"You first," said I. "Come; there is no time to be lost."
But she shrunk back, pressing against the door with her hand to prevent
me from pulling her, crying in a husky voice, and looking at the old
man with the white hair, "My father first! my father first!"
"You shall all be saved, but you must obey me. Quickly now!" I
exclaimed passionately; for a heavy sea at that moment flooded the
ship, and a rush of water swamped the house through the open door and
washed the corpse on the deck up into a corner.
Grasping her firmly, I lifted her off her feet, and went staggering to
the life-rope, slinging her light body over my shoulder as I went.
Assisted by my man, I gained the bow of the wreck, and hailing the
boat, ordered it alongside.
"One of you," cried I, "stand ready to receive this lady when I give
the signal."
I then told the man who was with me to jump into the forechains, which
he instantly did. The wreck lurched heavily to port. "Stand by, my
lads!" I shouted. Over she came again, with the water swooping along
the maindeck: The boat rose high, and the forechains were submerged to
the height of the man's knees. "Now!" I called, and lifted the girl
over. She was seized by the man in the chains, and pushed toward the
boat; the fellow standing in the bow of the boat caught her, and at the
same moment down sunk the boat, and the wreck rolled wearily over. But
the girl was safe.
"Hurrah, my lad!" I sung out. "Up with you,--there are others
remaining;" and I went sprawling along the line to the deck-house,
there to encounter another rush of water, which washed as high as my
thighs, and fetched me such a thump in the stomach that I thought I
must have died of suffocation.
I was glad to find that the old man had got out of his bunk, and was
standing at the door.
"Is my poor girl safe, sir?" he exclaimed, with the same huskiness of
voice that had grated so unpleasantly in the girl's tone.
"Quite safe; come along."
"Thanks be to Almighty God!" he ejaculated, and burst into tears.
I seized hold of his thin cold hands, but shifted my fingers to catch
him by the coat collar, so as to exert more power over him; and handed
him along the deck, telling my companion to lay hold of the seaman and
fetch him away smartly. We managed to escape the water, for the poor
old gentleman bestirred himself very nimbly, and I helped him over the
fore-chains; and when the boat rose, tumbled him into her without
ceremony. I saw the daughter leap toward him and clasp him in her
arms; but I was soon again scrambling on to the deck, having heard
cries from my man, accompanied with several loud curses, mingled with
dreadful yells.
"He's bitten me, sir!" cried by companion, hauling himself away from
the deck-house. "He's roaring mad."
"It can't be helped," I answered. "We must get him out."
He saw me pushing along the life-line, plucked up heart, and went with
myself through a sousing sea to the door. I caught a glimpse of a
white face glaring at me from the interior: in a second a figure shot
out, fled with incredible speed toward the bow, and leaped into the sea
just where our boat lay.
"They'll pick him up," I exclaimed. "Stop a second;" and I entered
the house and stooped over the figure of the man on the deck.
I was not familiar with death, and yet I knew it was here. I cannot
describe the signs in his face; but such as they were, they told me the
truth. I noticed a ring upon his finger, and that his clothes were
good. His hair was black, and his features well shaped, though his
face had a half-convulsed expression, as if something frightful had
appeared to him, and he had died of the sight of it.
"This wreck must be his coffin," I said. "He is a corpse. We can do
no more."
We scrambled for the last time along the life-line and got into the
fore-chains; but to our consternation, saw the boat rowing away from
the wreck. However, the fit of rage and terror that possessed me
lasted but a moment or two; for I now saw they were giving chase to the
madman, who was swimming steadily away. Two of the men rowed, and the
third hung over the bows, ready to grasp the miserable wretch. The
_Grosvenor_ stood steady, about a mile off, with her mainyards backed;
and just as the fellow over the boat's bows caught hold of the
swimmer's hair, the ensign was run up on board the ship and dipped
three times.
"Bring him along!" I shouted. "They'll be off without us if we don't
bear a hand."
They nearly capsized the boat as they dragged the lunatic, streaming
like a drowned rat, out of the water; and one of the sailors tumbled
him over on his back, and knelt upon him, while he took some turns with
the boat's painter round his body, arms and legs. The boat then came
alongside; and watching our opportunity, we jumped into her and shoved
off.