"Dead," said Robby: "you haven't forgotten that, surely."
"Dead!" exclaimed Bill. "Oh, so he is, and we two here with him alone
in the cabin away out in the open sea. I can't stand it, I tell you.
Where shall we go? what shall we do?"
Terror caused by thinking of the supernatural is especially infectious.
Robby was but a boy. In spite of his better judgment, he allowed his
feelings to get the better of it, and he began to tremble like his
companion. This was but natural. Brought up as are boys of his class,
who could blame him? There were the two lads, with their dead captain,
rolling about in a leaky craft during that fierce gale out in the North
Sea. They dared not go on deck; they feared to remain in the cabin:
they crept over as far as they could from the side where the dead body
lay. Not till Robby again thought of praying did he regain his
composure. With the hatches battened down and the skylight covered
over, daylight could not penetrate in the little cabin. The boys forgot
this, and sat on, Robby at length again falling asleep, but Bill's fears
kept him awake. After a time it seemed to him that the vessel did not
tumble about so much; he was very hungry also, and he thought that it
must be day, and as he was afraid of moving by himself, he awoke Robby,
and together they groped their way to the companion-hatch, and,
unfastening it, the bright sunlight streamed full on their dazzled eyes.
The sea had gone down somewhat, but still it washed over the deck,
which was wet and slippery, and so they were afraid to venture on it
lest they should be washed off. Hobby looked around, in the faint hope
that some one might be yet clinging to the vessel, but not one of the
seven men they had left there when they went below remained. Then he
scanned the horizon on every side. Foam-crested, dancing waves alone
were to be seen. Not a sail appeared. Bill now cried out for food.
They could venture to leave the companion-hatch off, and by the light
which streamed down it they were able to hunt about for some. They soon
found some cold meat and biscuit, and fortunately also a jar of water,
and, with these things, quickly appeased their hunger. They had no
fear, indeed, of starving, for there were plenty of fish on board, and
an ample supply of provisions of all sorts, but the cooking-place was
forward, and they could not venture along the deck to get to it. After
their meal their spirits improved. Hobby remarked with confidence that,
as the vessel had floated so long through the worst part of the gale,
she might still weather it out altogether. They could hear, however, by
the rushing sound inside as she rolled, that there was a great deal of
water in her. "We must try and pump it out," said Robby. To do that
they must wait till they could get forward, where the brake of the pump
was kept.
All this time the wind was falling and the sea was going down, and at
last Robby thought that by working their way along the masts they might
reach the forehatch. He led, Bill followed. The hatch was found
partially off. Fortunately, it had not been altogether washed away,
for, as it was, large quantities of water had got down and damaged
everything in the forecastle. Bill, again frightened by the damage the
vessel had sustained, thought that pumping would be of no use.
"It's our duty to pump this vessel--and do so I will, if I can," said
Robby, firmly.
The pump, not without difficulty, was rigged, and they set to work
manfully. It was very hard work too, but it was satisfactory to see the
clear water rushing out through the scuppers, and to believe that none
was coming in. They pumped and pumped away till they were weary, and
then went back into the cabin to lie down awhile.
They had now got more accustomed to the sight of their dead captain, so
that even Bill did not object to passing the night in the cabin. The
next day they again pumped away, and had entirely freed the vessel by
noon. Having nothing more to do, their thoughts turned towards the
possibility of reaching England. They anxiously scanned the horizon in
the hopes of seeing some vessel approaching them. A sail was seen at
length--they thought that she was coming towards them, but she stood
away; then another and another came in sight; but their vessel was not
perceived. Another night came on. As the sun went down, the sky again
became very threatening. Before midnight the gale had returned. There
was no compass below, so the boys did not know from what quarter it
blew. Poor Bill began really to despair, and wanted to get into a berth
and go to sleep till he was drowned.
"No, don't do that," said Robby. "While there's life there's hope; and,
depend on't, God knows what's best for us."
The storm raged furiously, but the little vessel, freed from water, and
light as a cask, floated like a cork driven before it. At length the
gale ceased, and the sea went down, and the two boys went on deck. The
coast was in sight--they knew it well--they were off Lowestoft. Boats
came off--the _Sea-gull_ was towed into the Yar. It became known how
Robby and Bill had kept the vessel afloat by pumping her out before the
second gale came on. A subscription was raised for Robby and his
mother; and, though he is very young, he commands a vessel of his own,
still firm in the belief which he endeavours to impress on others, that
"God knows what is best for us."