A large number of Arabs were alsoenlisted in the service. 

The population now began to return to the city. Many of the lower classof Greeks and Italians landed from the vessels, and were a source ofcontinual trouble, as they at once took to plundering what the nativeshad left. 

On Monday morning the 38th Regiment and the third battalion of the 60thRifles arrived in the harbour, and were at once landed. General SirArchibald Alison also arrived and assumed the command on shore, and thefollowing day a body of troops marched along the line of railway toRamleh, six miles distant. Ramleh stands at the point where a narrowneck of land connects the peninsula on which Alexandria stands with themainland. Along this narrow isthmus run the road, the railway, and theSweet-water Canal, and here there is a pumping-station, by which wateris raised to a higher level for the supply of Alexandria. 

The khedive has a summer palace at Ramleh, and here are a large numberof pretty villas, the summer abodes of the merchants of Alexandria. Itwas an important position, for here any advance upon the city from theeast could be readily checked. 

Thursday was a busy day for the police and troops in Alexandria, for ahigh wind got up and fanned the masses of embers into flames again, andserious fires broke out in several places. The boys were busily engagedall day. They acted now as aides-de-camp to Lord Charles Beresford, carrying his orders to the various working parties, and makingthemselves generally useful. 

Lord Charles had established himself with his officers in an emptyhouse, and the three boys had a room assigned to them here. The partyall messed together. In the evening Lord Charles said to the officers, "I hear that the khedive's people have got news that Arabi is damming upthe Sweet-water Canal. We shall have a deal of trouble if he does. Thereis very bad news, too, from the country. They say that everywhereexcept at Cairo the natives have risen and massacred the Europeans. Arabi has ordered all the able-bodied men in the country to join thearmy. "

"I don't call the last part bad news, " Captain Archer said. "We shallhave ten thousand men here in a short time, and the more of thesescoundrels that are gathered together the better, so that we can end itat one blow. If Arabi does but stand there is no doubt as to the result. The thing that would puzzle us would be for him and his troops to marchaway into Upper Egypt and lead us a long dance there. In this tremendousheat our fellows would not be able to march far, and it would be like atortoise trying to catch a hare, hunting them all over the country. Themore men Arabi gets together the more likely he is to make a stand andfight it out. "

"There is no doubt that is the case, " Lord Charles agreed. "We shallmake short work of them directly Lord Wolseley and the troops arrive. However, I hope we sha'n't be idle in the meantime. There are two moreregiments expected to-morrow or next day, and I expect we shall see somefighting then. The soldiers are furious at the frightful destructionthat has taken place, and they will make it hot for these fellows ifthey get a chance of going at them. They say that they are throwing uptremendous fortifications across the isthmus. "

On Sunday night the 46th Regiment arrived. The water in the canal wasnow sinking fast. A dam had been erected at its mouth to keep in whatwater it contained. Order had now been restored in the town, and theplundering had been almost put a stop to. The next morning a wing of the60th and a squadron of mounted infantry went out beyond Ramleh. Theenemy's cavalry were driven off, and there was an exchange of artilleryfire between some heavy guns that had been sent out by rail and placedinto position there, and Arabi's battery. 

The next week was a quiet one, but on Friday the 28th a reconnaissancewas made by a railway train, which Captain Fisher of the navy had platedwith iron. It was manned by sailors, and carried a heavy gun and severalGatlings. The enemy on seeing it approaching came out in force, but weredriven back by the guns of the train and those in the batteries atRamleh. The reconnaissance showed that the Egyptians had erected anumber of strong works across the end of the isthmus. 

As the work of the bands of hired natives was now only clearing uprubbish and litter, the boys agreed that as there was no more fun to behad in the way of putting out fires, they might as well give up whatthey called slave-driving, and enjoy themselves until the _Wild Wave_arrived. They had only undertaken the work as an alternative to going onboard one of the crowded ships in the harbour, and as the populationwere now returning and the shops opening again there was no occasion fortheir further stay as overlookers of the scavengers. Several temporaryinns had been opened by enterprising Italians for the benefit of thosewho on landing from the ships found their houses burned, sacked, oruninhabitable. 

"I vote, " Jack said the first morning that they were free to do exactlyas they liked, "that we go up and have a look at our prison. "

"A bright idea!" Jim Tucker said. "But that is an out-of-the-way part, Jack, and there may be some of those skulking thieves hanging aboutthere. "

"They won't catch us napping this time, Jim. "

The boys had, in fact, armed themselves from the store of weapons thathad been taken from the natives or found scattered about in the streetsand houses. These weapons had been piled up in a shed, and as they hadno owners the boys concluded that it would be as well to pick some outfor themselves, having previously asked their officer to allow them todo so, as they were entirely without arms. He at once gave thempermission to take what they liked, and each had taken two revolvers--afull-sized one which they wore openly in their belts, and a small one intheir jacket-pockets. The precaution was by no means a useless one, ason carrying messages for their commander from one part of the town tothe other they had often to pass through narrow streets. So armed theboys had no fear of being attacked when together, and after breakfastthey started on their trip of exploration. 

As they knew nothing of the road by which they had been taken to thehouse, and had again left it after nightfall, they were by no means sureas to its exact position, the only indication being the view they hadobtained of the sea from its garden. When once beyond the town theyfound almost all the houses entirely deserted; for bands of plundererswere still pillaging everywhere beyond the range of the parties ofBritish troops, and even after Ramleh was occupied they made their wayalong the shore from the direction of the Aboukir Forts, and broke intothe houses and carried away their contents. 

"I think this must be just about the position, " Jim said at last. "Ishould say from the other side of that house there must be just the sameview we had. "

The gate was locked and closed, but the boys soon found a place wherethey could enter the grounds. Upon going round to the north side of thehouse they found that they had judged correctly, for they at oncerecognized the appearance of the building and the various objects in thegarden. 

"Here is the bank from which we watched the bombardment, " Arthur Hillsaid. "Well, we have got better out of it than seemed likely then. "

"That we have, " Jack agreed. "Now, Jim, I suppose we may as well getinto the house and have a look at it. I should like to get something tocarry away. I don't want anything valuable, but something as a sort ofmemento of our prison. "

"It would serve the beggar right, " Jim said, "if we were to set fire tohis place and burn it down. "

"It might serve him right if someone else were to do it, " Jack said;"but not for us, Jim. He saved our lives, you see. If it had not beenfor him we should never have come alive out of that street. "

"That is so, " Jim agreed; "but you know when we talked it over we wereall of opinion that he carried us off only to act as hostages forhimself. "

"Well, I know we agreed that that was it, Jim; but after all we cannotbe sure about it. It may have been that, but on the other hand he mayreally have wanted to save our lives. He would not dare treat uskindly, and was obliged to keep us imprisoned because of the fellowsround him. For you know he really did treat us well. We may be sure thatblack fellow of his did not bring us down fruit and other things eachmeal without his knowledge. "

"It may have been that, " Jim assented, "though I doubt it. I amconvinced he only carried us off and treated us well in order to getgood terms for himself if things went wrong. "

"Perhaps so, Jim; but whatever the reason he did save our lives, and hedid treat us well, and I feel obliged to him. Now, let us look at thehouse. I wonder whether it is empty?"

"Oh, of course it is empty. Why, we saw all his fellows coming away withus. "

"Yes, but that is no reason why it should be empty, Jim. There are lotsof these plundering fellows about. We know they do not come back intothe town because we have got guards at the gates, and I expect they hideup during the day in some of these deserted houses. Anyhow we may aswell keep our eyes open till we know the place is clear. "

Jim agreed to the prudence of the suggestion, and they went up to thehouse. The door opening into the garden was fastened, but the woodenshutters outside one of the windows about four feet from the ground wereunfastened, and swung open as they touched them. The window inside wasclosed. 

"Just give me a back, Arthur, " Jack said. "I have no doubt I can openthe fastenings. "

Standing on Arthur's shoulders Jack took out his knife, and had nodifficulty in inserting the blade between the frames of the window, which opened inwards, and in pushing back the slight and simplefastening. He pushed the window open, and had his foot on the sill readyto enter when he paused. 

"What is it, Jack?" Jim asked impatiently. 

"There is somebody in the house, " Jack said in a low voice. "I can heartalking. " He stepped very quietly down into the room, and a minute laterthe others stood beside him. 

It was as Jack had said, there was a loud sound of talking somewhere inthe house. 

"What shall we do, Jim?" Jack whispered. 

"We will go and have a look at them, " Jim replied. "We have got tworevolvers apiece, and are a match for a dozen Egyptians anyway; andbesides, if they haven't seen us, and I don't suppose they have, as wecame round at the back of the house, they will think we are officers andhave got a lot of men behind us. "

With their pistols drawn and cocked the boys moved quietly across theroom and into a passage. The voices came from a room in the front of thehouse. The door was open. They crept up to it and then suddenly rushedin. 

"Surrender, " Jim shouted, "or we fire!"

The lads were astonished at the sight that met their eyes. They hadexpected to see a group of natives; instead of that they saw a party ofeight or ten Greeks and Italians sitting on the ground playing cards. The room was piled with goods of all sorts--silk curtains, females'dresses, clocks, rich ornaments, choice carpets, and other articles. Thefellows uttered a shout of astonishment and dismay at seeing, as theybelieved, three English officers suddenly appear before them; for bythis time the boys had been able to rig themselves out in naval costumeagain. Their appearance and that of the six levelled revolverscompletely paralyzed the party at cards. 

"Throw down all your weapons in the centre, " Jack said peremptorily. "Not a moment's delay, or we will call our men in and string you up!"

Two or three of the party understood English, and at once threw theirpistols and knives into the centre of the circle; the othersunderstanding the order from their action did the same. 

"Just collect them, Arthur, and take them into the next room, " JimTucker said, "before they have time to think about it. "

Arthur stepped forward, gathered up the weapons, and carried them intothe next room. 

"We are all right now, " Jim said in a low tone. 

"Now, Arthur, you run down to the town as hard as you can and tell thefirst officer you meet we have got a gang of plunderers here, and askhim to bring up a guard and capture them; we will stand sentry till youcome back. "

Arthur without question obeyed Jim's orders: went to the front door, opened it, and ran off at the top of his speed. The prisoners now beganto recover from the first panic, and to guess the true state of thecase. Angry oaths were uttered, and they began to talk to each other inrapid tones. 

"You had better sit still!" Jim shouted. "The first man that makes amove I will blow his brains out. Jack, you stand on one side of thecircle and I will stand on the other. The first man who moves in theslightest, shoot him. "

Jack moved round to the other side of the circle. The marauders, with afoe behind and another in front armed with revolvers, and themselveswithout weapons, did not dare to move, knowing that they would be shotdown before they could gain their feet. Half an hour passed and thenthere was a tramp of feet heard outside, and a moment later a navalofficer accompanied by Arthur and followed by a party of tenblue-jackets entered the room. In a couple of minutes the men's handswere all tied behind them, and they were led outside the house. 

"You have made a fine haul, young gentlemen, " the officer said as hewalked from room to room. Everywhere articles of value were piled up, and it was evident that the gang must for the last fortnight have beenengaged in looting all the villas and houses along the road to Ramleh. "I expect we have got the whole gang, but I will leave four men here incharge with orders to make prisoners of anyone that enters. We willlodge these scoundrels in jail, and then make our report. There is animmense lot of valuable property here, and I should think it had betterbe taken down into the town and kept there until claimed by its rightfulowners. "

Leaving the four sailors on guard, the party with the prisoners in theirmidst marched down again to the town, and the latter were speedilylodged in jail. On the affair being reported to Lord Charles Beresforda party of marines and natives with hand-carts were sent up to thehouse, and the whole of its contents brought down to an empty house inthe town. Here the articles were inspected by many merchants and otherowners of villas at Ramleh and near the town, and many of the articleswere at once identified by them. The next day the band of plundererswere brought up before the court, presided over by one of the khedive'sjudges; and the boys having given their evidence, and the owners of manyof the plundered villas swearing to their property, the whole band weresentenced to receive three dozen lashes apiece and to be imprisoned fortwo years. 

The lads gained much credit by the capture, and were each presented witha handsome gold watch and chain, subscribed for by those whose propertythey had been the means of recovering. 

CHAPTER XV. 

A THREATENING SKY. 

AT the end of July so large a number of troops had arrived that theservices of the sailors on shore were no longer required, and with theexception of those serving with the iron-clad train they returned onboard, the marines, however, still remaining in the town. On the 4th ofAugust the lads heard that a reconnaissance would take place next day, and that there would probably be a fight. Accordingly in the eveningthey walked up to Ramleh, and slept for the night in one of thedeserted houses. The trains soon began to arrive loaded with troops, andthe boys took up their position near one of the batteries on thesand-hills, where they could obtain an excellent view over the isthmusbetween the lakes Mareotis and Aboukir. 

The advance soon began; it was composed of six companies of the 60thRifles, four companies of the 38th, and four of the 46th. These were tomarch by the canal, while seven companies of the marines moved along therailway embankment in company with the iron-clad train. The two partieswere to join at the point where the canal and the railway approachclosely to each other. The ground between the two embankments consistedof fields and marshy swamps. 

The boys watched the 60th Rifles extending in skirmishing order, and assoon as they began to advance a movement was visible in the enemy'slines, and the Egyptians took up their position in a deep ditch acrossthe line of advance and opened a heavy fire upon the Rifles. 

The Egyptians were altogether invisible, their position being onlymarked by a light line of smoke rising in front of a thick jungle. Fortunately they fired high, and the boys could see that the Riflescontinued advancing without much loss. When they neared the Egyptianposition the supports came up to the skirmishing line, and the wholewent forward at a rush. The instant they did so the Egyptians sprangfrom their ditch and rushed into the jungle behind. 

The column was intended to advance to a white house on the canal, atthe point where the railway came close to it; but its commandermisunderstanding his orders stopped at a white house before he came toit. Thus the marines advancing along the embankment were leftunsupported. They had been met with a hot fire from the enemy, who wereposted in a large house surrounded by entrenchments, on which some gunshad been mounted. The guns on the train kept up a steady fire on thisposition, and the marines pushing forward were soon hotly engaged by theenemy's infantry, who were massing in great numbers on both of theirflanks. 

As the marines were now far in advance of the other column, the orderwas given them to fall back. To cover this movement, Major Donald withfifty men advanced boldly close to the Egyptian position, and kept up sohot a fire that the enemy's advance was checked, while the main bodiesof the marines retired steadily across the fields to the embankment, keeping perfect order in spite of the tremendous fire that was pouredinto them, and bringing off every wounded man as he fell. Major Donald'sparty then fell back rapidly and joined them. 

The enemy had now brought up several batteries of artillery, whichopened upon the marines, while the infantry pressed forward in heavymasses. The marines, however, aided by the musketry fire of the sailorsin the train, as well as by their machine-guns and heavy pieces ofartillery, kept them at bay as they fell back along the embankment, andas soon as the Egyptians came within range, the guns at Ramleh openedupon them, and they fell back to their camps, while the British columnsreturned to Ramleh. 

The object of the reconnaissance had been served by the discovery of thestrength and position of the enemy's batteries, and it was evident thatit would need a large force to carry the formidable positions whichguarded the isthmus. 

A week later the lads, on paying their usual morning visit to theconsulate, heard to their delight that the _Wild Wave_ had just beensignalled approaching the harbour, which was now crowded with shipping, as steamers laden with troops were arriving every day from England. Thelads hurried down to the port, and as soon as the _Wild Wave_ droppedher anchor they were alongside of her. They were very warmly greeted bythe captain and officers as they came on board ship. 

"Well, you young scamps, " Captain Murchison said after the firstgreetings were over, "you have given us a nice fright. What has it allbeen about? for at present we have heard nothing whatever beyond thefact that you were safe; and we are prepared to put you in irons fordesertion unless you can give us a completely satisfactory explanationof your absence. Mr. Timmins and myself are strongly of opinion that yousimply hid yourselves till the vessel sailed, so as to be able to have arun on shore and see all that was going on. "

"We are very glad we have seen it, sir, " Jim said; "but I don't think itwas at all our fault that we were left behind. " And he then proceeded torelate to the captain the story of what had befallen them since theylast met. 

"Well, lads, I congratulate you on your escape, which was certainly avery narrow one. You have, I hope, all written to your friends at hometo tell them everything that has taken place. It was most fortunate thatyour telegram from here arrived the day after we got to England, so thatyour friends practically received the news that you were missing andthat you were safe at the same time. We had delayed sending off letterstelling them that you were lost until we could receive an answer to ourtelegram to the consul. I went over and saw your mother and sister thesame evening, Jack. Of course your mother was in some alarm at thethought of the danger she pictured to herself that you must have gonethrough. I told her I expected that when the row began you had hid upsomewhere, and that not knowing that matters had quieted down again youhad remained there until after we sailed. "

The boys had all written home on the day after they had rejoined theirfriends in Alexandria, and had, a week before the arrival of the _WildWave_, received answers to their letters. An hour later an officer cameoff with orders that the coal was not to be discharged on shore, butthat the transports would come alongside and fill up from her. For aweek all hands were engaged in the unpleasant duty of discharging thecoal. Steamer after steamer came alongside and took from one to threehundred tons on board, to supply the place of the coal consumed on theoutward voyage. All on board were heartily glad when the work was over, the decks scrubbed and washed down, and the hose at work upon thebulwarks and rigging. 

"We shall not be clean again till we have had twelve hour's rain onher, " Captain Murchison said. "It is the first time so far as I knowthat the _Wild Wave_ has carried coal, and I hope it will be the last, so long as I command her. "

"Yes, I have been feeling a good deal like a chimney-sweep for the lastweek, sir, " Mr. Timmins remarked; "and shall not feel clean again tillall my togs have been ashore and had a regular wash. "

"I shall be glad to be out of this harbour, " the captain said. "Thesetideless harbours soon get very unpleasant when there is much shippingin them. And yet I own I should like to wait to see the attack on theEgyptian position. I believe the last transports came in to-day, and asLord Wolseley arrived two days ago, I suppose they will be at it in aday or two. However, as I sent off a telegram this morning saying thatwe were empty, I suppose we shall get orders this afternoon or to-morrowmorning to go somewhere. "

Late in the afternoon they were surprised by seeing the boats of thefleet and transports occupied in re-embarking large numbers of troops. 

"Something is evidently up, " Mr. Hoare said, as he stood with the ladswatching the busy scene. "I suppose Lord Wolseley thinks it will costtoo many lives to attack the Egyptian position in front, and that he isgoing to make a fresh landing somewhere along the coast so as to marchround and take them in the rear. Or it may be he is going to sail up thecanal and land at Ismailia; in that way, if he is sharp, he may getbetween Arabi and Cairo, and cut the enemy off altogether from thecapital. "

The next morning at daybreak the great fleet of men-of-war andtransports steamed away for the East on their way to Ismailia, and the_Wild Wave_, which had got her orders late the evening before, sailedfor Genoa, where she was to take on board a cargo for England. Six weekslater she entered St. Katharine's Docks, and the three midshipmen wereat once released from duty. Jack had already packed up his small kit, and, taking the train to Fenchurch St. And then a bus to Dulwich, wassoon home. As the ship had been signalled when she passed the Downs, hewas expected, and received a joyous welcome. Great was the interest ofhis mother and sister in the adventures he had passed through, and theywere delighted with the gold watch and the inscription, stating that ithad been presented to him by merchants of Alexandria whose property hehad been the means of rescuing from its plunderers. 

The next morning Mrs. Robson received a note asking her to come up withJack and Lily to dine with the Godstones. Jack learned that while he hadbeen away Lily had been often there spending the day with Mildred, whowas nearly her own age. On their arrival Mildred took her off to her ownroom to have tea, while Jack dined with Mr. Godstone and his wife, andafter dinner had again to repeat the full story of his adventures. Hisstay in England was a short one, for the _Wild Wave_, as soon as she hadunloaded her cargo from Italy, was chartered for Calcutta, via the Cape, and a fortnight after his arrival at home Jack was again summoned torejoin his ship. 

The _Wild Wave_ was again fortunate in her weather during the early partof her voyage, but when off the Cape encountered a heavy gale. Jack hadnever before seen a storm at sea, and, accustomed as he was to the shortchoppy waves at the mouth of the Thames, he was astonished at the sizeof those he now beheld. They seemed to him as large in comparison to thesize of the barque as those he had before seen were to that of thesmack. For three days the vessel lay to. Fortunately the glass had givennotice of the approach of the storm, and all the upper spars had beensent down and the vessel got under snug canvas before it struck her, andshe therefore rode out the gale with no farther damage than the carryingaway of part of her bulwarks, and the loss of some hen-coops and variousother of her deck gear. As soon as the gale abated sail was made, andthey continued on their course. 

"Glad it is over, eh, Master Robson?" the sailmaker, Joe Culver, said toJack as he was leaning against the bulwark on the evening after thestorm had subsided, looking at the reflection of the setting sun on theglassy slopes of the long swell that was still heaving. Joe Culver, or, as he was always called on board, Old Joe, was a character; he hadsailed as man and boy over fifty-five years on board ships belonging tothe firm; and now, although sixty-seven years old, was still active andhearty. It was a legend among the sailors that Old Joe had not changedin the slightest degree from the time he was entered in the ship's booksas a boy. 

"Old Joe is like the figure-head of a ship, " a sailor said one day. "Hegot carved out of wood when he was little; and though he has got dintedabout a bit, he ain't never changed nothing to speak of. If you couldbut paint him up a bit he would be as good as new. "

Joe could have gone into quarters on shore with a pension years before, for his long service had made him a marked character; and while othersailors came and went in the service of the firm, the fact that his namehad been on their books for so long a period, with but two breaks, hadmade him a sort of historical character, and at the end of each longvoyage he was always expected to show himself at the office to have afew words with the head of the firm. He was still rated as an ableseamen, with extra pay as sailmaker, but he was never expected to goaloft. In every other respect he could still do his work, and could turnout a new sail or alter an old one as well as any sailmaker on board Mr. Godstone's fleet. 

As Captain Murchison remarked to the owners when he saw that Joe wasthis voyage to form one of his crew: "The old fellow would be worth hispay if he never put his hand to work. He keeps a crew in good humourwith his yarns and stories; and if there is a grumbler on board healways manages to turn the laugh against him, and to show him to theothers in his true light as a skulker and a sneak. He looks after theboys and puts them up to their duty, and acts generally as a father tothem. A man like that, attached to the owners, always cheerful andgood-tempered, ready to make the best of everything, and to do his workto the best of his power, is a very valuable man on board a ship. Ialways feel that things will go on comfortably forward when I see JoeCulver's name down in the articles. "

"It was grand, Joe, " Jack replied in answer to his question, "though itwas very awful. I had no idea that a storm would be anything like that, or the waves so high. I have seen storms on our own East Coast, and theyseemed bad enough, but they were nothing to this. "

"And this weren't nothing to some storms I have seen in these latitudes, Master Robson. I have doubled the Cape two score of times, I shouldsay--eh, more than that, coming and going--and I have seen storms hereto which that which has just blown over was but a capful of wind. Why, sir, I have seen a ship laid on her beam-ends when she was not showing arag of canvas, and even when we had cut all the masts away the pressureof wind on her hull kept her down until we thought that she would neverright again. Altogether I have been wrecked eight times, and three ofthem was down in these 'ere latitudes. They says as my name has been onthe books of the firm for fifty-five years; but that ain't quitecorrect, for twice it was written off with D. D. After it, but somehow orother I turned up again, just as you see. One of these 'ere businesseshappened hereabouts. "

"I should like to hear about it awfully, Joe. "

"Well, sir, seeing it was not what you may call an everyday sort ofaffair, and as perhaps the yarn might give you a hint as might be usefulto you if you ever gets into the same kind of fix, I don't mind if Itell you. Just at present I have not finished my work, but if you andthe other two young gents like to come forward here at six bells I willtell you about it. "

CHAPTER XVI. 

OLD JOE'S YARN. 

AT seven o'clock the three lads gathered round the old sailor forward. Joe having got his pipe to draw to his satisfaction, proceeded to relatethe story of his shipwreck. 

"It happened, " he said, "on the very first v'yage I made as an A. B. ; andproud I was, as you may guess, that I had done at last with beingordered here and ordered there, and kicked here and cuffed there. I wasjust twenty-one then, and as active and hearty a young chap as you wouldwant to see; not over big, you know, and spare in flesh, but as strongand active as any on board a ship. Well, it came on to blow just aboutthe same latitude where the storm struck us the other day, but muchheavier. I never saw a worse sky in all my v'yges, and when the blowcame it seemed to me there was an end of everything at once. I need nottell you about the storm; you just take the last one and pile it upabout ten times, and you have got it. 

"Although we were ready and prepared for it, and had snugged down tillwe scarce showed a rag of sail, over she went at the first blow, till weall thought as she was going to turn turtle. We cut away her main andmizzen, and at last got her before it and run. That gale blew for tendays right on end. The sea was tremendous. Over and over again we werepooped, our bulwarks were carried away, the boats smashed, the cabooseand pretty nigh everything else on deck swept clean off. Five of thehands had been washed overboard, another three men were down below badlyhurt, and the first-mate had his leg broke. We were all pretty wellexhausted, as you may guess. Where we'd got to none knew, for we hadnever had a glimpse of the sun since the gale began; and it would nothave made much difference if we had, because, you see, we could donothing but just run before the wind wherever it liked to take us. Butwe knew anyhow we had got down into high latitudes, for the gale hadbeen blowing pretty steady from the north-west. 

"The air got bitterly cold all of a sudden; and though we could not seeabove a mile anywhere round us, we were pretty sure we were in theneighbourhood of ice. Towards the afternoon of the tenth day the weathercleared just a little, though the wind seemed as high as ever, and wecaught sight of some big bergs. The captain, who was as good a sort asever sailed, had done his best all along to keep up our spirits. Thecook had been washed overboard in his caboose; but the skipper had kepthis steward at work boiling water over a little spirit-stove he had aft, and kept a supply of hot coffee there at all hours for us; and with thatand biscuits we had got on fairly well. Now he told us that he thoughtthe gale would soon blow itself out, and that as soon as it abatedenough to set a rag or two of sail he would try and bring us up underthe lee of a berg. 

"But it wasn't to be. It had just struck four bells, and there was agleam of daylight; I was at the helm, with the captain, who had neverlain down for above an hour at a time since the gale began, beside me. Suddenly I saw it become lighter ahead, just like a gray shadow againstthe blackness. I had but just noticed it when the skipper cried out, 'Good God! there is a berg straight ahead, it is all over with us!' andthen he gave a shout, 'All hands on deck!'

"There was nothing to do. We could not have changed our course a pointif we had tried ever so much, and the berg, as we could see in anotherminute, stretched right away on both sides of us. 

"'You can leave the helm, Joe, ' says the skipper; 'we have done all thatmen could do, we are in God's hands now. ' I went forward with the rest, for I knew well that the only chance was to get on to the berg when shestruck. It did not seem much of a chance, but it is wonderful how oneclings to the hope of a few hours' more life. 

"It was not five minutes from the time when we first saw the gray shadowahead that we struck. The crash was tremendous. The mast snapped off asif it was a pipe-stem. The whole front of the ship seemed stove in, andI believe that more than half of those gathered forward were killed, either by the fall of the mast or by the breaking up of the bows. Thebowsprit was driven aft, through the bits against the stump of theforemast, and did its share in the work. I was standing in thefore-chains, having got over there to avoid the fall of the mast. ThoughI was holding tight to the shrouds I was well-nigh wrenched from myhold. There was one terrible cry, and then the ship seemed to break upas if she were glass, and I was in the water. A great wave camethundering down on me; it seemed to me as if I was being carried rightup into the air, then I felt a shock, and it was sometime before I knewanything more. 

"When I came to myself it was daylight. For a bit I could not move, andI thought my ribs were staved in; but at last, after much trouble, Imade a shift to work myself out and found that I was about fifty feetabove the water. The wave had carried me upon its crest as it swept upthe face of the berg, and just as it was at its highest had, by God'smercy, jammed me in between two pinnacles of ice, and though I daresayothers had swept up as high, none of them had moved me. I sat for a timedazed and stupid, and then began to take a view of my position. The shipwas gone. There was not a sign of a bit of floating timber or any of mymessmates. I suppose all the wreckage had been swept away by thecurrent. 

"The iceberg had, I reckon, been floating a long time, for it was seamedall over with cracks and crevices. It had been up under a pretty hot sunbefore the long gale blew it and us south, and the surface was rough andhoney-combed. I did not feel as grateful as I ought to have done, lads, that I had been cast up, for I saw nothing but death before me; andthought that it would have been better to have died when I lost mysenses in the water than to have to die again as it were by cold orhunger on the berg. However I set-to to climb over the berg and down tothe other side so as to get under its lee. It took me two or three hoursof hard work, but by the end of that time my clothes were dry, and I gotsome spirit and hope in me again. 

"Once over there I was pretty comfortable; the berg sheltered me fromthe wind, and the sun began to shine out a bit through the clouds, andin the afternoon, although it was still blowing hard, there was a bluesky overhead. There were a good many other bergs in sight, but none ofthem seemed near as big as the one that I was on. Fortunately I had acouple of biscuits in my pocket, having thrust them in there when I ranup when there was a call for an extra hand at the helm. One of these Iate, then I lay down on a broad ledge and went off sound asleep. When Iawoke it was night. I was warmly clad when we struck, having my thickoil-skin over my pea-jacket, but I felt a bit cold. However I was soonoff again, and when I awoke morning had broken. I ate half my lastbiscuit, took a drink out of a pool--I do not know whether it was meltedice or rain-water--and then climbed up to the top of the berg and lookedround. 

"I had not expected to see a sail, and I didn't, for we were far out ofthe track of ships. Still it was just possible one might have beendriven south as we had been. The wind had pretty well dropped now, andthe sea was going down. I could see by some small bergs near us that wewere driving through the waters at a good rate. When a great mountain ofice like that, you know, gets way on it, it will keep it for a mightylong time. It did not make much difference to me which way we weregoing; I had only half a biscuit left, and no chance of getting more. Isat down and wondered how long I should last, and whether it would notbe easier to go down and jump off into the water than to sit there anddie by inches. As I was thinking I was looking at what I had taken foranother big berg, away in the distance, right on the course we weremaking, and it suddenly came to me that it was not the same colour asthe others. I looked up to see if there was a bit of a cloud anywhereabout that might have thrown it into shadow, but there weren't, and atlast I felt sure that it wasn't no iceberg at all, but an island. 

"I jumped on my feet now quick enough. An island would be better thanthis berg anyhow. There might be shell-fish and fruit--though fruit didnot seem likely so far south--and birds and seals. I had heard talesfrom others as to islands in the South Seas, and though I knew wellenough that I should not find cocoa-nuts and such like, I thought Imight get hold of something with which to make a shift to hold on untilsome whaler happened to pass along. For an hour or two I stood watching;at the end of that time I was sure it was land, and also that we weredriving pretty straight towards it. As we got near I could see it was abig island that stretched right across our course, but was still a longway off. I felt sure we should ground somewhere in the night, for I hadheard that icebergs drew a tremendous lot of water, and were two orthree times as deep below the surface as they were above it. We were twoor three hundred feet high, so unless the water kept deep right up tothe island we should take ground a good way off it. 

"When it got dark I went down on the other side of the berg, for I hadsense enough to know that just in the same way as the masts of a shipwent straight forward when she struck, the pinnacles of the berg wouldgo toppling down towards the island when she grounded. I was hungryenough, I can tell you, that day, but I kept my last half-biscuit untilthe morning, so as to give me strength to swim. I dosed off for a bit, but about eight bells, as near as I can guess, I heard a deep gratingsort of noise. Then I felt myself rising up. I went higher and higher, till I began to wonder whether there was any chance of the berg turningover. There was a noise like thunder as the pieces of ice broke off andwent crashing down the other side. Then slowly I began to sink downagain, and I should say for an hour the berg rolled up and down. Then Iwent off to sleep. 

"As you may guess, I was on the top of the berg at daybreak, and saw wehad drifted into a big bay, and had grounded about midway. The cliffs inmost places rose sheer up out of the water, but here and there therewere breaks, and I could see that the land beyond was rough anddesolate-looking. I ate my last half-biscuit, and then made my way downto the water's edge. The shore seemed to me about half a mile away--alongish swim in cold water; but I was a good swimmer, and the seabetween the berg and the land was as smooth as a pond. I took off myclothes, put them in the middle of my oil-skin and wrapped it roundthem, tying one of my stockings round the neck of the bag to keep it alltogether. I had bought the oil-skin just before I started on thatvoyage, and knew that it would keep out the water tidy. I could not getdown nearer than twenty feet of the sea, so I dropped the bag in andthen jumped. 

"As I had hoped, the thing floated light. I pushed it before me as Iswam, and found that by putting my hands on it it would keep me up wellwhen I wanted to rest. However, I did not want much of that. The waterwas too cold to be idle in, and I never stopped swimming until I got toshore at the point I had marked out as easiest to land on. I wasn't longopening the bag and getting into my things, which were perfectly dry. Myfirst thought was of food. While I had been swimming I thought I heard asort of barking noise, and I wasn't long in seeing that there were a lotof seals on the rocks. I picked up a goodish chunk of stone, and thenlay down and set to crawling towards them. I had heard from sailors whohad been whaling that the way to kill a seal was to hit him on the nose, and I kept this in my mind as I crawled up. They did not seem to noticeme, and I got close among them without their moving. Then I jumped up. There was a young seal lying not ten feet from me, and before he hadtime to turn I smashed down my bit of rock between his eyes, and therehe lay dead. 

"Raw seal's flesh ain't a sort of food as you would take for choice, butI was too hungry to think about cooking, and I ate as big a meal as everI had in my life. Up till then I hadn't really thought as there was anychance of my being saved in the long run. Now I felt as there was, andfor the first time I felt really grateful that I had not shared in thefate of my messmates, and I knelt down and thanked God for havingbrought me safe to shore. Then I set-to to climb up to the top of thecliffs. It was hard work, and, as I afterwards found, I had just hit, byGod's mercy, on the only spot on that part of the island where I couldhave got up, for in most places the cliffs rose pretty near straight upfour or five hundred feet above the sea. 

"When I got to the top I saw that there were some mighty high hillscovered with snow to the south-east, which might have been fifteen ortwenty miles away. It was a dreary kind of country--rocky and desolate, with tufts of thin grass growing in the crevices of the rocks; and I sawthat there was precious little chance of picking up a living there, andthat if I was to get grub it was to the sea I must look for it. Ithought the best thing to do was to try and find out some sheltered sortof cove where, perhaps, I might find a bit of a cave, for I knew thatwhen winter came on there would be no chance for me in the open; so Iset out to walk. I brought up with me a big hunk of flesh that wouldlast me for three or four days, and what I had got to look for was freshwater. I walked all that day, keeping along pretty close to the edge ofthe cliff. I found plenty of little pools of rain-water among the rocks, and did pretty well. I was not hungry enough to tackle raw flesh thatnight, and had nothing to make a fire with. I had got matches in mypocket in a tight-fitting brass box which had kept them dry, but therewas no fuel. 

"The next morning I started again, and after walking for four or fivehours came to a spot where the cliffs broke away sudden. Getting to theedge I saw that there was a narrow bay stretching some way up into theisland. An hour's walk brought me to its head. Here, as I had hoped, Ifound a little stream running down into it. When you find a bay, mosttimes you will find water running in at its head. The ground slopedgradually here in great terraces; the rock was hard and black, andlooked as if it had been burnt. I have heard since that it was what theycall volcanic. Being so sheltered there were more things growing here, wherever a little earth had gathered; and I saw some things for all theworld like cabbages, and made up my mind to try them, when I got achance, with my seal-meat. 

"At last I got down near the water. Just at the head of the bay was ashelving shore, and along at the sides, as far as I could see it wasrocky, and there were plenty of seals here too. Along on the beach andon the rock and on the terraces were quantities of birds--penguins, as Iknew from what I had heard of them. They did not try to get out of myway, but just made an angry sort of noise. 'I will talk to youpresently, my hearties, ' I said; 'what I have got to do now is to lookfor a shelter. ' It was the end of April, and I knew that it would not belong before winter would be upon me, and if I was not out of it by thattime I should soon be frozen stiff. I did not go near the seals, for Idid not want to frighten them. I looked about the rest of that afternoonand all next day, but I could not find what you might properly call acave, and so determined to make use of the best place I could fix upon. This was a spot in the lower terrace, in the face of the rock. It seemedas if the lower part was softer than the upper, which was black and hardand almost like glass. Underneath this the rock had crumbled awayperhaps six feet in depth. 

"This soft rock was about four feet thick. It was more gone in someplaces than others. I chose a spot where a hole was about eight feetlong, and made up my mind to close up the front of this, just leaving ahole big enough for me to crawl in and out. First of all I brought upsome big stones and built a wall and filled up the crevices with tuftsof grass. Then I brought up smaller stones and piled against them, shooting in sand from the beach till I had made a regular solid bank, four feet thick, against the wall. Then I levelled the bottom of thecave with sand and spread it thickly with dried grass. All this took mefive days' hard work. There was no difficulty about food. I had only togo and pick up a few stones and go among the penguins and knock themover. I made a shift to cook them over fires made of dry tufts of grass. 

"I had been careful not to disturb the seals. I did not want any of themuntil the weather got cold enough to freeze their flesh. I thought ofoil from their blubber, but I had nothing to hold it. When I hadfinished my hut I began to hunt about to see if I could find drift-wood, but I could only find a few pieces in the cove, and gave it up, for Idid not see how I could anyhow keep up a fire through the winter. Then Ibethought me that the penguins could furnish me with feathers, and I setto work at them with earnest, and in a week had filled my cave two feetdeep with feathers. 

"Every day I could feel that it got colder, and at night there was asharp frost; so I determined now to set-to at the seals. There were noneof the sort that you get fur from, and there was not much warmth to behad from the skins, still they would do to block up the entrance to myden. I killed five or six of them, and found that some of the young oneswere furry enough to make coats of. As I was sitting on the ground bythem next morning, lamenting I had nothing to boil down their blubberin, an idea struck me. I might use the blubber as candles, stickingwicks into it. I set to work and stripped the blubber off all the seals, and cut it in squares of about six inches. Then I got a bit of one ofthe fresh skins, bent it up all round, of the right size for the squaresto fit into, fastened it, and spread it on the rocks to dry. The thoughtof how I was to make wicks bothered me. I could not spare my clothes. Atlast, after trying different things, I found that some of the grass wasvery tough. I put a bundle of this in a pool, and let it lay there for aweek; for I was a North of Ireland boy, and knew how they worked flax. At the end of that time I took it out, let it dry, and then bruised itbetween flat stones, and found that it had a tough fibre. I thanked God, and picked a lot more of it and put it to soak. You may guess I triedthe experiment that night; I made six big wicks and put them in one ofthe cakes of blubber and lighted them, and found that they burnedfamously and gave out a lot of heat. I killed some more seals; and bythe time the winter set in in earnest I had a stock of meat enough tolast me for months, and two or three hundredweight of cakes of blubber. 

"I had made several bowls and plates out of the seals' skins, and hadfashioned myself, in a mighty rough way, some suits of young seal-skinswith a hood that covered all my head and face except just my mouth andeyes. From the first I had eaten the cabbages regular with my food. Icould not cook them, because I had nothing to boil the water in, andthey were rather bitter to eat raw; but they were better than nothingwith the flesh, and I knew that I must eat green food if I wanted tokeep healthy. Among the drift-wood I had luckily found a couple ofbroken oars. To these I had fastened with seal sinews two sharp andstrong bones, and they made very fair spears. 

"By the end of May the ground was covered deep with snow, and the coldset in bitter. What had bothered me most of all was where I was to storemy stock of frozen meat and blubber. I knew that there was a chance ofbears coming, and that they would scent it out however I might hide it. At last I determined to put it in a hole something like that I had madeinto a den for myself. This hole was not like mine, on a level with theground, but was on the face of a smooth cliff about forty feet high. Imade a rope of seal-skin, fastened it to a projection in the rock overthe hole, and lowered myself down. I found the place would do well, andwas quite big enough for all my store, while the face of the rock wastoo steep to climb, even for a bear. So I carried all my stock up to thetop, and climbing up and down the rope, stored it in the hole, exceptwhat I wanted for a week's consumption. 

"Well, lads, I passed the winter there. However cold it was outside--andI can tell you it was bitter--it was warm enough in my den. At the verycoldest time I had two of my lamps burning, but most of the time onekept it warm enough. I used to nestle down in the feathers and haul aseal-skin over me; and however hard it blew outside, and however hardit froze, I was warm there. I used to frizzle my meat over the lamp, andevery day, when the weather permitted, I went out and brought in a stockof the cabbages. I always kept a good stock of blubber in the den andseveral bundles of my wicks. 

"One night I heard a sound of snuffing outside my cave, and knew at oncethat the bears had come. I had thought over what I should do, and wasready for them. The hole through the bank into the cave was only bigenough for me to crawl through, and I knew a bear could not come in tillhe had scraped it a good bit bigger. I tied a bunch of the flax to theend of one of my spears, poured a little melted grease from the lampover it, and then drew aside the seal-skin over the entrance and peepedout. 

"It was a moonlight night, and I could see a big head trying to thrustitself in at the other end of the hole. A moment later he began toscrape away at the sides. I lit the bundle of flax. It flared upfiercely, and I thrust it out full into the beast's face. He gave aroar, and off he went as fast as his feet would carry him. They tried ita dozen times if they did it once; but the torch was too much for them, and the seal bone in its middle must have given them some nasty wounds, for I generally saw blood on the snow in the morning. Whenever I went toget a fresh store of meat and blubber I could see how they had trampledon the snow at the foot of the rock, and how they had scratched its facein trying to get up at it, but it was all no manner of good. I waschased two or three times by them when I went out to gather my cabbages, but I always managed to get into my hole before they overtook me, andthey had learned to give that a wide berth. 

"It seemed to me that winter was never going to be over; but I was youngand had good spirits and was fond of a song, and I used to lie there andsing by the hour. Then I used to go over in my mind all the v'yges I hadmade and to remember the yarns I had heard, and would go over the talksI had had with Jack and Tom and Harry. You would be surprised how I keptmy spirits up. You see I was a young fellow, and young fellows takethings cheerful and make light of what would break them down when theyget older. I never had a day's illness, which I set down to themcabbages. I never saw them anywhere else, and I larnt arterwards thatKerguelen Island--for that was the place I was thrown on--was famous forthem. 

"When spring came and the snow melted I made up a package of fortypounds of meat, for the seals had not come yet, and started to make atour of the island. I thought such a place as this was pretty well sureto be used by whalers in summer; and if so, I should find signs of theirhaving been there. I made a few excursions first, and found I was prettynear the middle of the island--of course on the westerly side. I climbeda high hill, but I did not learn much except that the island was a bigone, and there were hills both to the north and south that looked to meas if they must be thirty or forty miles away. As far as I could see ofthe west coast of the island the cliffs were everywhere precipitous; andthough at the east they did not seem much better, I concluded to trythat first. You see at this point the island was not more than fifteenmiles across, but it seemed to bulge out both ways, and where I waslooked like a sort of neck connecting two big islands. It was an awfulcountry to traverse, all hill and rock; but after three weeks' trampingI gave a shout, for in a bay in front of me was a large hut. 

"I had had a hard time of it and was pretty well done up. My meat hadlasted me well enough on short rations and I had filled up on cabbages;but I was often a long time without water, having to depend entirely onmelted snow in the hollows of the rocks. I hurried down to the hut; itwas a rough shed evidently erected for the use of whalers, and round itwere ashes of fires, empty meat-tins, and other signs of the stay ofsailors here. For the next month I lived here. The birds were returning. There was a stream close at hand, and enough drift-wood on the shores toenable me to keep up a constant fire. I woke up one morning in Novemberto see a vessel entering the bay. The crew would scarce believe me whenI told them that I passed the winter on the island alone, and that I hadlived for six months on seal-meat, penguins, and cabbages. I learnedfrom them that the bay was known as Hillsborough Bay, and the cove wherethe whaler entered as Betsy Cove, and that it was a regular rendezvousof whalers. I fished with them all through the summer, and went home inthe ship, and was soon down again on the books of Godstone & Son. "

"Well, that was a go, and no mistake, Joe!" Jim Tucker said. "Fancyhaving to live for six months on seal frizzled over a lamp and rawcabbages! You did not tell us how you did for drink. "

"Melted snow, " Joe replied. "I used to fix one of the basins of driedseal-skin a foot or so above the lamp, so that it would be hot enough tomelt the snow without a risk of its burning itself. Then I used to pourthe water from one basin to another for half an hour. Melted snow-wateris poor stuff if you don't do that. I do not know the rights of it, butI have heard tell that it's 'cause there ain't no air in it, though formy part I never could see no air in water, except in surf. I had heardthat that was the way they treated condensed water, and anyhow it was asort of amusement like, and helped to pass the time. "

"Well, it is a capital story to listen to, Joe, " Jack said; "but Ishould not like to go through it myself. It must have been an awfultime, shut up in a hole with a stinking lamp, for I expect it did stink, all those months. "

"It did use to smell powerful strong sometimes, lad, and many a time atfirst it turned me as sick as a youngster on his first v'yage; but I gotaccustomed to it after a bit. The great thing was to keep your wickshort. "

"And now about your other wreck not far from here?"

"I will tell you that to-morrow evening, lads. That was a more ordinarykind of thing. It wasn't pleasant; I don't know that wrecks ever are, but it wasn't such an out-of-the-way thing as being chucked up on to aniceberg. "

CHAPTER XVII. 

IN DANGEROUS SEAS. 

THE following evening, as the twilight was falling, the lads againgathered round the old sailor. 

"Well, lads, " he began, "just as this other affair I was telling youabout happened further down south, so the other was a goodish bit to thenorth. We were bound for the Persian Gulf, and I fancy the captain gotwrong with his reckonings. He had had trouble before we sailed; had losthis wife sudden, I heard, and, more's the pity, he took to drink. He wasthe first and last captain as ever I sailed under as did it; forGodstone & Son were always mighty particular with their masters, andwould not have a man, not for ever so, who was given to lifting hiselbow. Anyhow, we went wrong; and it is a baddish place to go wrong, Ican tell you, is the Mozambique Channel. There was a haze on the waterand a light breeze, and just about eight bells in the morning we wentplump ashore--though none of us thought we were within a hundred milesof land. There was a pretty to-do, as you might fancy; but we had towait until morning to see where we were; then we found, when the mistlifted a bit that we were on a low sandy coast. 

"We had no doubt that we should get her off so we got the boats out andthe hatches off, and began to get up the cargo. We worked hard all day, and thought we had got pretty well enough out of her, and were justgoing to knock off work and carry out a couple of anchors and cablesastern to try and heave her off, when there was a yell, and two or threehundred black fellows came dashing down on us with spears. They crept upso close before they showed, that we had no time to tumble into theboats before they were upon us. We made the best sort of fight we could, but that wasn't much. We had brought ashore muskets and cutlasses, butthey had been left in the boats, and only a few of us had time to gethold of them before they were upon us. I cut and slashed as well as Icould, but it was not for long; for a spear lodged in my shoulder justat the moment when a big native caught me a clip over the head with aclub, and down I went. 

"I fancy I was some time before I got my senses again. When I did Ifound that I was tied hand and foot, and was lying there on the sands, with three or four of our fellows in the same plight as myself. They allbelonged to the jolly-boat in which I had come ashore. The other boathad made a shift to push off with some of its hands and get back to theship; but I did not know that until afterwards, for I was lying downbehind a hillock of sand and could not get a view of the sea. There werelots of natives about, and they seemed mighty excited. I could hear adropping fire of muskets, and guessed that those on board were keepingup a fire on any who so showed themselves on the beach. The natives gotmore and more excited, and kept jabbering together and pointing awayalong the coast; and I guessed that some of their own craft were comingto attack the ship. 

"Presently I heard one of the guns, then another and another. The shotdidn't come whistling our way, so I had no doubt that the ship wasattacked. For a quarter of an hour the firing went on--cannon andmusketry. I could hear the yells of the natives and the shouts of ourmen, though I could see nothing. The natives round me were pretty nearout of their minds with excitement; then they began to dance and yell, and all at once the firing ceased, and I knew that the niggers had takenthe ship. I was afraid it would come to that; for you see they had lostpretty well a third of their crew in the fight on shore, and the niggerswould never have ventured to attack if they had not been ten to oneagainst them. 

"We lay there all that night, and I believe I should have died of thirstif a nigger wench had not taken compassion on us and given us a drink. The next morning our ropes were undone. Our first look when we got upwas naturally towards the ship. There she lay, with a dozen native craftround her. Her decks were black with niggers, and they were hard at workstripping her. No one paid much attention to us, for there was nowherewe could run to; and we sat down together and talked over our chances. We saw nothing of our shipmates; and whether they were all killed, orwhether some of them were put aboard the native craft, I never knew. They were some days unloading and stripping the ship, and they had bigquarrels over the division of the spoil. I think the fellows with boatsdid our natives out of their share, beyond what fell into their handswhen they first attacked us. However, at last it was all done; then twochiefs came and had a look at us, and one took me and Tom Longstaff, and another took the other two. 

"We had not done badly for eating while we were on shore, for there wasseveral barrels of pork and biscuits among the lot we had landed, and wewere free to take as much as we wanted. The other bales and boxes wereall broken open and the contents made up into packets, and Tom and I andabout sixty niggers, each with as much as he could stagger under, started away from the shore. It wasn't a long march, for their villagelay only about six miles away. We knew it could not be far, because thewomen and children had come down to the beach two or three hours afterthe fight was over. We stopped here about a month, and then one morningthe chief and four of his men started off with Tom and me. We made threedays' marches, such marches as I never want to do again. Tom and I didour best to keep up; but the last day we were quite worn out, and if ithadn't been that they thumped us with their spears and prodded us up, weshould never have done it. 

"The place we got to was a deal bigger than the first village. We wereleft outside the biggest hut with the four fellows to guard us, whilethe chief went inside. Presently he came out again with a chap quitedifferent to himself. He was brown instead of being black, and dressedquite different; and having been trading up in the Persian Gulf I knewhim to be an Arab. He looked us over as if we had been bullocks heintended to buy, and then went into the hut again. A few minutes laterour chief came out and made signs to us that we belonged to the Arabnow, and then went away with his men, and we never saw him again. We hadan easy time of it for the next week, and then the Arab started with anumber of carriers laden with goods for the interior. 

"You would scarcely believe, lads, what we went through on that 'erejourney. Many a time Tom and I made up our minds to bolt for it; and wewould have done it if we had had the least idea which way to go or howwe were to keep alive on the journey. We had agreed when we started thatwe would do our best, and that we would not put up with any flogging. Wedidn't much care whether they killed us or not, for we would just asleave have died as passed our lives in that country with all its beastlyways. Well, a couple of days after we had started, a big nigger driverwho had been laying on his stick freely on the backs of the slaves camealong, and let Tom and me have one apiece. Tom, who was nearest to him, chucked down his load and went right at him, and knocked him over like aninepin. 

"Well, some of the other drivers or guards, or whatever they call them, ran up, and there was a tidy skrimage, I can tell you. It was tenminutes, I should say, before they got the best of us; and there was notone among them but was badly damaged about the figure-head. When theyhad got us down they laid it on to rights, and I believe they would havefinished us if the Arab had not come up and stopped it. 

"'Look here, ' said I, when I was able to get up on to my feet again; 'weare ready to work just as far as men can work, but if one of thoseniggers lays a finger on us we will do for him. You may cut us in piecesafterwards, but we will do for him. '

"I don't know whether the Arab understood just what I said, but I thinkhe got the gist of it. He spoke sharp to his men, and they never touchedus afterwards. I could not quite make out what they were taking us for, because I can say honestly we were not much good at carrying--not halfas good as one of the slaves. The first day or two we carried a goodmanful load. Then our shoes went to pieces, and we got that footsore andbad we could scarcely crawl along, let alone carrying loads. Tom said hethought that the Arab was a-taking us to sell as curios to some fellowwho had never seen white men before, and it turned out as he was right. After we had been travelling for nigh a month we came to a big village;and there was great excitement over our coming, and for two days therewere feastings, while the Arab sold part of his goods to the people forgold dust and ivory. 

"The chief had come to look at us the day we arrived, and we had beenpacked away together in a little hut. The third day he came again withthe Arab, and made signs that I was his property now, while the Arabtold Tom to go out and start with his caravan. It was a big wrench forus, but it were no good struggling against what was to be. So we shookhands and parted on it quietly, and what became of Tom I have neverheard from that day to this; but like enough he is dead years ago. 

"Well, it would be too long a story to tell you all that happened in thenine months I stopped in that village. The chief was very proud of me, and used to show me off to his visitors. I had not such a very bad timeof it. I used to make myself as useful as I could. I had been a handysort of chap, and fond of carpentry, and I made a shift with what nativetools I could get to turn out tables and chairs, and cupboards, and suchlike. All this time I was wondering how I was ever to get back again. Iused to share a hut with another slave who had been captured in war. They generally sell them to the Arab slave-dealers to take down to thecoast, but this man was the son of a chief who had gone to war with thefellow who owned me, and had been killed; and he kept this chap as hisslave as a sort of brag, I think. 

"We got on very well together, and of course by the time we had beenthere six months I got to talk their lingo, and we agreed at last thatwe would try to make a bolt of it together. So one night--when ithappened that there was a great feast in the village--we slipped away assoon as it got dark, and made south, our object being to strike one ofthe Portuguese stations. We armed ourselves with bows and arrows, andspears; and as many yams as we could carry. It would make a book, lads, if I was to tell you all we went through before we got there. Wetravelled chiefly by nights; sometimes killing a deer, sometimes gettinga few yams or heads of corn from the fields of the villages we passed. We had one or two skrimages, but fortunately never ran against anystrong bodies of natives. By myself I should have died before I had beengone a fortnight but Mwango was up to every dodge. He knew what rootswere good to eat, and what fruit and berries were safe. He could stealup to a herd of deer without frightening them, and was a first-rate handin making pitfalls for game. 

"I didn't keep no account of time, but it was somewhere about six weeksafter we had started when we came down on the banks of a biggish river. We followed it down until, two or three days later, we came on avillage. There we stole a canoe, and paddling at night and lying up inthe day, we came after about a week to a Portuguese post. There we werekindly received, and stopped for a month; and then I went down the riverwith some traders to the coast, while Mwango took service with thePortuguese. Six weeks later I was lucky enough to get a ship bound forthe Cape, and there shifted into another for England. So that, younggentlemen, was the second time as I was off the books of Godstone &Son. "

"Thank you very much, Joe. Some day you must give us some more yarnsabout it, and tell us something of your life in the village and yourjourney. "

"I will think it over, Master Jim. It is a long time ago now, for I wasnot above six-and-twenty when it happened. But I will think it over, andsee if I can call back something worth telling. "

From that time onwards the boys had no reason to complain of dulness. 

If the old man's memory ever played him false, his imagination neverfailed him. Story followed story in almost unbroken sequence, so thatbetween old Joe's yarns and the ordinary duties of sea life the timepassed swiftly and pleasantly. After rounding the Cape they had a spellof fine weather, until one morning when Jack came on deck he saw landaway on the port beam. 

"There is Ceylon, " Jim Tucker said. 

"I should like to land and have a day's ramble on shore there, Jim. There would be something to see there with all that rich vegetation. Avery different thing from the sands of Egypt!"

"Yes, and all sorts of adventures, Jack. There are snakes and elephantsand all sorts of things. "

"I certainly should not care to meet snakes, Jim, and I don't know thatI should like wild elephants. Still, I should like a ramble on shore. Isuppose there is no chance of our getting nearer to the land. "

"Not a bit, Jack. I heard Mr. Hoare tell Arthur that it was very seldomwe passed within sight of the island at all. Sailors are not fond ofland except when they are actually going to make a port. The furtherthey keep away from it the better they are pleased. "

"Such splendid weather as this I should have thought it would have madeno difference, " Jack said. "I should be glad if we were going to coastup the whole way. Why, we have had nothing but a gentle regular windever since that storm off the Cape. "

"Yes, but it may not last all the way, Jack, " Mr. Timmins, as he walkedpast and overheard the lad's words, said. "There is no place in theworld where they have more furious cyclones than in the Bay of Bengal. Happily they don't come very often. Perhaps there is only one reallyvery bad one in four or five years; but when there is one thedestruction is awful. Islands are submerged, and sometimes, hundreds ofsquare miles of low country flooded, the villages washed away, and afrightful loss of life. I have been in one or two sharp blows up thebay, but never in a cyclone; though I have been in one in the ChinaSeas. That was bad enough in all conscience. "

The wind fell lighter as they made their way up the coast. They keptwell out from the land, and had not sighted it since leaving Ceylon. Solight were the winds that it was some days before Mr. Timmins told themthat they were now abreast of Madras. 

"How much longer shall we be before we are at the mouth of the Hoogley, sir?"

"It depends upon the wind, lad. With a strong breeze aft we shall bethere in three or four days. If we have calms we may be as many weeks. "

Another week of light baffling winds, and then the breeze died awayaltogether and there was a dead calm. The sun poured down with greatforce, but the sky was less blue and clear than usual. At night it wasstiflingly hot, and the next morning the sun again rose over a sea assmooth as a sheet of glass. 

"I wonder what the captain and the two mates are talking about soseriously, " Jack said as the three lads leant against the bulwarks inthe shadow of the mainsail. 

"I expect they are wondering whether the pitch won't melt off herbottom, " Jim Tucker said with a laugh; "or what will happen if all thecrew are baked alive. I am sure it is pretty well as hot as an oven. "

"The sky looks rather a queer colour, " Jack said, looking up. "You canhardly call it blue at all. "

"No, it is more like a dull gray than blue, " Arthur Hill said. "Hallo!What is up, I wonder?"

The captain had disappeared in his cabin, and on coming out had said afew words to Mr. Timmins, who at once went to the edge of thequarter-deck and shouted "all hands to shorten sail. " The vessel wasunder a cloud of canvas, for every sail that could draw had been setupon her to make the most of the light puffs of wind. Some of the youngseamen looked as if they could hardly believe their ears at the order;but Jack heard one of the older sailors say to a mate as they ran up theratlines, "What did I tell you half an hour since, Bob: that like enoughwe should have scarce a rag on her by sunset. "

The lads sprang up the ratlines with the men, for they took their shareof duty aloft. Arthur's place was in the mizzen, Jim's in the main, andJack's in the fore-top. The stunsails were first got in, then the royalsand topgallant-sails. The men were working well, but the captain's voicecame up loud from the quarter-deck, "Work steady, lads, but work all youcan! Every minute is of consequence!"

Jack looked round the horizon, but could see nothing to account for thisurgency. The sun was nearly overhead--a ball of glowing fire, and yet, Jack thought, less bright than usual, for he could look at it steadily, and its circle was clear and well defined. From that point right awaydown to the horizon the dull heavy-looking sky stretched away unbrokenby a single cloud. 

As soon as the topgallant-sails were furled the upper spars were sentdown, then the courses were clewed up and two of her jibs taken off her. "Close reef the topsails!" was the next order, and when this was done, and the men after more than an hour's work descended to the decksdrenched with perspiration, the ship was under the easiest possiblecanvas--nothing but the three closely-reefed topsails, thefore-staysail, and a small jib. Mr. Hoare and the third mate had beenaloft with the men, and as soon as all were on deck the work of coilingaway ropes, ranging the light spars, and tidying up began. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

A CYCLONE. 

"WHAT on earth is it all about?" Arthur Hill asked his comrades as thethree boys gathered together after the work was done. "Why, there is nota breath of wind. Is it all done for practice, do you think?"

Jim shook his head. "I expect we are going to have one of those cyclonesMr. Timmins was speaking about the other day, though I don't see anysigns of it, except the queer colour of the sky. I expect the glass musthave been going down very fast. There is the captain popping into hiscabin again. Well, he is not long about it, " he added, as CaptainMurchison hurried out again and spoke to Mr. Timmins, who immediatelygave the order, "Furl mizzen and main topsails! Lower down thefore-staysail!"

"Well, there can't be more to do now, " Jack said, when the order wascarried out, "unless we set to work to set them all again. "

"Look, Jack!" Arthur Hill said, grasping his arm and pointing away onthe starboard beam. 

A wall of black mist seemed to hang upon the horizon, rising momentarilyhigher and higher. 

"The squall is coming, lads!" the captain shouted. "When it strikes herhold on for your lives. Carpenter, put a man with an axe at each of theweather-shrouds. We may have to cut away before we have done with it. "

All eyes were now turned towards the bank of cloud, which was risingwith extraordinary rapidity. Small portions of the upper line seemed attimes to be torn off and to rush ahead of the main body, and then todisappear, suddenly blown into fragments. A low moaning sound was heard, and a line of white could be made out at the foot of the cloud-bank. Thewater around the ship was still as smooth as glass, though there was aslight swell, which swayed her to and fro, and caused the shrouds andblocks to rattle. 

Louder and louder grew the murmur. Again the captain's voice was heard:"Hold on for your lives, lads!" and then with a scream and roar, as of athousand railway whistles, the gale struck the ship. So tremendous wasthe force, that although the closely-reefed fore-topsail was the onlysail that the _Wild Wave_ was showing aloft--for the jib blew from thebolt-ropes the instant the squall struck her--the vessel heeled over andover until her lee-rail was under water. Further and further she went, until the ends of the yards were under water, and the sea seemed toJack, who was holding on by the weather bulwark, as if it were directlyunder his feet. 

[Illustration: CAUGHT IN THE CYCLONE]

He thought that the ship was going to capsize, and had not her cargobeen well stowed she must have done so. She was now almost on her beamends, pressed down by the action of the wind upon her hull rather thanher masts, and had it not been that the boys had each at the last momenttwisted a rope round his body, they must have dropped into the water, for the deck afforded no hold whatever to their feet. Jack feltcompletely bewildered at the noise and fury of the wind. He had thoughtthat after the gale they had passed through south of the Cape, he knewwhat bad weather was; but this was beyond anything of which he had theslightest conception. 

Looking round he saw Mr. Timmins clinging to the bulwarks, and makinghis way along with the greatest difficulty until he reached the sailorstationed with the axe at the mizzen-shrouds, he saw the man rise fromhis crouching position, and, holding on to the bulwarks, strike threeblows on the lanyards. Then there was a crash, and the mizzen-mast brokesuddenly off four feet above the deck and fell into the sea. 

Jack thought that the vessel lifted a little, for he could see one morestreak of the deck planking. Mr. Timmins looked round towards thecaptain, who was clinging to the wheel. The latter waved his hand, andthe mate again began to make his way forward. He passed the boys withouta word, for the loudest shout would have been inaudible in the howlingof the wind. He stopped at the main-shrouds again, the axe descended andthe mainmast went over the side. The relief from the weight of the mastand the pressure of the wind upon it was immediate; the _Wild Wave_rose with a surge and her lee-rail appeared above the surface, then sherose no further. 

Mr. Timmins looked back again at the captain, but the latter made nosign. He could see that the pressure of the wind upon the foremast wasbeginning to pay the vessel's head off before it; as it did so sheslowly righted until, when fairly before the wind, she was upon a levelkeel. Then there was a dull explosion heard even above the gale, and thefore-topsail split into ribbons. But the ship was now before the gale, and was scudding, from the effect of the wind on the bare pole and hullalone, at great speed through the water. As soon as she had righted thelads threw off their lashings, but still clung tight to the rail, andstruggled aft till they stood under shelter of the poop. 

"This is something like!" Jim roared at the top of his voice into Jack'sear. Even then his words could scarcely be heard. 

Jack nodded. At present, even had conversation been possible, he wouldhave had no inclination for it, for he felt stunned and bewildered. Ithad all taken place in ten minutes. It was but that time since the shiphad been lying motionless on a still ocean. Now she was rushing, withone mast only standing, before a furious gale, and had had the narrowestpossible escape from destruction. As yet the sea had scarce begun torise, but seemed flattened under the terrific pressure of the wind, which scooped hollows in it and drove the water before it in fine spray. 

Jack had read in the papers about tornadoes in America, and how houseswere sometimes bodily lifted with their contents and carried longdistances, and how everything above the surface was swept away as if ascythe had passed over it. He had heard these accounts discussed by thefishermen, and the general opinion in Leigh was that there was mightylittle truth in them. The Leigh men thought they knew what a gale was, and what it could do. They knew that chimney-pots and tiles could becarried some distance with the wind, that arms of trees could be twistedoff, and that an empty boat could be carried a considerable distance;but that a house could be bodily whirled away, was going so far beyondanything that came within their experiences as to be wholly disbelieved. 

But Jack knew now as he looked round that this and more was possible. Hefelt the whole vessel leap and quiver as the gust struck her, and thiswith only one bare pole standing, and he would have been scarcesurprised now had the ship herself been lifted bodily from the water. Asto walking along the deck, it would have been impossible. No man couldhave forced his way against the wind, and Jack felt that were he toattempt to move from the sheltered spot where he was standing he wouldbe taken up and carried away as if he were but a figure of straw. Presently Mr. Hoare came down from the poop and dived into the cabin, making a sign to the lads to follow him. He stood there for a minutepanting with his exertions. 

"The captain has sent me down for a spell, " he said. "He and the firstand Jack Moore are all lashed to the wheel. Sometimes I thought thatall four of us, wheel and all, would have been blown right away. Well, lads, this is a cyclone, and you may live a hundred years and never seesuch another. You had better stop in here, for you might get blown rightaway, and can be of no good on deck. There is nothing to do. The windhas got her and will take her where it likes; we can do nothing but keepher straight. There will be a tremendous sea up before long. The waterat the upper part of the bay is shallow, and we shall have a sea likeyours at the mouth of the Thames, Jack, --only on a big scale. 

"Our lives are in God's hands, boys; don't forget to ask for help wherealone it can be obtained. Now I must be going up again. Steward, give mea glass of weak grog and a biscuit. Do you know, lads, my sides fairlyache. Once or twice I was pressed against the wheel with such force thatI could scarcely breathe, and if I had been pinned there by an elephantbutting me I could not have been more powerless. That is right, steward, get me my oil-skin and sou'-wester from the cabin. You had better get akettle on over the spirit-stove, so that we can have a cup of hot cocoawhen we like. Now then, I am ready for the fray again!" and buttoninghimself closely up Mr. Hoare went on deck again. 

Jack Moore was the next to come down. "Captain's orders, steward. I amto have a glass of grog. Well, young gentlemen, this is a gale and nomistake. I have been at sea over thirty years, and have never seenanything to be compared with it. If you get through this you need neverbe afraid of another; not if you live to be white-headed!"

After Jack Moore had gone up Mr. Timmins and the captain came down byturns. Each took a cup of cocoa. They said but few words to the boys, and were indeed almost too much exhausted by the struggle through whichthey had gone to be able to speak. The boys gathered again under the leeof the poop and watched the scene. It had changed considerably; the windseemed as violent as ever, but the sea was no longer kept in subjectionto it, and was now tossing itself in a wild and confused manner. 

Another half hour and it had settled in some sort of regularity, and wassweeping before the wind in deep trough-like waves with steep sides, resembling those to which Jack had been accustomed in Sea Reach, on agigantic scale. Soon again these were broken up, and were succeeded by awild tumultuous sea like a boiling cauldron. The vessel was thrownviolently from side to side, taking water over, now on one beam now onthe other, and at times shaking from blows as if she had struck upon arock. So sharp and sudden were her movements that the lads could notkeep their feet, and again made their way into the cabin. Even here itwas necessary to shout in order to be heard. 

"What an extraordinary sea, Jim! I never saw anything like it before. "

"That is what it's from, " Jim replied, pointing to the tell-tale compasshanging from the beams overhead. 

Jack glanced at it. "Why, we are running due south!"

"Aye; and I expect we have been two or three times round the compassalready. That is what makes this frightful broken sea. "

"Well, as long as we keep on running round and round, " Jack said, "thereis no fear of our running against the land anywhere. "

Jim was further advanced in the study of navigation. "You forget, " hesaid, "the centre of the cyclone is moving along all the time, andthough we may go round and round the centre we are moving in the samedirection as the cyclone is going, whatever that may be. "

For hours the storm raged without the slightest signs of abatement. Thesea was now terrific; the waist of the ship was full of water. Greenseas swept over the vessel's bows, carrying everything before them, andpouring aft burst open the cabin door and deluged the cabin. By turnsthe boys made their way to the door and looked out. 

"Come out, you fellows!" Jim Tucker shouted after one of these trips ofinvestigation. "The men are coming out from the fo'castle. There issomething to be done. "

The boys came out and crawled a few steps up the poop-ladder, holding onfor life as they did so. They did not attempt to get on to the poop, forthey felt they would be blown away if they exposed themselves there tothe full force of the wind. Looking round, the scene was terrible. Thesurface of the sea was almost hidden by the clouds of spray blown fromthe heads of the waves; a sky that was inky black hung overhead. Thesea, save for the white heads, was of similar hue, but ahead thereseemed a gleam of light. Jim Tucker, holding on by the rail, raisedhimself two or three feet higher to have a better view. A moment wassufficient. 

He sprang down again and shouted in his comrades' ears, "Breakersahead!" It needed no further words. The light ahead was the gleam of asea of white foam towards which the vessel was hurrying. Nothing couldbe done to check or change her course. Had the mizzen been standing aneffort might have been made to show a little sail upon it, and bring herhead up into the wind to anchor; but even could this have been done thecables would have snapped like pack-threads. There was nothing for itbut destruction. Jack followed Jim's example--crawled to the top of thegangway, and holding on by the poop-rail raised himself to his feet andlooked forward. 

Right across their bows stretched a band of white breakers, and beyondthrough the mist he could make out the line of a low shore. The ladsdescended again into the waist, and with great difficulty made their wayforward to where the men were huddled together round the entrance to thefo'castle. They too had kept a look-out, and knew of the danger intowhich they were running and the impossibility of avoiding it. 

"Is there anything to be done?" Jim Tucker shouted. 

A silent shake of the head was a sufficient answer. The vessel and allin her were doomed. The officers were now seen leaving the helm andcoming forward. It was a proof in itself of the hopelessness of theprospect. The vessel was indeed steering herself straight before thegale, and as there were no regular following waves there was no fear ofher broaching to. The boats, that had at the commencement of the stormbeen hanging from the davits, were all gone or useless. One or two hadbeen smashed to pieces by heavy seas striking them; others had been tornfrom their fastenings and blown clean away. 

The long-boat alone remained lashed amidships on the deck. Jack pointedto her, but an old sailor shook his head and pointed to the sea. No boatcould hope to live in it a minute. Once in the breakers it would beswamped instantly. The officers made their way forward. 

"It is all over, lads!" the captain shouted; "but some of us may reachthe shore on pieces of the wreck as she breaks up. We will get thelong-boat ready for launching: some of you may cling to her. Now, lads, let us shake hands all round, and meet our fate as British sailorsshould do--calmly and bravely. At any rate some of us may be saved yet. "

The crew of the _Wild Wave_ had been a happy one. Discipline had beengood, although every indulgence had been allowed the men, and all werefond of her officers. There was a silent hand-clasp all round, and thensome of the sailors followed the officers to the boat. As they did sothey knew well that the order was given merely to keep them employed, for the chance of anyone being washed ashore and reaching it alivethrough the tremendous surf was small indeed. As they cut away theboat's cover they looked round, and a low cry broke from several ofthem. The ship was close to the broken water. 

Every man clung to something and awaited the shock. In a few seconds itcame. As she descended a wave there was a tremendous shock, followedinstantaneously by a crash as the foremast went over the bow. Anotherand another, accompanied each time with the sound of rending timbers. 

"Cut away the lashings of the boat!" the captain shouted, drawing hisknife and setting the example. As he did so he touched Jack and pointedinto the bottom of the boat. The lad understood him. He was to put inthe plugs, which at ordinary times were left out to allow any rain-waterto escape as it fell. Jack in turn touched Arthur, and the two climbedinto the boat to replace the plugs. 

As they did so a fiercer gust than usual struck the vessel. The lashingsof the long-boat had just been cut, and the gale seized it and raised itin the air as if it had been made of paper. Jack and Arthur uttered acry, and involuntarily clung for life to the thwarts. Over and over theywere whirled. Confused, giddy, scarce knowing what had happened, theyclung on. It was a sort of nightmare, and how long it lasted they knewnot. Presently there was a terrific crash, and they knew no more. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

CAST ASHORE. 

WHEN Jack opened his eyes he lay for some time wondering where he wasand what had become of him. There were stars in the sky overhead, butthe light was stealing over it, and he felt that it was daybreak. Therewas a loud, dull, roaring sound in his ears--a sound he could notunderstand, for not even a breath of wind fanned his cheek. At lastslowly the facts came to his mind. There had been a great storm, thevessel was among the breakers, he had got into the long-boat with Arthurto put in the plugs, they had been lifted up and blown away--and thensuddenly Jack sat upright. 

It was light enough for him to see that he was still in the boat, butits back was broken and its sides staved in. Around him was a mass oftangled foliage, and close beside him lay Arthur Hill, the blood slowlyoozing from a terrible gash in his forehead. Jack leaned over and raisedhim, and loudly shouted his name in his ear. With a sigh Arthur openedhis eyes. 

"What is it, Jack?" he asked feebly. 

"We are saved, old man. We have been blown right ashore in the boat, andwe have both got shaken and hurt a bit; but, thank God, we are bothalive. "

"Where are we?" Arthur asked, looking round. 

"As far as I can see, " Jack replied, "we are in the middle of a grove oftrees that have been blown down by the gale, and the leaves and brancheshave broken our fall, otherwise we must have been smashed up. We musthave been lying here for the last ten hours. It was just about sixo'clock when we struck, for I looked at the clock in the cabin the lasttime we were down there; and as the sun will be up before long, it mustbe getting on for five now. Now, let us try to get out of this. "

With the greatest difficulty, for they were still weak and terriblyshaken, the boys made their way through the tangle of trees andbranches, into which they had so providentially fallen. Both uttered anexclamation of surprise as they reached the edge of the wood: the seawas nearly half a mile away! A tremendous surf was still breaking, andfor a quarter of a mile out a band of white breakers extended along theshore. There were no signs of the _Wild Wave_. 

Scarce speaking a word they made their way down to the shore, with thefaint hope that some of their comrades might have been thrown on thestrand alive. A few bits of broken timber alone showed that a wreck hadtaken place; the rest had probably been swept by the current up or downthe coast. They walked for half a mile and then stopped. The sea herehad made a clean breach over the land, and extended as far as the eyecould reach. Retracing their steps they were again stopped by a similarobstacle. Then they went inland, passed round the grove of fallen trees, and looked landward. 

As far as they could see stretched a broad sheet of water, broken onlyby the branches of fallen trees. It was evident that a vast tract ofcountry had been submerged by the storm, and that what was now an islandupon which they stood had only been saved from a similar fate by being afew feet higher than the surrounding country. Every tree upon it hadbeen felled, and the very surface of the soil seemed to have been tornoff by the fury of the gale. 

Scarcely a word had been spoken from the time they first reached theshore. The fate of their shipmates had depressed them profoundly, and asyet they could scarcely feel grateful for their own escape. Jack was thefirst to rouse himself from this state of despondency. 

"Well, Arthur, " he said, "things don't look very bright, but we musthope for the best. At any rate let us thank God for having rescued us insuch a marvellous manner. It seems almost a miracle. "

Both the boys were bareheaded, their caps having been blown away at thecommencement of the gale, and they now stood with bended heads for someminutes silently thanking God for their preservation. 

"Now, Arthur, " Jack said cheerfully, "let us go down to the water andsee how fast it is sinking. It was running like a sluice into the sea atboth ends of this island, and I do not suppose that it will be manyhours before it is gone. As soon as it is we must set out and make ourway across to the land beyond it. We are sure to find some villagesthere and to get some sort of food after we've been down to the water. Ivote we go back to the wood and lie down in the shade there. The sunwill soon be unpleasantly hot, and as there is no chance of our gettinga drink the sooner we are out of it the better. "

The day passed slowly; the boys talked but little, and when they did sotheir conversation turned entirely upon their lost shipmates, for thatsubject occupied their thoughts far more than their present situation. Before night the water had so far sunk that only some glistening poolsappeared where a broad sheet of water had before spread. Arthur wassuffering much from thirst and would have started at once, but Jackpersuaded him to wait until the next morning. 

"We may tumble into deep holes full of mud, " he said, "and should get onvery slowly. Let us have a good night's sleep and start with the firstgleam of daylight. We shall be able to get along fast then. "

They found, however, that it was not very fast work; for the country hadbeen cultivated and the soil was now converted into a soft mud, in whichthey sank up to their knees. Here and there as they went on they sawpiles of mud and sunburnt bricks, with timbers projecting, and knew thatthese marked the site where villages or houses had stood. Among theclumps of fallen trees they saw bits of colour, and knew that these werethe bodies of some of the natives. Here and there, too, they saw thecarcass of a bullock. At last they found the ground under their feetmuch firmer. 

"This has been a road, " Jack said. "The flood as it went down has leftthree or four inches of mud on it, but it is fairly firm underneath. Ifwe can manage to keep on this we shall get on well. "

For six hours they plodded on, sometimes losing the path and flounderingin the deep mud, at others regaining it and going along briskly. At theend of that time the mud was less deep, and in half an hour they werebeyond the range of the inundation. Here and there a tree was stillstanding, and after an hour's walking they came to a village. All thehouses were unroofed and many of them levelled to the ground, but thewalls of a few were still erect; some natives were moving about, and afew were digging at the ruined houses, apparently searching for theremains of those buried there. They evinced no interest in the arrivalof the two shipwrecked white boys, being too utterly cowed and broken tothink of anything but their own misery. 

"There is a well, Arthur; at least I expect it is that, " Jack said, pointing to a post upon which was a long pole with a rope hanging fromthe end in the air. 

They hurried to the spot, for both were suffering severely, and Arthurwas scarcely able to speak. They found to their delight that Jack'ssurmise was a correct one, and hauling up the rope a bucket full ofwater came to the surface. Arthur was about to seize it, when Jack said, "You had better take this thing, Arthur; the natives might make a row ifyou drank from their bucket. " Arthur seized the half gourd that Jack hadpicked up, dipped it into the bucket, and handed it to Jack. 

"Fire away, man; you are worse than I am, " Jack replied. 

The gourd had to be refilled two or three times before they were bothsatisfied, then they went back into the village. Jack pointed to hismouth, and made signs that they wanted something to eat. The nativesshook their heads apathetically and proceeded with their work. At lastthey went up to an old woman sitting in a chair, and rocking herselfbackwards and forwards. She paid no attention when Jack addressed her, but upon his holding out a shilling to her her manner at once changed. She hobbled into the house and returned with a pile of flat cakes madefrom some native grain. 

"We shall do now, " Jack said, as, munching away at the bread, theytramped on. "We must get to some place sooner or later where there issomebody who can talk English. How much money have you got, Arthur?"

"I have got two pounds, " Arthur said. "I took it out of my chest whilethe gale was going on. I thought if we were wrecked and did get to shoreit might be useful. "

"I wish I had done the same, " Jack said. "I have luckily got a sovereignin my pocket, for I was going to pay Joe Scales for those six lightcanvas trousers he made me. Well, three pounds between us is not bad;and I have got four or five shillings loose, which will do, I hope, until we get to some place where we can change our gold. "

They walked on till sunset, passing several other villages by the way. All of these had suffered more or less severely by the storm, but it wasevident that as they got further inland the work of destruction had beenless complete. At sunset they sat down in a grove of trees stillstanding, the first they had passed, and there spent the night. 

"That looks a good-sized place, " Jack said, as late on the followingafternoon they came in sight of what was evidently a town of some size. "We shall probably find someone there who can speak English. "

After crossing a bridge over a river they entered the town. Theyaddressed several people, but these shook their heads and pointedforward. 

"What do they mean, Jack?"

"I am sure I don't know, unless they mean there is somebody farther onwho speaks English. " Presently they came to a large house. Severalpeople were passing in and out. Jack spoke to one of these, but he shookhis head and pointed indoors, "This must be the right place, Arthur. "

They went into a large room, where two or three natives were sittingwriting. They looked up in surprise at the two travel-stained Englishlads. 

"Can any of you speak English?" Jack asked. One of them at once left hisdesk and came forward. 

"I can speak English. What do you want?"

"Thank goodness!" Jack exclaimed fervently. "We are two officersbelonging to an English ship that was wrecked in the storm two days ago. We believe all the rest have been drowned. We have made our way on footacross the country, and you are the first person we have met who canspeak English. "

At the word "officer" the clerk had assumed a more respectful attitude. "The collector-sahib went away yesterday to see what could be done andwhat supplies are needed; he will be back this evening. If you willfollow me I will take you to the memsahib, who will see after you. "

Wondering whom they were going to see, the boys followed their conductorout at the back of the house into a large garden, in the centre of whichstood a pretty bungalow. In the shaded verandah a lady was sittingreading. Motioning the boys to remain where they were the clerk wentforward and addressed the lady, who at once rose. He beckoned to theboys, who advanced to her as she was coming forward to meet them. 

"So you have been shipwrecked, I hear?" she said. "It was a terriblegale. We did not feel it so much here, but I hear the destruction on thecoast has been awful, and they say thousands of lives have been lost. Pray, come in. My husband is away, but he will be back this evening. "

The boys soon found themselves seated in easy-chairs in the verandah, while white-robed servants brought them refreshments. "Now, " the ladysaid, "tell me all about yourselves. You belong to a ship that waswrecked; whereabout did she come ashore?"

"We have not the least idea, " Jack said. "We had been hours runningbefore the gale before we were cast ashore. We have been walking for twodays, and have not found a soul who could speak English until now, sothat we have not the least idea where we are. "

"This is Cuttack, " the lady said. "It is just outside the MadrasPresidency. We are only separated from it by the river Mahanuddy. Youmust have been wrecked somewhere between the mouth of the river andPalmyras. "

"How far are we away from Calcutta, ma'am?"

"About two hundred miles, " she replied. "It is a low swampy unhealthycountry all the way, but you will have no difficulty in taking a passagefrom here in a native craft. My husband will see about that for you. Where are your companions? You surely cannot be the only two saved fromthe wreck?"

"I am greatly afraid we are, " Jack replied; "and we were saved almostby a miracle. I hardly expect you to believe me when I tell you. " Hethen related the events of the storm, and the manner in which they hadreached land. 

"It is certainly extraordinary, " the lady said; "but it does not seem tome by any means impossible, for I have heard that in these terriblecyclones houses have been taken up and carried long distances, and I canquite understand the same thing happening to a boat. "

An hour later Mr. Darcy the collector returned, and after hearing theboys' story said he would at once cause inquiries to be made along thecoast whether any white men had been thrown up alive. 

"I fear that there is but little hope, " he said, "for the surf on thecoast in a cyclone like that we have had is tremendous, and even wereanyone to float in on a spar he would probably be dashed to pieces whenhe approached the shore, and if he escaped that would be carried outagain by the under tow. However, I will cause every inquiry to be made. The destruction has been terrible: numbers of villages have been sweptaway, and I hear that a great number of native craft are missing. Ofcourse you will stop here for a few days with us to recover from yourfatigue. I will rig you out until you can get fresh clothes made. "

The lads stopped for a week under the hospitable roof of Mr. Darcy. Nonews came of any Europeans having been washed ashore alive, thoughseveral dead bodies were reported as having been cast up at variouspoints. At the end of the week they were rigged up afresh, and Mr. Darcyprocured passages for them in a dhow, bound for Calcutta. He laughed atthe idea of the boys paying for their clothes or passage, and said hewas only too pleased that he and his wife should have been of service tothem. 

They arrived at Calcutta without adventure, and at once reportedthemselves to the agent of the _Wild Wave_ and told the story of herloss. Here again they experienced the warm-hearted hospitality which isso general in India, the agent taking them out to his house andinstalling them there until the next steamer was to sail for England. Hehad telegraphed upon the day of their arrival to Mr. Godstone, andreceived an answer requesting him to take passages home for them toEngland, where they duly arrived without any exciting incident. 

Seven years have passed away, and Jack Robson is now second mate in oneof Mr. Godstone's ships, and will be his first officer on next voyage. He has gone through many adventures since, but none approaching ininterest and excitement to those which occurred on his two voyages inthe _Wild Wave_. His mother still lives at Dulwich, and Lily is engagedto be married to Arthur Hill as soon as the latter attains the rank ofcaptain. Jack is neither engaged nor married, but his mother has astrong idea that before very long he and Mildred Godstone will come toan understanding with each other. 

Jack is always at the house when at home, and is treated by Mr. Godstoneand his wife as one of the family. Indeed, Mrs. Godstone has as much ashinted to Jack's mother that she and her husband will offer no objectionto the young sailor, but that, of course, they will wish theirson-in-law to leave the sea and settle as one of the firm in London. Each time he is at home Jack makes a point of running down to Leigh andspending a few days there. "Sea-life is all very well, uncle, " he says, "but for downright good sailing there is nothing in the world that to mymind beats a bawley. "

 * * * * *

Transcriber's Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired. 

Page 112, the edge of the print was not visible, the following wordswere filled in:

 "arrival of tl" changed to "arrival of the" "of the ric" changed to "of the riot, " "and alarmed t" changed to "and alarmed to"

Page 167, last letter on edge missing: "o" changed to "of" (greatmountain of)

Page 184, "did'nt" changed to "didn't" (We didn't much care)

Pages 122 and 169, "dozed" spelled "dosed" in this text (dosed off)