That storm showed no signs though of abating, and we watched on through
the night, constantly on the strain, attacked as we were by alarms from
below, and the furious assault of the winds and waves. Several times
over during the night, when I was suffering from the cold, and faint
with hunger and exhaustion, a horrible chilly feeling of despair came
creeping over me. I began thinking of home and those there who would be
heart-broken if I was lost; but always at these worst times something
seemed to happen that took me out of myself, giving me work so
particular to do that all my energies were directed to that duty, and in
consequence I forgot my own troubles.
Twice over, when Mr Brymer came with one or other of the men, Mr
Denning expressed a wish to be relieved, and I had to take his arm and
help him along under the shelter of the bulwarks to the saloon and the
cabin where his sister was waiting anxiously for news, and as we
struggled aft, he talked to me as freely as if I had been his brother.
"Is there any hope for us, Dale?" he said on one occasion as we rested
for a few moments underneath the bulwarks.
"Oh yes," I replied. "Why not?"
"I don't know, I'm not a sailor, but I should not have thought the ship
could have kept on long like this without sinking."