BE YE ALSO READY.
Time passed on, and John was now a manly youth of seventeen. He had,
by his good conduct, obtained the confidence of his employer, and was
earning high wages. He had saved all his money, that he might be able
to buy a share in the schooner, and Captain Sam prophesied that he
would soon be a captain himself. His brother Henry had been received
into their employment, and was a smart, affectionate boy; but he never
could rival John in the affections of Antonio.
When Mrs Leddam looked around her and saw the blessings that she
enjoyed, her heart was filled with thankfulness; and she often told the
old captain that no one need doubt the goodness of God to those who
trust in Him.
For several years the family had been accustomed to take their
Christmas dinner at Captain Sam’s; and you may be sure that John and
Antonio, who were always of the party, took care that there was no want
of fine fish and a few wild ducks for the occasion. One morning, after
enjoying a Christmas festival, they bade farewell to their friends, and
jumping gaily on board their little vessel, which they called their
home, unfurled the sail and glided down the bay.
It was a clear, bright December day. They were bound to a large ship
which Captain Morgan had engaged to unload, and where he was expecting
to meet them.
As they were sailing on pleasantly, Antonio remarked, ‘Boys, I don’t
like the looks of the sky.’
‘Why,’ said Henry, ‘it is as blue and bright as it can be.’
‘It will be dark enough before tomorrow,’ he answered, ‘so let us make
more sail; we have a long pull before we reach the ship.’
Before sunset, just as they were in sight of the vessel, the wind,
which had breathed gently from the west, veered round to the
south-east, and began to blow hard. The water, lately so calm, soon
changed its appearance, and the boat danced up and down as the waves
grew rough beneath the influence of the wind. Night came upon them; a
cold rain commenced falling; and as they laboured hard, hoping to reach
the fishing village where John had lived, the tempest increased, and
they wished in vain for day. But day never dawned on all that group of
friends.
‘Where are we?’ said John, breaking a long silence. A flash of
lightning, which blazed on the angry waters, and for a moment lighted
up the scene, answered his question, by discovering to them a point of
land over which the waves were violently breaking.
‘There is a cove in there,’ said Antonio, ‘if we could only make it.’
‘It is full of ugly rocks,’ replied John; ‘I remember the place well.’
‘Ay,’ returned the sailor, ‘I’ll wait for another flash, and try for
it.’
John would have dissuaded him, but his voice was lost in the roar of
the tempest. He felt the boat tremble, as, obeying the helm, she turned
towards the shore; and, catching hold of Henry’s arm, he put his lips
to his ear and said, ‘Don’t be frightened if we capsize, but strike out
from the boat and swim.’
‘Oh, brother!’ cried Henry, ‘this is dreadful;’ and he clung to John,
who only had time to say, ‘Trust in God, pray to Jesus,’ when the
frail vessel was violently hurled against a sunken rock and upset. It
was a moment of confusion and struggles for life.
Antonio, who was at home in the water, only thought of the boys.
He called loudly for them, and heard the voice of John answering.
‘Thank God,’ he said, ‘my own boy is safe; but where is Henry? In the
boat, perhaps, entangled in the rigging; how shall I find it in this
darkness?’
‘Oh, Henry, where are you?’ cried John.
‘Here,’ he answered, ‘clinging to the boat; but I am so cold I can’t
hold on much longer.’
‘Keep up your courage,’ said Antonio; ‘I see the boat now, and will be
there in a moment; hold on for your life!’
A furious gust of wind and rain passed over them and all was
darkness for an instant. Oh, how long even a moment seems in such
circumstances! When the blast had swept by, John, who had sustained
himself on a floating tree, endeavoured once more to find the schooner.
He succeeded, and called out loudly for his brother. A faint voice
responded, ‘Brother! brother! can’t you save me?’ and all was silent.
For a long time they remained in the storm calling his name, but Henry
never spoke again.
At last they gave up all hope of saving him, and swimming to the
shore, they found a fisherman’s hut, where they obtained torches, and
returned. The first object they saw was the body of Henry entangled
among the timber with which the cove was filled. The lighter also was
floating near him.
The storm was abating, and the moon, breaking through the clouds,
threw her light on the sad scene. While the fisherman took charge of
the boat, John and his friend brought the lifeless boy to land, when
Antonio tenderly lifted him in his arms, and carried him to the house.
He bitterly reproached himself for running into the cove against John’s
advice, but John tried to console him. As he smoothed the wet ringlets
on his brother’s brow, and kissed his cold cheek, he said, ‘You did it
for the best, Mr Antonio; if it had been the will of God to save him,
he would have been alive. I trust he is happy now, for he loved the
blessed Saviour.’
The next day poor Henry was buried in the nearest churchyard. We shall
not attempt to describe his mother’s grief.