As the hurricane swooped down upon the ship, Captain Staunton and Mr
Bowles sprang with one accord aft to the helm. It was well that they
did so; for when the vessel was thrown upon her beam-ends the wheel flew
suddenly and violently round, taking unawares the unfortunate man who
was stationed at it and hurling him far over the lee quarter into the
sea, where he immediately sank, being probably disabled by a blow from
the rapidly revolving spokes. The two officers saw in a moment that the
poor fellow was irretrievably lost, so without wasting time in useless
efforts to save him they devoted themselves forthwith to the task of
preserving the ship. The wheel was put hard up, with the object of
getting the craft before the wind; and then the two men stood anxiously
watching and awaiting the result. Two or three minutes passed, and
there still lay the ship prone on her side, with her lee topsail and
lower yard-arms dipping in the water, she would _not_ pay off.
"Bowles," said Captain Staunton, lashing the wheel as he spoke, "make
your way forward; muster the carpenter and one or two of the most
reliable men you have, and bring them aft with axes to cut away the
mizen-mast; we _must_ get her before it somehow; should it come any
stronger she will `turn the turtle' with us. Station your men; but do
not cut until I hold up my hand."
Mr Bowles nodded his head; and then set out upon his difficult journey,
climbing up to windward by the grating upon which the helmsman usually
stood, and then working his way along the deck by grasping the bulwarks,
which on the poop were only about a foot above the deck. On reaching
the wake of the mizen-mast he was compelled to pause in order to help
Rex Fortescue and Violet out of their dangerous position, a position of
course altogether untenable now that the order had been given to cut
away the mast. This, with Brook's assistance, he with some difficulty
accomplished, landing them safely alongside Blanche and Bob upon the
companion. The slight delay thus incurred threatened to have the most
disastrous consequences; for when the chief mate was once more free to
proceed upon his errand he became aware that the ship's inclination had
sensibly increased, to such an extent indeed that he momentarily
expected to feel her rolling bottom-up. Glancing aft once more, he
caught the eye of Captain Staunton, who immediately raised his hand.
This the mate took to mean an order to cut away the mast with all
possible expedition; and whipping out his keen broad-bladed knife he
thrust it into Brook's hand, and tapping the lanyards of the mizen
rigging roared in his ear the one word "Cut."
Then without pausing another instant he proceeded as rapidly as he could
forward, much impeded by the continuous blinding shower of spindrift
which swept across the vessel, and compelled to cling with all his
strength to whatever he laid hold of in his progress, in order to escape
being literally blown away.
Meanwhile Brook, who now showed that he was made of far better stuff
than anyone had hitherto suspected, began without a moment's delay to
vigorously attack the rigid and tightly strained lanyards of the weather
mizen rigging, being speedily joined by Bob, who turned Blanche over to
Rex Fortescue's care the moment he saw that he could be of use.
Steadily and rapidly they hacked and notched away at the hard rope,
working literally for their lives, for it was now no longer possible to
doubt that the _Galatea_ was slowly but surely capsizing. The upturned
side which supported them was becoming every moment more nearly
horizontal, the lee yard-arms were steadily burying themselves deeper
and deeper in the water, and it became apparent that unless relieved,
another minute would see the ship bottom-up. Mr Bowles, meanwhile, was
out of sight forward, hidden by the gloom and the cloud of spindrift.
At last one of the lanyards was severed by the keen blade in Brook's
hand. The others attached to the same shroud immediately began to
render through the deadeye, throwing an extra strain upon the lanyards
of the other shrouds, one of which immediately parted under Bob's knife;
then _twang, twang, twang_, one after the other, they rapidly yielded,
until, as the last lanyard parted, _crash_ went the mizen-mast short off
by the deck and away to leeward, carrying away the saloon skylight as it
went.
A perceptible shock was felt as the mast went over the side, and every
one watched anxiously to see what the effect would be. The
disappointment was extreme when it was seen that the relief was not
sufficient to enable the ship to recover herself; she still lay down
upon her side, and though she now no longer threatened momentarily to
capsize, she neither righted nor paid off.
The chief mate now reappeared upon the poop, having by this time
mustered a gang of men, whom he had left clinging to the main-rigging,
thinking it not unlikely the main-mast would also have to go.
By the time he reached Captain Staunton's side the mind of the latter
was made up.
"It is no good, Bowles," he said; "she will do nothing; we must part
with the main-mast also. Cut it away at once, and let us get her upon
an even keel again if we can."
Mr Bowles hurried forward, and as soon as he became visible to the men
clustered about the main-rigging he made a sign to them to cut. The
axes gleamed in the darkened air, a few rapid strokes were struck upon
the lanyards of the rigging, and the main-mast bowed, crashed off at
about ten feet from the deck, and was carried by the wind clear of the
lee rail into the sea.
Another shock, almost as if the ship had struck something, accompanied
the fall of the main-mast, and then, laboriously at first but finally
with an almost sudden jerk, the _Galatea_ swung upright, and, paying off
at the same time, began to draw through the water, her speed increasing
to some seven knots when she got fairly away before the wind, and was
relieved of the wreckage towing alongside.
The well was sounded, and to everybody's intense relief some six inches
only of water was found in the hold. The pumps were rigged, manned, and
set to work, and the water was so speedily got rid of as to show that it
had penetrated only through some portion of the upper works.
The first mad fury of the hurricane was by this time over, but it still
blew far too heavily to admit of any other course than running dead
before it. The sea, which had hitherto been a level plane of fleecy
white foam, now showed symptoms of rising, and the aspect of the sky was
still such as to force upon the voyagers the conclusion that they were
not yet by any means out of danger. What _could_ be done, however,
_was_ done; and the entire crew were set to work, some to get up
preventer back-stays and secure the fore-mast, and others to convert the
spare spars into jury-masts.
The passengers, meanwhile, had made their way down into the saloon
directly the ship recovered herself, where they found Lance Evelin pale,
dazed, and barely conscious, bleeding from a very ugly wound in the
temple caused by his having fallen heavily against the brass-bound edge
of one of the saloon stairs. Mrs Staunton was doing her best single-
handed to staunch the blood and bind up the wound, with little May on
her knees beside the patient, sobbing as though her tender child's heart
would break, for Lance had taken greatly to the sweet little creature,
and, grave and quiet though he was in general, was always ready to romp
with her or tell her the most marvellous tales. Mr Dale had retired to
his cabin and shut himself in. The new arrivals very promptly afforded
their assistance, and in a short time Lance was laid carefully in his
berth, and packed there with flags, shawls, and other yielding materials
in such a way as to prevent the increasing motion of the ship from
causing him any avoidable discomfort.
Dinner that day was a very comfortless meal. By the time that it was
served the sea had risen so much as to render the "fiddles" necessary on
the cabin table, and even with their aid it was difficult to prevent the
viands from being scattered upon the floor. The ship, running before
the wind, and with only the fore-mast to steady her, rolled like a
hogshead, and the act of dining was therefore quite an acrobatic
performance, demanding so much activity of eye and hand as to completely
mar the enjoyment of the good things which, in spite of the weather,
graced the board.
The conversation at table turned naturally upon the disaster which had
befallen the ship; the passengers being all curious to know how it would
affect them.
"I suppose it means another beastly detention," grumbled Dale. "The
ship can't sail all the way to England with only one mast, can she,
captain?"
"Well, scarcely," replied Captain Staunton. "The trip home _might_ be
made under jury-masts; but it would be a longer and more tedious voyage
than any of us would care for, I fancy, and at all events I have no
intention of attempting it. Our nearest port is Otago; but as we are
pretty certain to get westerly winds again as soon as this breeze has
piped itself out, and as the current would also be against us if we
attempted to return to the westward, I shall endeavour to reach
Valparaiso, where we may hope to restore the poor old barkie's clipped
wings."
"Umph! I thought so," snarled Dale. "And how long shall we be detained
at that wretched hole?"
"It will depend on circumstances," answered Captain Staunton, "but I
think you may reckon on being a month there."
"A month!" ejaculated Dale, too much disgusted to say another word.
"A month!" exclaimed Rex Fortescue, "Jolly! I shall explore the Andes
and do a little shooting. I daresay Evelin will join me--or us rather--
for I suppose you will go as well, won't you, Brook?"
"Oh yes, I'll go, certainly; 'tain't often as I has a holiday, so I may
as well take one when I can get it. But what's them Handles we're to
explore, Mr Fortescue? Mr Dale 'll come with us too, I'm sure; he's
fond of sleeping in a tent, ain't you, sir?"
"_Don't_ be such a fool, Brook," retorted that worthy. "If ever we get
to Valparaiso, which I think is very doubtful, I shall go home
overland."
"I am afraid that before you can do that, Mr Dale, you or someone else
will have to bridge the Atlantic," remarked Captain Staunton, as he
leisurely sipped his wine. "I am extremely sorry for the untoward event
which has interrupted our voyage, but it was one of those occurrences
which no skill or foresight could have prevented, so I think the best
thing you can do is to make as light of it as possible. Worse things
than being dismasted have happened at sea before now, and I, for one, am
sincerely thankful that we are still above water instead of beneath it,
as seemed more than likely at one time."
So saying the skipper rose, and with a bow left the saloon for the deck.
The sky still looked wild, but there were occasional momentary breaks in
it, through which the lustrous stars of the southern heavens beamed
gloriously down for an instant ere they were shut in again by the
scurrying clouds; and the sea, which now ran high, afforded a
magnificent spectacle as the huge billows raced after the ship, each
with its foaming crest a cataract of liquid fire. And as the ship
rolled, and the water washed impetuously across her decks, the dark
planking gleamed with millions of tiny fairy-like stars, which waxed and
waned with every oscillation of the vessel. The fore-mast had by this
time been made secure, and, it being too dark to work any longer to
advantage, the men were busy re-lashing the spars which had been cast
adrift in the process of overhauling and selecting those most suitable
for jury-masts. Mr Bowles, who had hurried up from the saloon after
swallowing the merest apology for a dinner, had charge of the deck; and
Captain Staunton joining him, the pair began to discuss the future with
its plans and probabilities.
Two days later saw the _Galatea_ making her way to the northward and
eastward under a very respectable jury barque-rig, which enabled her to
show her fore-topmast stay-sail, reefed fore-sail, and double-reefed
fore-topsail on the fore-mast; a main topsail with topgallant-sail over
it on the spar which did duty for a main-mast; and a reefed mizen set
upon the jib-boom, which had been rigged in, passed aft, and set on end,
properly stayed, with its heel stepped down through the hole in the poop
from which the mizen-mast had erstwhile sprung.
The gale had blown itself out; the sea was rapidly going down; the wind
had hauled round from the westward once more; and the ship was slipping
along at the rate of some five knots an hour. The minor damages had all
been made good, excepting that done to the saloon skylight by the fall
of the mizen-mast, and upon this job the carpenter, who was an ambitious
man in his own way and not altogether devoid of taste, was taxing his
skill to the utmost in an effort to make the new skylight both a
stronger and a more handsome piece of work than its predecessor. The
barometer was slowly but steadily rising; and everything seemed to point
in the direction of fine weather. Lucky was it for our voyagers that
such was the case.
The passengers had by this time got over their recent alarm, and were
settling back into their old ways. Even the impatient and discontented
Dale seemed to have got over to a great extent his annoyance at the
delay which the loss of the masts involved; and, catching the contagion
of the good spirits which animated the rest of the party, was actually
betrayed into an effort or two to make himself agreeable that evening at
the dinner-table. So amiable was this generally irritable individual
that he positively listened with equanimity to the plans which Fortescue
and Evelin--the latter with a broad patch of plaster across his brow--
were discussing relative to a properly organised sporting excursion into
the Cordilleras--or Andes, as they indifferently termed them, much to
the perplexity of Brook--nor did he allow himself to show any signs of
annoyance when the last-named individual sought to ruffle his (Dale's)
feathers, as he elegantly termed it, by urging him to join the
expedition; on the contrary, to the secret but carefully concealed
consternation of Rex and Lance, the prime movers in the matter, Mr Dale
seemed more than half disposed to yield to Brook's jesting entreaties
that he would make one of the party. It almost seemed as though this
intensely selfish and egotistical individual were at last becoming
ashamed of his own behaviour and had resolved upon an attempt to improve
it.
Dinner over, the ladies retired to the poop to witness the sunset, Rex
and Lance accompanying them; while Dale and Brook remained below,
lingering over their wine.
"Oh, how refreshing this cool evening breeze is, after the closeness and
heat of the saloon!" exclaimed Violet as, leaning on Rex Fortescue's
arm, she gazed astern where the sun was just sinking out of sight
beneath the purple horizon, leaving behind him a cloudless sky which
glowed in his track with purest gold and rose tints, merging insensibly
into a clear ultramarine, deepening in tone as the eye travelled up to
the zenith and thence downward toward the eastern quarter where, almost
before the upper rim of the sun's golden disc had sunk out of sight, a
great star beamed out from the velvety background, glowing with that
soft mellow effulgence which seems peculiar to southern skies.
"Yes," responded Rex, "it _is_ cool and decidedly pleasant. Do you not
think it is almost _too_ cool, however, to be braved without a shawl or
wrap of some kind after being cooped up for an hour in that roasting
saloon. I cannot think why it should have been so warm this evening; to
my mind it was hotter even than when we were crossing the line on the
outward voyage."
Blanche and Lance, who were standing near enough to overhear these
remarks, were also of opinion that it had been quite uncomfortably warm
below, and the two gentlemen, who by this time had arrived at that stage
of intimacy with the ladies which seemed to justify them in their own
eyes for assuming an occasional dictatorial air toward their fair
companions, forthwith insisted on returning below to seek for shawls or
wraps of some kind.
"Phew! it is like walking into a Turkish bath to come in here,"
exclaimed Rex, as he passed through the saloon doors; "and what a
peculiar smell!"
"Yes," assented Lance. "Smells like oil or grease of some kind. I
expect the steward has spilled some lamp-oil down in the lazarette, and
the heat is causing the odour to rise. I hope it will pass off before
we turn-in to-night, for it is decidedly objectionable."
"Do you know, Miss Lascelles," said Lance, as he settled himself
comfortably in a chair by that young lady's side, after carefully
enveloping her in a soft fleecy wrap, "I have an idea in connection with
that touching story you told me the other night respecting your uncle's
loss of his wife and infant son."
"Have you, indeed?" said Blanche. "And pray, what is it, Mr Evelin?"
"Simply this," replied Lance. "I have an impression--almost a
conviction--that your cousin is living, and that I can put my hand upon
him when required."
"Oh, Mr Evelin! what is this you say?" exclaimed Blanche eagerly.
"Have you, indeed, met with anyone in the course of your wanderings,
whose history is such that you believe him to be my dear little long-
lost cousin, Dick? I do not think you would speak heedlessly or without
due consideration upon such a subject; and if your supposition should be
correct, and you can furnish a clue to the discovery of my missing
relatives, you will give new life to my uncle, and lay us all under such
an obligation as we shall never be able to repay."
"Do not place too much confidence in the idea that it would be quite
impossible to repay even such an obligation as the one of which you
speak," said Lance in a low and meaning tone which somehow caused
Blanche's cheek to flush and her heart to flutter a little. "You are
right in supposing," he continued, "that I would not make such an
assertion without due consideration. I have thought much upon the story
you confided to me; and, comparing it with another which I have also
heard, I am of opinion that I have discovered a clue which is worth
following up, if only for the satisfaction of ascertaining whether it be
a true or a false one. If true, your poor aunt is without doubt long
since dead; but your cousin is still alive, and--there he stands!"
pointing to Bob, who was in the waist leaning musingly over the lee
rail.
"Where?" asked Blanche, looking quite bewildered.
"_There_," replied Evelin, again pointing to Bob. "If my supposition is
correct, that lad Bob is your cousin, Miss Lascelles."
"Impossible!" exclaimed Blanche. "Oh, Mr Evelin, tell me:--What has
led you to think so?"
"I will," answered Lance. "But I hope the idea is not very distressing
to you. It is true that the lad's present position is--well, not
perhaps exactly worthy of the cousin of--"
"Oh no; do not say that, Mr Evelin, I beg," interrupted Blanche. "I
was not thinking of that in the least. If Bob indeed prove to be my
cousin, I shall certainly not be ashamed of him--quite the contrary; but
you took me so completely by surprise. I have ever pictured my lost
cousin as a chubby little flaxen-haired baby boy, from always having
heard him so spoken of, I suppose; and I had forgotten for the moment
that, if alive, he must necessarily have grown into a young man. But
let me hear why you have come to think that Robert may be my cousin; I
am all curiosity and impatience--woman-like, you see--in the presence of
a mystery."
"Well," said Lance, "you doubtless remember that on one occasion I
remarked upon the striking resemblance he bears to you; and, I might
have added, the still more striking resemblance between him and your
uncle, Sir Richard. My somewhat bungling remark, as I at the time
considered it, led to your relating to me first the history of your
friend Bob, and then that of your uncle's loss. As I listened to you,
the idea dawned upon me that Bob and your lost cousin might possibly be
one and the same individual I got the lad to tell me his story, which
was naturally somewhat more full and circumstantial than your own
sketch; and comparing dates and so on, I have been led to the conclusion
that he may indeed prove to be Sir Richard's son. In the first place,
his age, which of course can only be approximately guessed at, is about
the same as your cousin's would be, if alive. Next, there is the very
extraordinary likeness, almost _too_ striking, I think, to be merely
accidental; and lastly, the clothes he wore when found, and which are
still in existence, I understand, are marked with the initials R.L.,
which may stand for Richard Lascelles, the name, as I understood you,
which your cousin bore."
At this moment Captain Staunton made his appearance at the head of the
saloon staircase, and calling to the chief mate, said--
"Mr Bowles, pass the word for the carpenter to come aft to the saloon
_at once_, if you please. Let him look smart."
The skipper then disappeared below again; but not before the passengers,
who _were_ all by this time on the poop, had had time to observe that
his features wore a somewhat anxious expression.
The word was passed; and Chips, who was on the forecastle smoking his
pipe, at once came shambling aft. At the head of the companion-way he
encountered the steward, who went up to Mr Bowles, said a word or two
to him in a low tone of voice, and then returned below again.
Mr Bowles nodded; stepped quietly down to the main dock, and put his
head inside the door of the deck-house wherein Mr Dashwood was lodged;
and in another moment the second mate came out, followed the chief up to
the poop, and took charge of the deck; Mr Bowles immediately proceeding
below.
No one but Lance appeared to take any particular notice of these
movements, so quietly were they executed; and if he suspected that
anything was wrong he took care not to show it, but went on chatting
with Blanche upon the same subject as before. It may be, however, that
his thoughts wandered a little from the matter in hand, for once or
twice he halted and hesitated somewhat in his speech, and seemed to
forget what he was talking about.
A quarter of an hour passed away; and then Captain Staunton, followed by
the chief mate, came on deck. They walked as far as the break of the
poop together, and then Mr Bowles gave the word to "pipe all hands
aft!"
("There _is_ something amiss," thought Lance.)
In less than a minute the men were all mustered in the waist of the
ship, waiting wonderingly to hear what the skipper had to say, for it
was perfectly evident that Captain Staunton was about to address them.
When the men were all assembled the captain turned to the passengers on
the poop, and said--
"Ladies and gentlemen, have the goodness to come a little nearer me, if
you please; what I have to say concerns all hands alike--those in the
saloon as well as those in the forecastle."
The passengers moved forward as requested, Lance taking Blanche's hand
upon his arm and giving it a little reassuring squeeze as he did so.
Captain Staunton then turned himself so that he could be heard by all,
and began--
"My friends, I have called you round me in order to communicate to you
all a piece of very momentous intelligence. It is of a somewhat trying
nature; and therefore, before I go further, I must ask you to listen to
me patiently, to obey orders implicitly, and above all, to preserve
coolness and presence of mind. _With_ these, I have not a doubt that we
can successfully battle with the difficulty; _without_ them it will be
impossible for us to work effectively, and the consequences must
necessarily be proportionately grave."
He paused a moment; and then, seeing that every one appeared to be
perfectly cool and steady, he added--
"I greatly regret to say I have some cause for suspicion that _fire has
broken out somewhere below_--steady, now! steady, lads; wait and hear
all I have to say--I repeat I have a suspicion that fire may have broken
out on board; the temperature of the saloon is unaccountably hot, and
there is a strange smell below which may or may not be caused by fire.
It is necessary that the matter should be looked into at once; and I ask
every one here to lend me their best assistance. In case of my surmise
proving correct _keep cool_ and work your hardest, every man of you, and
then there is no reason whatever why we should not come easily out of
the scrape. Mr Bowles and Mr Dashwood will each take charge of his
own watch. Mr Dashwood, get the fire-engine rigged and under weigh.
Mr Bowles, rig the force-pump, get the deck-tubs filled, and arrange
your watch in a line along the deck with all the buckets you can muster.
Gentlemen," turning to the passengers, "be so good as to keep out of
the men's way, and hold yourselves in readiness to assist in whatever
manner may be required. Now lads, go quietly to your posts, and do your
duty like Englishmen."