_Rushing forth at the Alarm of Solomon.--The rolling Waters.--The
flooded Decks.--Strange, uneartlily Noises.--Dread Fears.--is the Ship
breaking up?--Consolations.--Refuge in the Cabin.--A Barricade
against the Waters.--A damp Abode.--A Debate.--Where shall we pass
the Night?--Solomon on Guards--The fourth Day.--No Antelope.--A long
Watch.--The Cabin deserted.--Sleeping on Deck._
AT the alarm of Solomon, the boys thus all hurried out upon deck. The
night was dark. The sky was overcast. The motion of the ship was greater
than it had been. As they stepped out, they felt their feet plash in a
stream of water that rolled towards them, and perceived by this that the
waves had risen high enough to break over the low-lying deck. But it
was only enough to wet the deck, and not enough to cause either alarm
or even discomfort, since it had not penetrated to the cabin. As they
advanced forward, however, they encountered deeper streams of water,
which swept down from the bows towards them, rising as high as their
ankles. Yet even this excited but little attention. Solomon’s alarm had
prepared them all for something serious, and so slight a thing as this
was not deemed worthy of notice. They hurried on, therefore, and at
length having reached the forecastle, they stood and looked all around.
The motion of the vessel would have been considered very ordinary in
any one differently situated. The waves had risen somewhat, and at their
motion the ship rose and fell about four feet. This was sufficient to
bring her deck under the surface of the sea, and at each fall the water
streamed in and rolled about. The wind was rather fresh, but not by any
means violent, and it sighed through the rigging overhead.
“Why, Solomon,” said Bart, at length, “what do you mean? I don’t see
that anything’s happened.”
Solomon had been clinging to the outskirts of the party, and at this he.
cried out,--
“Dey ain’t out dar! Dey’s inside.”
“Inside? Where?”
“In dar!” said Solomon, pointing to the door of the forecastle.
At this Bart went in, followed by all the boys. A dim lamp was burning,
suspended from a beam. The boys looked around, and saw the seamen’s
berths, but nothing more.
“There isn’t anything here,” said Bruce.