That morning our exploring party had resumed their voyage with somewhat
saddened hearts, for they remembered the look of the coast well, and
knew that an hour or so would bring them to the cave where the _Lapwing_
had gone down. Even Black Ned had become sentimental, and given vent to
a few expressions of a semi-religious nature!
"We can't be far from it now," said Dr Hayward, as the men ceased
rowing, and the boat glided slowly, silently along.
"It's a gruesome place," remarked Black Ned, in a low voice.
"To think that so many lives were lost here--or hereabouts," murmured
Tomlin.
"An' their ghost, maybe, hangin' about!" suggested Slag, with a
superstitious glance over his shoulder.
Just then Hayward bade O'Connor get up and stand in the bow with the
boat-hook, ready to fend off,--an order which the Irishman, having been
somewhat awed by the tone of the conversation, obeyed in silence.
It was at this point that they glided in front of the cave, and drew
forth the yell which burst upon them like a clap of thunder. The shock
to the nervous system of each was terrific. In the case of O'Connor it
was visible, for he fell flat back into the bottom of the boat and
fetched Jarring a tremendous whack on the head with the boat-hook in
falling. Afterwards, Terrence asserted stoutly that a slip of the foot
as he stood on the th'ort was the cause, but those who knew him best
held that it was "a case of nerves."
Need it be said that, on recovering nervous equilibrium, the joy of
rescuers and rescued was intense?
"Come along, let's take 'im home at wanst," cried the Irishman, when
they had got the poor dazed man into the boat. "Isn't it Peggy that'll
open her eyes an' screech for joy when she sots her eyes on ye!"
"We'll have to wash and comb an' clothe him first," said Tomlin.
He did not say "shave," for they had no razors,--and by that time the
beards of most of the party were as long as Mitford's; but their locks
had been trimmed by means of a clasp-knife super-sharpened, whereas
Mitford's were in wildest disorder.
That night they encamped in the wreck-cave, made a fire, and prepared a
splendid supper of pork and pea-soup for John and themselves, after
which they subjected their recovered comrade to a scrubbing and cropping
and repairing of habiliments that almost proved fatal to his
constitution. Next day they loaded the boat with all the pork and pease
they could find, as well as portions of cordage that might be useful.
Then they started off on the return journey.
It was a fine day when they reached the encampment, where the coxswain
and the women were on the look-out. Massey, of course, was the first to
observe, as the boat approached, that an extra hand was in it; but he
wisely said nothing at first. Then his heart began to beat as it used
to do when he brought in rescued men and women from wrecks, for the
truth suddenly flashed upon him. He glanced at Peggy. Poor thing, her
sad eyes had wandered from the approaching boat and were resting
wistfully on the horizon beyond.
"Nell," murmured the coxswain in a deep, earnest whisper to his wife,
who stood at his elbow, "the tide's a-goin' to rise again wi' poor
Peggy, if my eyes are tellin' truth."
"What d'ee mean, Bob?" asked Nellie, with a quick, anxious look.
"Five men went away, Nell; _six_ are comin' back!"
As he spoke, a tall figure rose up in the stern of the boat and waved a
hand.
Nellie glanced quickly at her friend. She was standing with glaring
eyes, parted lips, and a deathly pallor on her worn face.
"Peggy!"
The familiar word came rolling to the shore, and a piercing shriek
replied to it as the poor woman threw up both hands and fell backward
into the ready arms of the coxswain's wife, who had sprung to her side
in anticipation of some such catastrophe.
There was the voice of prayer and thanksgiving that night in the hut on
the lonely shore--such thanksgiving as we might conceive filled the
hearts of Jairus and of the widow of Nain in the days of old.