diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/lstfg10.txt | 9058 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/lstfg10.zip | bin | 0 -> 154302 bytes |
2 files changed, 9058 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/lstfg10.txt b/old/lstfg10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b9931b7 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/lstfg10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9058 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Lost in the Fog, by James De Mille + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before distributing this or any other +Project Gutenberg file. + +We encourage you to keep this file, exactly as it is, on your +own disk, thereby keeping an electronic path open for future +readers. Please do not remove this. + +This header should be the first thing seen when anyone starts to +view the etext. Do not change or edit it without written permission. +The words are carefully chosen to provide users with the +information they need to understand what they may and may not +do with the etext. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These Etexts Are Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get etexts, and +further information, is included below. We need your donations. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a 501(c)(3) +organization with EIN [Employee Identification Number] 64-6221541 + + + +Title: Lost in the Fog + +Author: James De Mille + +Release Date: October, 2003 [Etext# 4506] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on January 27, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Lost in the Fog, by James De Mille +******This file should be named lstfg10.txt or lstfg10.zip****** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, lstfg11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, lstfg10a.txt + +Edited by Charles Aldarondo Aldarondo@yahoo.com + + +Project Gutenberg Etexts are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep etexts in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our etexts one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg Etexts is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our sites at: +http://gutenberg.net or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +etexts, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any Etext before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 + +Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any etext selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2001 as we release over 50 new Etext +files per month, or 500 more Etexts in 2000 for a total of 4000+ +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +should reach over 300 billion Etexts given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away One Trillion Etext +Files by December 31, 2001. [10,000 x 100,000,000 = 1 Trillion] +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +At our revised rates of production, we will reach only one-third +of that goal by the end of 2001, or about 4,000 Etexts. We need +funding, as well as continued efforts by volunteers, to maintain +or increase our production and reach our goals. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of January, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, +Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, +Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, +Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, +Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, +and Wyoming. + +*In Progress + +We have filed in about 45 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +All donations should be made to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fundraising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fundraising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this etext, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this etext if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS ETEXT +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +etext, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this etext by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this etext on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM ETEXTS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etexts, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this etext +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these etexts, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's etexts and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other etext medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this etext from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this etext within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS ETEXT IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE ETEXT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this etext, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the etext, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this etext electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + etext or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this etext in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The etext, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The etext may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the etext (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + etext in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.10/04/01*END* + + + + + + +Edited by Charles Aldarondo Aldarondo@yahoo.com + + + + + +LOST IN THE FOG + +by + +JAMES DE MILLE + + +1870 + + + + + + +I. + +Old Acquaintances gather around old Scenes.--Antelope, ahoy!--How +are you, Solomon?--Round-about Plan of a round about Voyage.--The +Doctor warns, rebukes, and remonstrates, but, alas! in vain.--It +must be done.--Beginning of a highly eventful Voyage. + + + + + +It was a beautiful morning, in the month of July, when a crowd of +boys assembled on the wharf of Grand Pre. The tide was high, the +turbid waters of Mud Creek flowed around, a fresh breeze blew, and +if any craft was going to sea she could not have found a better +time. The crowd consisted chiefly of boys, though a few men were +mingled with them. These boys were from Grand Pre School, and are +all old acquaintances. There was the stalwart frame of Bruce, the +Roman face of Arthur, the bright eyes of Bart, the slender frame of +Phil, and the earnest glance of Tom. There, too, was Pat's merry +smile, and the stolid look of Bogud, and the meditative solemnity +of Jiggins, not to speak of others whose names need not be +mentioned. Amid the crowd the face of Captain Corbet was +conspicuous, and the dark visage of Solomon, while that of the +mate was distinguishable in the distance. To all these the good +schooner Antelope formed the centre of attraction, and also of +action. It was on board of her that the chief bustle took place, +and towards her that all eyes were turned. + +The good schooner Antelope had made several voyages during the past +few months, and now presented herself to the eye of the spectator +not much changed from her former self. A fine fresh coat of coal +tar had but recently ornamented her fair exterior, while a coat of +whitewash inside the hold had done much to drive away the odor of +the fragrant potato. Rigging and sails had been repaired as well +as circumstances would permit, and in the opinion of her gallant +captain she was eminently seaworthy. + +On the present occasion things bore the appearance of a voyage. +Trunks were passed on board and put below, together with coats, +cloaks, bedding, and baskets of provisions. The deck was strewn +about with the multifarious requisites of a ship's company. The +Antelope, at that time, seemed in part an emigrant vessel, with a +dash of the yacht and the coasting schooner. + +In the midst of all this, two gentlemen worked their way through +the crowd to the edge of the wharf. + +"Well, boys," said one, "well, captain, what's the meaning of all +this?" + +Captain Corbet started at this, and looked up from a desperate +effort to secure the end of one of the sails. + +"Why, Dr. Porter!" said he; "why, doctor!--how d'ye do?--and Mr. +Long, too!--why, railly!" + +The boys also stopped their work, and looked towards their teachers +with a little uneasiness. + +"What's all this?" said Dr. Porter, looking around with a smile; +"are you getting up another expedition?" + +"Wal, no," said Captain Corbet, "not 'xactly; fact is, we're kine +o' goin to take a vyge deoun the bay." + +"Down the bay?" + +"Yes. You see the boys kine o' want to go home by water, rayther +than by land." + +"By water! Home by water!" repeated Mr. Long, doubtfully. + +"Yes," said Captain Corbet; "an bein as the schewner was in good +repair, an corked, an coal-tarred, an whitewashed up fust rate, I +kine o' thought it would redound to our mootooil benefit if we went +off on sich a excursion,--bein pleasanter, cheaper, comfortabler, +an every way preferable to a land tower." + +"Hem," said Dr. Porter, looking uneasily about. "I don't altogether +like it. Boys, what does it all mean?" + +Thus appealed to, Bart became spokesman for the boys. + +"Why, sir," said he, "we thought we'd like to go home by water-- +that's all." + +"Go home by water!" repeated the doctor once more, with a curious +smile. + +"Yes, sir." + +"What? by the Bay of Fundy?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Who are going?" + +"Well, sir, there are only a few of us. Bruce, and Arthur, and +Tom, and Phil, and Pat, besides myself." + +"Bruce and Arthur?" said the doctor; "are they going home by the +Bay of Fundy?" + +"Yes, sir," said Bart, with a smile. + +"I don't see how they can get to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and +Prince Edward's Island from the Bay of Fundy," said the doctor, +"without going round Nova Scotia, and that will be a journey of +many hundred miles." + +"O, no, sir," said Bruce; "we are going first to Moncton." + +"O, is that the idea?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"And where will you go from Moncton?" + +"To Shediac, and then home." + +"And are you going to Newfoundland by that route, Tom?" asked the +doctor. + +"Yes, sir," said Tom, gravely. + +"From Shediac?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"I never knew before that there were vessels going from Shediac to +Newfoundland." + +"O, I'm going to Prince Edward's Island first, sir, with Bruce and +Arthur," said Tom. "I'll find my way home from there." + +The doctor smiled. + +"I'm afraid you'll find it a long journey before you reach home. +Won't your friends be anxious?" + +"O, no, sir. I wrote that I wanted to visit Bruce and Arthur, and +they gave me leave." + +"And you, Phil, are you going home by the Antelope?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"You are going exactly in a straight line away from it." + +"Am I, sir?" + +"Of course you are. This isn't the way to Chester." + +"Well, sir, you see I'm going to visit Bart at St. John." + +"O, I understand. And that is your plan, then?" + +"Yes, sir," said Bart. "Pat is going too." + +"Where are you going first?" + +"First, sir, we will sail to the Petitcodiac River, and go up it as +far as Moncton, where Bruce, and Arthur, and Tom will leave us." + +"And then?" + +"Then we will go to St. John, where Phil, and Pat, and I will leave +her. Solomon, too, will leave her there." + +"Solomon!" cried the doctor. "What! Solomon! Is Solomon going? +Why, what can I do without Solomon? Here! Hallo!--Solomon! What +in the world's the meaning of all this?" + +Thus summoned, Solomon came forth from the cabin, into which he had +dived at the first appearance of the doctor. His eyes were +downcast, his face was demure, his attitude and manner were abject. + +"Solomon," said the doctor, "what's this I hear? Are you going to +St. John?" + +"Ony temp'ly, sah--jist a leetle visit, sah," said Solomon, very +humbly, stealing looks at the boys from his downcast eyes. + +"But what makes you go off this way without asking, or letting me +know?" + +"Did I, sah?" said Solomon, rolling his eyes up as though horrified +at his own wickedness; "the sakes now! Declar, I clean forgot it." + +"What are you going away for?" + +"Why, sah, for de good oh my helf. Docta vises sea vyge; sides, I +got frens in St. John, an business dar, what muss be tended to." + +"Well, well," said the doctor, "I suppose if you want to go you'll +find reasons enough; but at the same time you ought to have let me +known before." + +"Darsn't, sah," said Solomon. + +"Why not?" + +"Fraid you'd not let me go," said Solomon, with a broad grin, that +instantly was suppressed by a demure cough. + +"Nonsense," said the doctor; and then turning away, he spoke a few +words apart with Mr. Long. + +"Well, boys," said the doctor, at last, "this project of yours +doesn't seem to me to be altogether safe, and I don't like to trust +you in this way without anybody as a responsible guardian." + +Bart smiled. + +"O, sir," said he, "you need not be at all uneasy. All of us are +accustomed to take care of ourselves; and besides, if you wanted a +responsible guardian for us, what better one could be found than +Captain Corbet?" + +The doctor and Mr. Long both shook their heads. Evidently neither +of them attached any great importance to Captain Corbet's +guardianship. + +"Did you tell your father how you were going?" asked the doctor, +after a few further words with Mr. Long. + +"O, yes, sir; and he told me I might go. What's more, he promised +to charter a schooner for me to cruise about with Phil and Pat +after I arrived home." + +"And we got permission, too," said Bruce. + +"Indeed!" said the doctor. "That changes the appearance of things. +I was afraid that it was a whim of your own. And now, one thing +more,--how are you off for provisions?" + +"Wal, sir," said Captain Corbet, "I've made my calculations, an I +think I've got enough. What I might fail in, the boys and Solomon +have made up." + +"How is it, Solomon?" asked the doctor. + +Solomon grinned. + +"You sleep in the hold, I see," continued the doctor. + +"Yes, sir," said Bruce. "It's whitewashed, and quite sweet now. +We'll only be on board two or three days at the farthest, and so it +really doesn't much matter how we go." + +"Well, boys, I have no more to say; only take care of yourselves." + +With these words the doctor and Mr. Long bade them good by, and +then walked away. + +The other boys, however, stood on the wharf waiting to see the +vessel off. They themselves were all going to start for home in a +few minutes, and were only waiting for the departure of the +Antelope. + +This could not now be long delayed. The tide was high. The wind +fresh and fair. The luggage, and provisions, and stores were all +on board. Captain Corbet was at the helm. All was ready. At +length the word was given, the lines were cast off; and the +Antelope moved slowly round, and left the wharf amid the cheers of +the boys. Farther and farther it moved away, then down the +tortuous channel of Mud Creek, until at last the broad expanse of +Minas Basin received them. + +For this voyage the preparations had been complete. It had first +been thought of several weeks before, and then the plan and the +details had been slowly elaborated. It was thought to be an +excellent idea, and one which was in every respect worthy of the +"B. O. W. C." Captain Corbet embraced the proposal with enthusiasm. +Letters home, requesting permission, received favorable answers. +Solomon at first resisted, but finally, on being solemnly appealed +to as Grand Panjandrum, he found himself unable to withstand, and +thus everything was gradually prepared. Other details were +satisfactorily arranged, though not without much serious and earnest +debate. The question of costume received very careful attention, +and it was decided to adopt and wear the weather-beaten uniforms +that had done service amidst mud and water on a former occasion. +Solomon's presence was felt to be a security against any menacing +famine; and that assurance was made doubly sure by the presence of a +cooking stove, which Captain Corbet, mindful of former hardships, +had thoughtfully procured and set up in the hold. Finally, it was +decided that the flag which had formerly flaunted the breeze should +again wave over them; and so it was, that as the Antelope moved +through Mud Creek, like a thing of life, the black flag of the +"B. O. W. C." floated on high, with its blazonry of a skull, which +now, worn by time, looked more than ever like the face of some mild, +venerable, and paternal monitor. + +Some time was taken up in arranging the hold. Considerable +confusion was manifest in that important locality. Tin pans were +intermingled with bedding, provisions with wearing apparel, books +with knives and forks, while amid the scene the cooking stove +towered aloft prominent. To tell the truth, the scene was rather +free and easy than elegant; nor could an unprejudiced observer have +called it altogether comfortable. In fact, to one who looked at it +with a philosophic mind, an air of squalor might possibly have been +detected. Yet what of that? The philosophic mind just alluded to +would have overlooked the squalor, and regarded rather the health, +the buoyant animal spirits, and the determined habit of enjoyment, +which all the ship's company evinced, without exception. The first +thing which they did in the way of preparation for the voyage was +to doff the garments of civilized life, and to don the costume of +the "B. O. W. C." Those red shirts, decorated with a huge white +cross on the back, had been washed and mended, and completely +reconstructed, so that the rents and patches which were here and +there visible on their fair exteriors, served as mementos of former +exploits, and called up associations of the past without at all +deteriorating from the striking effect of the present. Glengary +bonnets adorned their heads, and served to complete the costume. + +The labor of dressing was followed by a hurried arrangement of the +trunks and bedding; after which they all emerged from the hold and +ascending to the deck, looked around upon the scene. Above, the +sky was blue and cloudless, and between them and the blue sky +floated the flag, from whose folds the face looked benignantly +down. The tide was now on the ebb, and as the wind was fair, both +wind and tide united to bear them rapidly onward. Before them was +Blomidon, while all around was the circling sweep of the shores of +Minas Bay. A better day for a start could not have been found, and +everything promised a rapid and pleasant run. + +"I must say," remarked Captain Corbet, who had for some time been +standing buried in his own meditations at the helm,--"I must say, +boys, that I don't altogether regret bein once more on the briny +deep. There was a time," he continued, meditatively, "when I kine +o' anticipated givin up this here occypation, an stayin to hum a +nourishin of the infant. But man proposes, an woman disposes, as +the sayin is,--an you see what I'm druv to. It's a great thing for +a man to have a companion of sperrit, same as I have, that keeps a' +drivin an a drivin at him, and makes him be up an doin. An now, I +declar, if I ain't gittin to be a confirmed wanderer agin, same as +I was in the days of my halcyon an shinin youth. Besides, I have a +kine o' feelin as if I'd be a continewin this here the rest of all +my born days." + +"I hope you won't feel homesick," remarked Bart, sympathetically. + +"Homesick," repeated the captain. "Wal, you see thar's a good deal +to be said about it. In my hum thar's a attraction, but thar's +also a repulsion. The infant drors me hum, the wife of my buzzum +drives me away, an so thar it is, an I've got to knock under to the +strongest power. An that's the identical individool thing that +makes the aged Corbet a foogitive an a vagabond on the face of the +mighty deep. Still I have my consolations." + +The captain paused for a few moments, and then resumed. + +"Yes," he continued, "I have my consolations. Surroundins like +these here air a consolation. I like your young faces, an gay an +airy ways, boys. I like to see you enjoy life. So, go in. Pitch +in. Go ahead. Sing. Shout. Go on like mad. Carry on like all +possessed, an you'll find the aged Corbet smilin amid the din, an a +flutterin of his venerable locks triumphant amid the ragin an +riotin elements." + +"It's a comfort to know that, at any rate," said Tom. "We'll give +you enough of that before we leave, especially as we know it don't +annoy you." + +"I don't know how it is," said the captain, solemnly, "but I begin +to feel a sort of somethin towards you youngsters that's very +absorbin. It's a kine o' anxious fondness, with a mixtoor of +indulgent tenderness. How ever I got to contract sech a feelin +beats me. I s'pose it's bein deprived of my babby, an exiled from +home, an so my vacant buzzom craves to be filled. I've got a +dreadful talent for doin the pariential, an what's more, not only +for doin the pariential, but for feelin of it. So you boys, ef +ever you see me a doin of the pariential towards youns, please +remember that when I act like an anxious an too indulgent parient +towards youns, it's because I feel like one." + +For some hours they traversed the waters, carried swiftly on by the +united forces of the wind and tide. At last they found themselves +close by Blomidon, and under his mighty shadow they sailed for some +time. Then they doubled the cape, and there, before them, lay a +long channel--the Straits of Minas, through which the waters pour +at every ebb and flood. Their course now lay through this to the +Bay of Fundy outside; and as it was within two hours of the low +tide, the current ran swiftly, hurrying them rapidly past the land. +Here the scene was grand and impressive in the extreme. On one +side arose a lofty, precipitous cliff, which extended for miles, +its sides scarred and tempest-torn, its crest fringed with trees, +towering overhead many hundreds of feet, black, and menacing, and +formidable. At its base was a steep beach, disclosed by the +retreating tide, which had been formed by the accumulated masses of +rock that had fallen in past ages from the cliffs above. These +now, from the margin of the water up to high-water mark, were +covered with a vast growth of sea-weed, which luxuriated here, and +ran parallel to the line of vegetation on the summit of the cliff. +On the other side of the strait the scene was different. Here the +shores were more varied; in one place, rising high on steep +precipices, in others, thrusting forth black, rocky promontories +into the deep channel; in others again, retreating far back, and +forming bays, round whose sloping shores appeared places fit for +human habitation, and in whose still waters the storm-tossed bark +might find a secure haven. + +As they drifted on, borne along by the impetuous tide, the shores +on either side changed, and new vistas opened before them. At last +they reached the termination of the strait, the outer portal of +this long avenue, which here was marked by the mighty hand of +Nature in conspicuous characters. For here was the termination of +that long extent of precipitous cliff which forms the outline of +Blomidon; and this termination, abrupt, and stern, and black, +shows, in a concentrated form, the power of wind and wave. The +cliff ends abrupt, broken off short, and beyond this arise from the +water several giant fragments of rock, the first of which, shaped +like an irregular pyramid, rivals the cliff itself in height, and +is surrounded by other rocky fragments, all of which form a +colossal group, whose aggregated effect never fails to overawe the +mind of the spectator. Such is Cape Split, the terminus of Cape +Blomidon, on the side of the Bay of Fundy. Over its shaggy summits +now fluttered hundreds of sea-gulls; round its black base the waves +foamed and thundered, while the swift tide poured between the +interstices of the rugged rocks. + +"Behind that thar rock," said Captain Corbet, pointing to Cape +Split," is a place they call Scott's Bay. Perhaps some of you have +heard tell of it." + +"I have a faint recollection of such a place," said Bart. "Scott's +Bay, do you call it? Yes, that must be the place that I've heard +of; and is it behind this cape?" + +"It's a bay that runs up thar," said the captain. "We'll see it +soon arter we get further down. It's a fishin and ship-buildin +place. They catch a dreadful lot of shad thar sometimes." + +Swiftly the Antelope passed on, hurried on by the tide, and no +longer feeling much of the wind; swiftly she passed by the cliffs, +and by the cape, and onward by the sloping shores, till at length +the broad bosom of the Bay of Fundy extended before their eyes. +Here the wind ceased altogether, the water was smooth and calm, but +the tide still swept them along, and the shores on each side +receded, until at length they were fairly in the bay. Here, on one +side, the coast of Nova Scotia spread away, until it faded from +view in the distance, while on the other side the coast of New +Brunswick extended. Between the schooner and this latter coast a +long cape projected, while immediately in front arose a lofty +island of rock, whose summit was crowned with trees. + +"What island is that?" asked Tom. + +"That," said Captain Corbet, "is Isle o' Holt." + +"I think I've heard it called Ile Haute," said Bart. + +"All the same," said Captain Corbet, "ony I believe it was named +after the man that diskivered it fust, an his name was Holt." + +"But it's a French name," said Tom; "Ile Haute means high island." + +"Wal, mebbe he was a Frenchman," said Captain Corbet. "I won't +argufy--I dare say he was. There used to be a heap o' Frenchmen +about these parts, afore we got red of 'em." + +"It's a black, gloomy, dismal, and wretched-looking place," said +Tom, after some minutes of silent survey. + + + + + + +II. + +First Sight of a Place destined to be better known.--A Fog Mill.-- +Navigation without Wind.--Fishing.--Boarding.--Under Arrest.-- +Captain Corbet defiant.--The Revenue Officials frowned down.-- +Corbet triumphant. + + + + + +The Antelope had left the wharf at about seven in the morning. It +was now one o'clock. For the last two or three hours there had +been but little wind, and it was the tide which had carried her +along. Drifting on in this way, they had come to within a mile of +Ile Haute, and had an opportunity of inspecting the place which Tom +had declared to be so gloomy. In truth, Tom's judgment was not +undeserved. Ile Haute arose like a solid, unbroken rock out of the +deep waters of the Bay of Fundy, its sides precipitous, and scarred +by tempest, and shattered by frost. On its summit were trees, at +its base lay masses of rock that had fallen. The low tide +disclosed here, as at the base of Blomidon, a vast growth of black +sea-weed, which covered all that rocky shore. The upper end of the +island, which was nearest them, was lower, however, and went down +sloping to the shore, forming a place where a landing could easily +be effected. From this shore mud flats extended into the water. + +"This end looks as though it had been cleared," said Bart. + +"I believe it was," said the captain. + +"Does anybody live here?" + +"No." + +"Did any one ever live here?" + +"Yes, once, some one tried it, I believe, but gave it up." + +"Does it belong to anybody, or is it public property?" + +"O, I dare say it belongs to somebody, if you could only get him to +claim it." + +"I say, captain," said Bruce, "how much longer are we going to +drift?" + +"O, not much longer. The tide's about on the turn, and we'll have +a leetle change." + +"What! will we drift back again?" + +"O, I shouldn't wonder if we had a leetle wind afore long." + +"But if we don't, will we drift back again into the Basin of +Minas?" + +"O, dear, no. We can anchor hereabouts somewhar." + +"You won't anchor by this island,--will you?" + +"O, dear, no. We'll have a leetle driftin first." As the captain +spoke, he looked earnestly out upon the water. + +"Thar she comes," he cried at last, pointing over the water. The +boys looked, and saw the surface of the bay all rippled over. They +knew the signs of wind, and waited for the result. Soon a faint +puff came up the bay, which filled the languid sails, and another +puff came up more strongly, and yet another, until at length a +moderate breeze was blowing. The tide no longer dragged them on. +It was on the turn; and as the vessel caught the wind, it yielded +to the impetus, and moved through the water, heading across the bay +towards the New Brunswick shore, in such a line as to pass near to +that cape which has already been spoken of. + +"If the wind holds out," said Captain Corbet, "so as to carry us +past Cape d'Or, we can drift up with this tide." + +"Where's Cape d'Or?" + +"That there," said Captain Corbet, pointing to the long cape which +stretched between them and the New Brunswick shore. "An if it goes +down, an we can't get by the cape, we'll be able, at any rate, to +drop anchor there, an hold on till the next tide." + +The returning tide, and the fresh breeze that blew now, bore them +onward rapidly, and they soon approached Cape d'Or. They saw that +it terminated in a rocky cliff, with rocky edges jutting forth, and +that all the country adjoining was wild and rugged. But the wind, +having done this much for them, now began to seem tired of favoring +them, and once more fell off. + +"I don't like this," said Captain Corbet, looking around. + +"What?" + +"All this here," said he, pointing to the shore. + +It was about a mile away, and the schooner, borne along now by the +tide, was slowly drifting on to an unpleasant proximity to the +rocky shore. + +"I guess we've got to anchor," said Captain Corbet; "there's no +help for it." + +"To anchor?" said Bruce, in a tone of disappointment. + +"Yes, anchor; we've got to do it," repeated the captain, in a +decided tone. The boys saw that there was no help for it, for the +vessel was every moment drawing in closer to the rocks; and though +it would not have been very dangerous for her to run ashore in that +calm water, yet it would not have been pleasant. So they +suppressed their disappointment, and in a few minutes the anchor +was down, and the schooner's progress was stopped. + +"Thar's one secret," said the captain, "of navigatin in these here +waters, an that is, to use your anchor. My last anchor I used for +nigh on thirty year, till it got cracked. I mayn't be much on +land, but put me anywhars on old Fundy, an I'm to hum. I know +every current on these here waters, an can foller my nose through +the thickest fog that they ever ground out at old Manan." + +"What's that?" asked Bart. "What did you say about grinding out +fog?" + +"O, nothin, ony thar's an island down the bay, you know, called +Grand Manan, an seafarin men say that they've got a fog mill down +thar, whar they grind out all the fog for the Bay of Fundy. I +can't say as ever I've seen that thar mill, but I've allus found +the fog so mighty thick down thar that I think thar's a good deal +in the story." + +"I suppose we'll lose this tide," said Phil. + +"Yes, I'm afeard so," said the captain, looking around over the +water. "This here wind ain't much, any way; you never can reckon +on winds in this bay. I don't care much about them. I'd a most +just as soon go about the bay without sails as with them. What I +brag on is the tides, an a jodgmatical use of the anchor." + +"You're not in earnest?" + +"Course I am." + +"Could you get to St. John from Grand Pre without sails?" + +"Course I could." + +"I don't see how you could manage to do it." + +"Do it? Easy enough," said the captain. "You see I'd leave with +the ebb tide, and get out into the bay. Then I'd anchor an wait +till the next ebb, an so on. Bless your hearts, I've often done +it." + +"But you couldn't get across the bay by drifting." + +"Course I could. I'd work my way by short drifts over as far as +this, an then I'd gradually move along till I kine o' canted over +to the New Brunswick shore. It takes time to do it, course it +does; but what I mean to say is this--it CAN be done." + +"Well, I wouldn't like to be on board while you were trying to do +it." + +"Mebbe not. I ain't invitin you to do it, either. All I was sayin +is, it CAN be done. Sails air very good in their way, course they +air, an who's objectin to 'em? I'm only sayin that in this here +bay thar's things that's more important than sails, by a long +chalk--such as tides, an anchors in particular. Give me them thar, +an I don't care a hooter what wind thar is." + +Lying thus at anchor, under the hot sun, was soon found to be +rather dull, and the boys sought in vain for some way of passing +the time. Different amusements were invented for the occasion. +The first amusement consisted in paper boats, with which they ran +races, and the drift of these frail vessels over the water afforded +some excitement. Then they made wooden boats with huge paper +sails. In this last Bart showed a superiority to the others; for, +by means of a piece of iron hoop, which he inserted as a keel, he +produced a boat which was able to carry an immense press of sail, +and in the faint and scarce perceptible breeze, easily distanced +the others. This accomplishment Bart owed to his training in a +seaport town. + +At length one of them proposed that they should try to catch fish. +Captain Corbet, in answer to their eager inquiries, informed them +that there were fish everywhere about the bay; on learning which +they became eager to try their skill. Some herring were on board, +forming part of the stores, and these were taken for bait. Among +the miscellaneous contents of the cabin a few hooks were found, +which were somewhat rusty, it is true, yet still good enough for +the purpose before them. Lines, of course, were easily procured, +and soon a half dozen baited hooks were down in the water, while a +half dozen boys, eager with suspense, watched the surface of the +water. + +For a half hour they held their lines suspended without any result; +but at the end of that time, a cry from Phil roused them, and on +looking round they saw him clinging with all his might to his line, +which was tugged at tightly by something in the water. Bruce ran +to help him, and soon their united efforts succeeded in landing on +the deck of the vessel a codfish of very respectable size. The +sight of this was greeted with cheers by the others, and served to +stimulate them to their work. + +After this others were caught, and before half an hour more some +twenty codfish, of various sizes, lay about the deck, as trophies +of their piscatory skill. They were now more excited than ever, +and all had their hooks in the water, and were waiting eagerly for +a bite, when an exclamation from Captain Corbet roused them. + +On turning their heads, and looking in the direction where he was +pointing, they saw a steamboat approaching them. It was coming +from the head of the bay on the New Brunswick side, and had +hitherto been concealed by the projecting cape. + +"What's that?" said Bart. "Is it the St. John steamer?" + +"No, SIR," said the captain. She's a man-o'-war steamer--the +revenoo cutter, I do believe." + +"How do you know?" + +"Why, by her shape." + +"She seems to be coming this way." + +"Yes, bound to Minas Bay, I s'pose. Wal, wal, wal! strange too,-- +how singoolarly calm an onterrified I feel in'ardly. Why, boys, +I've seen the time when the sight of a approachin revenoo vessel +would make me shiver an shake from stem to starn. But now how +changed! Such, my friends, is the mootability of human life!" + +The boys looked at the steamer for a few moments, but at length +went back to their fishing. The approaching steamer had nothing in +it to excite curiosity: such an object was too familiar to withdraw +their thoughts from the excitement of their lines and hooks, and +the hope which each had of surpassing the other in the number of +catches animated them to new trials. So they soon forgot all about +the approaching steamer. + +But Captain Corbet had nothing else to do, and so, whether it was +on account of his lack of employment, or because of the sake of old +associations, he kept his eyes fixed on the steamer. Time passed +on, and in the space of another half hour she had drawn very near +to the Antelope. + +Suddenly Captain Corbet slapped his hand against his thigh. + +"Declar, if they ain't a goin to overhaul us!" he cried. + +At this the boys all turned again to look at the steamer. + +"Declar, if that fellow in the gold hat ain't a squintin at us +through his spy-glass!" cried the captain. + +As the boys looked, they saw that the Antelope had become an object +of singular attention and interest to those on board of the +steamer. Men were on the forecastle, others on the main deck, the +officers were on the quarter-deck, and all were earnestly +scrutinizing the Antelope. One of them was looking at her through +his glass. The Antelope, as she lay at anchor, was now turned with +her stern towards the steamer, and her sails flapping idly against +the masts. In a few moments the paddles of the steamer stopped, +and at the same instant a gun was fired. + +"Highly honored, kind sir," said Captain Corbet, with a grin. + +"What's the matter?" asked Bart. + +"Matter? Why that thar steamer feels kine o' interested in us, an +that thar gun means, HEAVE TO." + +"Are you going to heave to?" + +"Nary heave." + +"Why not?" + +"Can't come it no how; cos why, I'm hove to, with the anchor hard +and fast, ony they can't see that we're anchored." + +Suddenly a cry came over the water from a man on the quarter-deck. + +"Ship aho-o-o-o-o-oy!" + +"Hel-lo-o-o-o-o!" + +Such was the informal reply of Captain Corbet. + +"Heave to-o-o-o, till I send a boat aboard." + +"Hoo-r-a-a-a-a-ay!" + +Such was again Captain Corbet's cheerful and informal answer. + +"Wal! wal wal!" he exclaimed, "it does beat my grandmother--they're +goin to send a boat aboard." + +"What for?" + +Captain Corbet grinned, and shook his head, and chuckled very +vehemently, but said nothing. He appeared to be excessively amused +with his own thoughts. The boys looked at the steamer, and then at +Captain Corbet, in some wonder; but as he said nothing, they were +silent, and waited to see what was going to happen. Meanwhile +Solomon, roused from some mysterious culinary duties by the report +of the gun, had scrambled upon the deck, and stood with the others +looking out over the water at the steamer. + +In a few moments the steamer's boat was launched, and a half dozen +sailors got in, followed by an officer. Then they put off, and +rowed with vigorous strokes towards the schooner. + +Captain Corbet watched the boat for some time in silence. + +"Cur'ouser an cur'ouser," he said, at length. "I've knowed the +time, boys, when sech an incident as this, on the briny deep, would +have fairly keeled me over, an made me moot, an riz every har o' my +head; but look at me now. Do I tremble? do I shake? Here, feel my +pulse." + +Phil, who stood nearest, put his finger on the outstretched wrist +of the captain. + +"Doos it beat?" + +"No," said Phil. + +"Course it beats; but then it ony beats nateral. You ain't feelin +the right spot--the humane pulse not bein sitooated on the BACK of +the hand," he added mildly, "but here;" and he removed Phil's +inexperienced finger to the place where the pulse lies. "Thar, +now," he added, "as that pulse beats now, even so it beat a half +hour ago, before that thar steamer hev in sight. Why, boys, I've +knowed the time when this humane pulse bet like all possessed. You +see, I've lived a life of adventoor, in spite of my meek and quiet +natoor, an hev dabbled at odd times in the smugglin business. But +they don't catch me this time--I've retired from that thar, an the +Antelope lets the revenoo rest in peace." + +The boat drew nearer and nearer, and the officer at the stern +looked scrutinizingly at the Antelope. There was an air of +perplexity about his face, which was very visible to those on +board, and the perplexity deepened and intensified as his eyes +rested on the flag of the "B. O. W. C." + +"Leave him to me," said Captain Corbet. "Leave that thar young man +to me. I enjy havin to do with a revenoo officer jest now; so +don't go an put in your oars, but jest leave him to me." + +"All right, captain; we won't say a word," said Bruce. "We'll go +on with our fishing quietly. Come, boys--look sharp, and down with +your lines." + +The interest which they had felt in these new proceedings had +caused the boys to pull up their hooks; but now, at Bruce's word, +they put them in the water once more, and resumed their fishing, +only casting sidelong glances at the approaching boat. + +In a few minutes the boat was alongside, and the officer leaped on +board. He looked all around, at the fish lying about the deck, at +the boys engaged in fishing, at Captain Corbet, at Solomon, at the +mysterious flag aloft, and finally at the boys. These all took no +notice of him, but appeared to be intent on their task. + +"What schooner is this?" he asked, abruptly. + +"The schooner Antelope, Corbet master," replied the captain. + +"Are you the master?" + +"I am." + +"Where do you belong?" + +"Grand Pre." + +"Grand Pre? + +"Yes." + +"Hm," he replied, with a stare around--"Grand Pre--ah---hm." + +"Yes, jest so." + +"What's that?" + +"I briefly remarked that it was jest so." + +"What's the reason you didn't lie to, when you were hailed?" + +"Lay to?" + +"Yes." + +"Couldn't do it." + +"What do you mean by that?" asked the officer, who was rather +ireful, and somewhat insulting in his manner. + +"Wal bein as I was anchored here hard an fast, I don't exactly see +how I could manage to go through that thar manoeuvre, unless you'd +kindly lend me the loan of your steam ingine to do it on." + +"Look here, old man; you'd better look out." + +"Wal, I dew try to keep a good lookout. How much'll you take for +the loan o' that spy-glass o' yourn?" + +"Let me see your papers." + +"Papers?" + +"Yes, your papers." + +"Hain't got none." + +"What's that?" + +"Hain't got none." + +"You--haven't--any--papers?" + +"Nary paper." + +The officer's brow grew dark. He looked around the vessel once +more, and then looked frowningly at Captain Corbet, who encountered +his glance with a serene smile. + +"Look here, old man," said he; "you can't come it over me. Your +little game's up, old fellow. This schooner's seized." + +"Seized? What for?" + +"For violation of the law, by fishing within the limits." + +"Limits? What limits?" + +"No foreign vessel can come within three miles of the shore." + +"Foreign vessel? Do you mean to call me a foreigner?" + +"Of course I do. You're a Yankee fisherman." + +"Am I?" + +"Of course you are; and what do you mean by that confounded rag up +there?" cried the officer, pointing to the flag of the "B. O. W. C." +"If you think you can fish in this style, you'll find yourself +mistaken. I know too much about this business." + +"Do you? Well, then, kind sir, allow me to mention that you've got +somethin to larn yet--spite o' your steam injines an spy-glasses." + +"What's that?" cried the officer, furious. "I'll let you know. I +arrest you, and this vessel is seized." + +"Wait a minute, young sir," cried Captain Corbet; "not QUITE so +fast, EF you please. You'll get YOURSELF arrested. What do you +mean by this here? Do you know who I am? I, sir, am a subject of +Queen Victory. My home is here. I'm now on my own natyve shore. +A foreigner, am I? Let me tell you, sir, that I was born, brung +up, nourished, married, an settled in this here province, an I've +got an infant born here, an I'm not a fisherman, an this ain't a +fishin vessel. You arrest me ef you dar. You'll see who'll get +the wust of it in the long run. I'd like precious well to get +damages--yea, swingin damages--out of one of you revenoo fellers." + +The officer looked around again. It would not do to make a +mistake. Captain Corbet's words were not without effect. + +"Yea!" cried Captain Corbet. "Yea, naval sir! I'm a free Nova +Scotian as free as a bird. I cruise about my natyve coasts whar I +please. Who's to hender? Seize me if you dar, an it'll be the +dearest job you ever tried. This here is my own private pleasure +yacht. These are my young friends, natyves, an amatoor fishermen. +Cast your eye down into yonder hold, and see if this here's a +fishin craft." + +The officer looked down, and saw a cooking stove, trunks, and +bedding. He looked around in doubt. + +But this scene had lasted long enough. + +"O, nonsense!" said Bart, suddenly pulling up his line, and coming +forward; "see here--it's all right," said he to the officer. +"We're not fishermen. It's as he says. We're only out on a short +cruise, you know, for pleasure, and that sort of thing." + +As Bart turned, the others did the same. Bruce lounged up, +dragging his line, followed by Arthur and the others. + +"We're responsible for the schooner," said Bruce, quietly. "It's +ours for the time being. We don't look like foreign fishermen--do +we?" + +The officer looked at the boys, and saw his mistake at once. He +was afraid that he had made himself ridiculous. The faces and +manners of the boys, as they stood confronting him in an easy and +self-possessed manner, showed most plainly the absurdity of his +position. Even the mysterious flag became intelligible, when he +looked at the faces of those over whom it floated. + +"I suppose it's all right," he muttered, in a vexed tone, and +descended into the boat without another word. + +"Sorry to have troubled you, captain," said Corbet, looking blandly +after the officer; "but it wan't my fault. I didn't have charge of +that thar injine." + +The officer turned his back without a word, and the men pulled off +to the steamer. + +The captain looked after the boat in silence for some time. + +"I'm sorry," said he, at length, as he heaved a gentle sigh,--"I'm +sorry that you put in your oars--I do SO like to sass a revonoo +officer." + + + + + + +III. + +Solomon surpasses himself.--A Period of Joy is generally followed +by a Time of Sorrow.--Gloomy Forebodings.--The Legend of Petticoat +Jack.--Captain Corbet discourses of the Dangers of the Deep, and +puts in Practice a new and original Mode of Navigation. + + + + + +This interruption put an end to their attempts at fishing, and was +succeeded by another interruption of a more pleasing character, in +the shape of dinner, which was now loudly announced by Solomon. +For some time a savory steam had been issuing from the lower +regions, and had been wafted to their nostrils in successive puffs, +until at last their impatient appetite had been roused to the +keenest point, and the enticing fragrance had suggested all sorts +of dishes. When at length the summons came, and they went below, +they found the dinner in every way worthy of the occasion. +Solomon's skill never was manifested more conspicuously than on +this occasion; and whether the repast was judged of by the quantity +or the quality of the dishes, it equally deserved to be considered +as one of the masterpieces of the distinguished artist who had +prepared it. + +"Dar, chil'en," he exclaimed, as they took their places, "dar, +cap'en, jes tas dem ar trout, to begin on, an see if you ever saw +anythin to beat 'em in all your born days. Den try de stew, den de +meat pie, den de calf's head; but dat ar pie down dar mustn't be +touched, nor eben so much as looked at, till de las ob all." + +And with these words Solomon stepped back, leaning both hands on +his hips, and surveyed the banquet and the company with a smile of +serene and ineffable complacency. + +"All right, Solomon, my son," said Bart. "Your dinner is like +yourself--unequalled and unapproachable." + +"Bless you, bless you, my friend," murmured Bruce, in the intervals +of eating; "if there is any contrast between this present voyage +and former ones, it is all due to our unequalled caterer." + +"How did you get the trout, Solomon?" said Phil. + +"De trout? O, I picked 'em up last night down in de village," said +Solomon. "Met little boy from Gaspereaux, an got 'em from him." + +"What's this?" cried Tom, opening a dish--"not lobster!" + +"Lobster!" exclaimed Phil. + +"So it is." + +"Why, Solomon, where did you get lobster?" + +"Is this the season for them?" + +"Think of the words of the poet, boys," said Bart, warningly,-- + + + "In the months without the R, + Clams and lobsters pison are." + + +Solomon meanwhile stood apart, grinning from ear to ear, with his +little black beads of eyes twinkling with merriment. + +"Halo, Solomon! What do you say to lobsters in July?" + +Solomon's head wagged up and down, as though he were indulging in +some quiet, unobtrusive laughter, and it was some time before he +replied. + +"O, neber you fear, chil'en," he said; "ef you're only goin to get +sick from lobsters, you'll live a long day. You may go in for +clams, an lobsters, an oysters any time ob de yeah you like,--ony +dey mus be cooked up proper." + +"I'm gratified to hear that," said Bruce, gravely, "but at the same +time puzzled. For Mrs. Pratt says the exact opposite; and so here +we have two great authorities in direct opposition. So what are we +to think?" + +"O, there's no difficulty," said Arthur, "for the doctors are not +of equal authority. Mrs. Pratt is a quack, but Solomon is a +professional--a regular, natural, artistic, and scientific cook, +which at sea is the same as doctor." + +The dinner was prolonged to an extent commensurate with its own +inherent excellence and the capacity of the boys to appreciate it; +but at length, like all things mortal, it came to a termination, +and the company went up once more to the deck. On looking round it +was evident to all that a change had taken place. + +Four miles away lay Ile Haute, and eight or ten miles beyond this +lay the long line of Nova Scotia. It was now about four o'clock, +and the tide had been rising for three hours, and was flowing up +rapidly, and in a full, strong current. As yet there was no wind, +and the broad surface of the bay was quite smooth and unruffled. +In the distance and far down the bay, where its waters joined the +horizon, there was a kind of haze, that rendered the line of +separation between sea and sky very indistinct. The coast of Nova +Scotia was at once enlarged and obscured. It seemed now elevated +to an unusual height above the sea line, as though it had been +suddenly brought several miles nearer, and yet, instead of being +more distinct, was actually more obscure. Even Ile Haute, though +so near, did not escape. Four miles of distance were not sufficient +to give it that grand indistinctness which was now flung over the +Nova Scotia coast; yet much of the mysterious effect of the haze had +gathered about the island; its lofty cliffs seemed to tower on high +more majestically, and to lean over more frowningly; its fringe of +black sea-weed below seemed blacker, while the general hue of the +island had changed from a reddish color to one of a dull slaty blue. + +"I don't like this," said Captain Corbet, looking down the bay and +twisting up his face as he looked. + +"Why not?" + +Captain Corbet shook his head. + +"What's the matter?" + +"Bad, bad, bad!" said the captain. + +"Is there going to be a storm?" + +"Wuss!" + +"Worse? What?" + +"Fog." + +"Fog?" + +"Yes, hot an heavy, thick as puddin, an no mistake. I tell you +what it is, boys: judgin from what I see, they've got a bran-new +steam injine into that thar fog mill at Grand Manan; an the way +they're goin to grind out the fog this here night is a caution to +mariners." + +Saying this, he took off his hat, and holding it in one hand, he +scratched his venerable head long and thoughtfully with the other. + +"But I don't see any fog as yet," said Bart. + +"Don't see it? Wal, what d'ye call all that?" said the captain, +giving a grand comprehensive sweep with his arm, so as to take in +the entire scene. + +"Why, it's clear enough." + +"Clear? Then let me tell you that when you see a atmosphere like +this here, then you may expect to see it any moment changed into +deep, thick fog. Any moment--five minutes 'll be enough to snatch +everything from sight, and bury us all in the middle of a unyversal +fog bank." + +"What'll we do?" + +"Dew? That's jest the question." + +"Can we go on?" + +"Wal--without wind--I don't exactly see how. In a fog a wind is +not without its advantages. That's one of the times when the old +Antelope likes to have her sails up; but as we hain't got no wind, +I don't think we'll do much." + +"Will you stay here at anchor?" + +"At anchor? Course not. No, sir. Moment the tide falls again, +I'll drift down so as to clear that pint there,--Cape Chignecto,-- +then anchor; then hold on till tide rises; and then drift up. +Mebbe before that the wind 'll spring up, an give us a lift somehow +up the bay." + +"How long before the tide will turn?" + +"Wal, it'll be high tide at about a quarter to eight this evenin, I +calc'late." + +"You'll drift in the night, I suppose." + +"Why not?" + +"O, I didn't know but what the fog and the night together might be +too much for you." + +"Too much? Not a bit of it. Fog, and night, and snow-storms, an +tide dead agin me, an a lee shore, are circumstances that the +Antelope has met over an over, an fit down. As to foggy nights, +when it's as calm as this, why, they're not wuth considerin." + +Captain Corbet's prognostication as to the fog proved to be +correct. It was only for a short time that they were allowed to +stare at the magnified proportions of the Nova Scotia coast and +Ile Haute. Then a change took place which attracted all their +attention. + +The change was first perceptible down the bay. It was first made +manifest by the rapid appearance of a thin gray cloud along the +horizon, which seemed to take in both sea and sky, and absorbed +into itself the outlines of both. At the same time, the coast of +Nova Scotia grew more obscure, though it lost none of its magnified +proportions, while the slaty blue of Ile Haute changed to a grayer +shade. + +This change was rapid, and was followed by other changes. The thin +gray cloud, along the south-west horizon, down the bay, gradually +enlarged itself; till it grew to larger and loftier proportions. +In a quarter of an hour it had risen to the dimensions of the Nova +Scotia coast. In a half an hour it was towering to double that +height. In an hour its lofty crest had ascended far up into the +sky. + +"It's a comin," said Captain Corbet. "I knowed it. Grind away, +you old fog mill! Pile on the steam, you Grand Mananers!" + +"Is there any wind down there?" + +"Not a hooter." + +"Is the fog coming up without any wind?" + +"Course it is. What does the fog want of wind?" + +"I thought it was the wind that brought it along." + +"Bless your heart, the fog takes care of itself. The wind isn't a +bit necessary. It kine o' pervades the hull atmosphere, an rolls +itself on an on till all creation is overspread. Why, I've seen +everything changed from bright sunshine to the thickest kind of fog +in fifteen minutes,--yea, more,--and in five minutes." + +Even while they were speaking the fog rolled on, the vast +accumulation of mist rose higher and yet higher, and appeared to +draw nearer with immense rapidity. It seemed as though the whole +atmosphere was gradually becoming condensed, and precipitating its +invisible watery vapor so as to make it visible in far-extending +fog banks. It was not wind, therefore, that brought on the clouds, +for the surface of the water was smooth and unruffled, but it was +the character of the atmosphere itself from which this change was +wrought. And still, as they looked at the approaching mist, the +sky overhead was blue, and the sun shone bright. But the gathering +clouds seemed now to have gained a greater headway, and came on +more rapidly. In a few minutes the whole outline of the Nova +Scotia coast faded from view, and in its place there appeared a +lofty wall of dim gray cloud, which rose high in the air, fading +away into the faintest outline. Overhead, the blue sky became +rapidly more obscured; Ile Haute changed again from its grayish +blue to a lighter shade, and then became blended with the +impenetrable fog that was fast enclosing all things; and finally +the clouds grew nearer, till the land nearest them was snatched +from view, and all around was alike shrouded under the universal +veil; nothing whatever was visible. For a hundred yards, or so, +around them, they could see the surface of the water; but beyond +this narrow circle, nothing more could be discerned. + +"It's a very pooty fog," said Captain Corbet, "an I only wonder +that there ain't any wind. If it should come, it'll be all right." + +"You intend, then, to go on just the same." + +"Jest the same as ef the sky was clear. I will up anchor as the +tide begins to fall, an git a good piece down, so as to dodge Cape +Chegnecto, an there wait for the rising tide, an jest the same as +ef the sun was shinin. But we can't start till eight o'clock this +evenin. Anyhow, you needn't trouble yourselves a mite. You may +all go to sleep, an dream that the silver moon is guidin the +traveller on the briny deep." + +The scene now was too monotonous to attract attention, and the boys +once more sought for some mode of passing the time. Nothing +appeared so enticing as their former occupation of fishing, and to +this they again turned their attention. In this employment the +time passed away rapidly until the summons was given for tea. +Around the festive board, which was again prepared by Solomon with +his usual success, they lingered long, and at length, when they +arose, the tide was high. It was now about eight o'clock in the +evening, and Captain Corbet was all ready to start. As the tide +was now beginning to turn, and was on the ebb, the anchor was +raised, and the schooner, yielding to the pressure of the current, +moved away from her anchorage ground. It was still thick, and +darkness also was coming on. Not a thing could be discerned, and +by looking at the water, which moved with the schooner, it did not +seem as though any motion was made. + +"That's all your blindness," said the captain, as they mentioned it +to him. "You can't see anything but the water, an as it is movin +with us, it doesn't seem as though we were movin. But we air, +notwithstandin, an pooty quick too. I'll take two hours' drift +before stoppin, so as to make sure. I calc'late about that time to +get to a place whar I can hit the current that'll take me, with the +risin tide, up to old Petticoat Jack." + +"By the way, captain," said Phil, "what do you seafaring men +believe about the origin of that name--Petitcodiac? Is it Indian +or French?" + +"'Tain't neither," said Captain Corbet, decidedly. "It's good +English; it's 'Petticoat Jack;' an I've hearn tell a hundred times +about its original deryvation. You see, in the old French war, +there was an English spy among the French, that dressed hisself up +as a woman, an was familiarly known, among the British generals an +others that emply'd him, as 'Petticoat Jack.' He did much to +contriboot to the defeat of the French; an arter they were licked, +the first settlers that went up thar called the place, in honor of +their benefacture, 'Petticoat Jack;' an it's bore that name ever +sence. An people that think it's French, or Injine, or Greek, or +Hebrew, or any other outlandish tongue, don't know what they're +talkin about. Now, I KNOW, an I assure you what I've ben a sayin's +the gospel terewth, for I had it of an old seafarin man that's +sailed this bay for more'n forty year, an if he ain't good +authority, then I'd like to know who is--that's all." + +At this explanation of the etymology of the disputed term, the boys +were silent, and exchanged glances of admiration. + +It was some minutes after eight when they left their anchorage, and +began to drift once more. There was no moon, and the night would +have been dark in any case, but now the fog rendered all things +still more obscure. It had also grown much thicker than it had +been. At first it was composed of light vapors, which surrounded +them on all sides, it is true, but yet did not have that dampness +which might have been expected. It was a light, dry fog, and for +two or three hours the deck, and rigging, and the clothes of those +on board remained quite dry. But now, as the darkness increased, +the fog became denser, and was more surcharged with heavy vapors. +Soon the deck looked as though it had received a shower of rain, +and the clothes of those on board began to be penetrated with the +chill damp. + +"It's very dark, captain," said Bruce, at last, as the boys stood +near the stern. + +"Dradful dark," said the captain, thoughtfully. + +"Have you really a good idea of where we are?" + +"An idee? Why, if I had a chart,--which I haven't, cos I've got it +all mapped out in my head,--but if I had one, I could take my +finger an pint the exact spot where we are a driftin this blessed +minute." + +"You're going straight down the bay, I suppose." + +"Right--yea, I am; I'm goin straight down; but I hope an trust, an +what's more, I believe, I am taking a kine o' cant over nigher the +New Brunswick shore." + +"How long will we drift?" + +"Wal, for about two hours--darsn't drift longer; an besides, don't +want to." + +"Why not?" + +"Darsn't. Thar's a place down thar that every vessel on this here +bay steers clear of, an every navigator feels dreadful shy of." + +"What place is that?" + +"Quaco Ledge," said Captain Corbet, in a solemn tone. "We'll get +as near it as is safe this night, an p'aps a leetle nearer; but, +then, the water's so calm and still, that it won't make any +difference--in fact, it wouldn't matter a great deal if we came up +close to it." + +"Quaco Ledge?" said Bruce. "I've heard of that." + +"Heard of it? I should rayther hope you had. Who hasn't? It's +the one great, gen'ral, an standin terror of this dangerous and +iron-bound bay. There's no jokin, no nonsense about Quaco Ledge; +mind I tell you." + +"Where does it lie?" asked Phil, after a pause. + +"Wal, do you know whar Quaco settlement is?" + +"Yes." + +"Wal, Quaco Ledge is nigh about half way between Quaco settlement +and Ile Haute, bein a'most in the middle of the bay, an in a +terrible dangerous place for coasters, especially in a fog, or in a +snow-storm. Many's the vessel that's gone an never heard of, that +Quaco Ledge could tell all about, if it could speak. You take a +good snowstorm in this Bay of Fundy, an let a schooner get lost in +it, an not know whar she is, an if Quaco Ledge don't bring her up +all standin, then I'm a Injine." + +"Is it a large place?" + +"Considerably too large for comfort," said the captain. "They've +sounded it, an found the whole shoal about three an a half mile +long, an a half a mile broad. It's all kivered over with water at +high tide, but at half tide it begins to show its nose, an at low +tide you see as pooty a shoal for shipwrecking as you may want; +rayther low with pleasant jagged rocks at the nothe-east side, an +about a hundred yards or so in extent. I've been nigh on to it in +clear weather, but don't want to be within five miles of it in a +fog or in a storm. In a thick night like this, I'll pull up before +I get close." + +"You've never met with any accident there, I suppose." + +"Me? No, not me. I always calc'late to give Quaco Ledge the +widest kine o' berth. An I hope you'll never know anythin more +about that same place than what I'm tellin you now. The knowlege +which one has about that place, an places ginrally of that kine, +comes better by hearsay than from actool observation." + +Time passed on, and they still drifted, and at length ten o'clock +came; but before that time the boys had gone below, and retired for +the night. Shortly after, the rattle of the chains waked them all, +and informed them that the Antelope had anchored once more. + +After this they all fell asleep. + + + + + + +IV. + +In Clouds and Darkness.--A terrible Warning.--Nearly run down.--A +lively Place.--Bart encounters an old Acquaintance.--Launched into +the Deep.--Through the Country.--The Swift Tide.--The lost Boy. + + + + + +The boys had not been asleep for more than two hours, when they +were awakened by an uproar on deck, and rousing themselves from +sleep, they heard the rattle of the chains and the crank of the +windlass. As their night attire was singularly simple, and +consisted largely of the dress which they wore by day, being the +same, in fact, with the exception of the hat, it was not long +before they were up on deck, and making inquiries as to the unusual +noise. That the anchor was being hoisted they already knew, but +why it was they did not. + +"Wal," said Captain Corbet, "thar's a good sou-wester started up, +an as I had a few winks o' sleep, I jest thought I'd try to push on +up the bay, an get as far as I could. If I'd ben in any other +place than this, I wouldn't hev minded, but I'd hev taken my snooze +out; but I'm too near Quaco Ledge by a good sight, an would rayther +get further off. The sou-wester'll take us up a considerable +distance, an if it holds on till arter the tide turns, I ask no +more." + +Soon the anchor was up, and the Antelope spread her sails, and +catching the sou-wester, dashed through the water like a thing of +life. + +"We're going along at a great rate, captain," said Bart. + +"Beggin your pardon, young sir, we're not doin much. The tide here +runs four knots agin us--dead, an the wind can't take us more'n +six, which leaves a balance to our favor of two knots an hour, an +that is our present rate of progression. You see, at that rate we +won't gain more'n four or five miles before the turn o' tide. +After that, we'll go faster without any wind than we do now with a +wind. O, there's nothin like navigatin the Bay o' Fundy to make a +man feel contempt for the wind. Give me tides an anchors, I say, +an I'll push along." + +The wind was blowing fresh, and the sea was rising, yet the fog +seemed thicker than ever. The boys thought that the wind might +blow the fog away, and hinted this to the captain. + +His only response was a long and emphatic whistle. + +"Whe-e-e-ew! what! Blow the fog away? This wind? Why, this wind +brings the fog. The sou-wester is the one wind that seafarin men +dread in the Bay of Fundy. About the wust kine of a storm is that +thar very identical wind blowin in these here very identical +waters." + +Captain Corbet's words were confirmed by the appearance of sea and +sky. Outside was the very blackness of darkness. Nothing whatever +was visible. Sea and sky were alike hidden from view. The waves +were rising, and though they were not yet of any size, still they +made noise enough to suggest the idea of a considerable storm, and +the wind, as it whistled through the rigging, carried in its sound +a menace which would have been altogether wanting in a bright +night. The boys all felt convinced that a storm was rising, and +looked forward to a dismal experience of the pangs of seasickness. +To fight this off now became their chief aim, and with this +intention they all hurried below once more to their beds. + +But the water was not rough, the motion of the schooner was gentle, +and though there was much noise above, yet they did not notice any +approach of the dreaded sea-sickness, and so in a short time they +all fell asleep once more. + +But they were destined to have further interruptions. The +interruption came this time in a loud cry from Solomon, which waked +them all at once. + +"Get up, chil'en! get up! It's all over!" + +"What, what!" cried the boys; "what's the matter?" and springing up +in the first moment of alarm, they stood listening. + +As they stood, there came to their ears the roaring of the wind +through the rigging, the flapping of the sails, the dashing and +roaring of the waters, in the midst of which there came also a +shrill, penetrating sound, which seemed almost overhead--the sound +of some steam whistle. + +"Dar, dar!" cried Solomon, in a tone of deadly fear. "It's a +comin! I knowed it. We're all lost an gone. It's a steamer. +We're all run down an drownded." + +Without a word of response, the boys once more clambered on deck. +All was as dark as before, the fog as thick, the scene around as +impenetrable, the wind as strong. From a distance there came over +the water, as they listened, the rapid beat of a steamboat's +paddles, and soon there arose again the long, shrill yell of the +steam whistle. They looked all around, but saw no sign of any +steamer; nor could they tell exactly in which direction the sound +arose. One thought it came from one side, another thought it came +from the opposite quarter, while the others differed from these. +As for Captain Corbet, he said nothing, while the boys were +expressing their opinions loudly and confidently. + +At last Bart appealed to Captain Corbet. + +"Where is the steamer?" + +"Down thar," said the captain, waving his hand over the stern. + +"What steamer is it? the revenue steamer?" + +"Not her. That revenoo steamer is up to Windsor by this time. +No; this is the St. John steamer coming up the bay, an I ony wish +she'd take us an give us a tow up." + +"She seems to be close by." + +"She is close by." + +"Isn't there some danger that we'll be run down?" + +As those words were spoken, another yell, louder, shriller, and +nearer than before, burst upon their ears. It seemed to be close +astern. The beat of the paddles was also near them. + +"Pooty close!" said the captain. + +"Isn't there some danger that we'll be run down?" + +To this question, thus anxiously repeated, the captain answered +slowly,-- + +"Wal, thar may be, an then again thar mayn't. Ef a man tries to +dodge every possible danger in life, he'll have a precious hard +time of it. Why, men air killed in walkin the streets, or knocked +over by sun-strokes, as well as run down at sea. So what air we to +do? Do? Why, I jest do what I've allus ben a doin; I jest keep +right straight on my own course, and mind my own biz. Ten chances +to one they'll never come nigh us. I've heard steamers howlin +round me like all possessed, but I've never ben run down yet, an I +ain't goin to be at my time o' life. I don't blieve you'll see a +sign o' that thar steamer. You'll only hear her yellin--that's +all." + +As he spoke another yell sounded. + +"She's a passin us, over thar," said the captain, waving his hand +over the side. "Her whistle'll contenoo fainter till it stops. So +you better go below and take your sleep out." + +The boys waited a little longer, and hearing the next whistle +sounding fainter, as Captain Corbet said, they followed his advice, +and were soon asleep, as before. + +This time there was no further interruption, and they did not wake +till about eight in the morning, when they were summoned to +breakfast by Solomon. + +On reaching the deck and looking around, a cry of joy went forth +from all. The fog was no longer to be seen, no longer did there +extend around them the wall of gloomy gray, shutting out all things +with its misty folds. No longer was the broad bay visible. They +found themselves now in a wide river, whose muddy waters bore them +slowly along. On one side was a shore, close by them, well wooded +in some places, and in others well cultivated, while on the other +side was another shore, equally fertile, extending far along. + +"Here we air," cried Captain Corbet. "That wind served us well. +We've had a fust-rate run. I calc'lated we'd be three or four +days, but instead of that we've walked over in twenty-four hours. +Good agin!" + +"Will we be able to land at Moncton soon?" + +"Wal, no; not till the next tide." + +"Why not?" + +"Wal, this tide won't last long enough to carry us up thar, an so +we'll have to wait here. This is the best place thar is." + +"What place is this?" + +"Hillsborough." + +"Hillsborough?" + +"Yes. Do you see that thar pint?" and Captain Corbet waved his arm +towards a high, well-wooded promontory that jutted out into the +river. + +"Yes." + +"Wal, I'm goin in behind that, and I'll wait thar till the tide +turns. We'll get up to Moncton some time before evenin." + +In a few minutes the Antelope was heading towards the promontory; +and soon she passed it, and advanced towards the shore. On passing +the promontory a sight appeared which at once attracted the whole +attention of the boys. + +Immediately in front of them, in the sheltered place which was +formed by the promontory, was a little settlement, and on the bank +of the river was a ship-yard. Here there arose the stately outline +of a large ship. Her lower masts were in, she was decorated with +flags and streamers, and a large crowd was assembled in the yard +around her. + +"There's going to be a launch!" cried Bart, to whom a scene like +this was familiar. + +"A launch!" cried Bruce. "Hurrah! We'll be able to see it. I've +never seen one in my life. Now's the time." + +"Can't we get ashore?" said Arthur. + +"Of course," said Phil; "and perhaps they'll let us go on board and +be launched in her." + +The very mention of such a thing increased the general excitement. +Captain Corbet was at once appealed to. + +"O, thar's lots of time," said he. "Tain't quite high tide yet. +You'll have time to get ashore before she moves. Hullo, Wade! +Whar's that oar?" + +The boys were all full of the wildest excitement, in the midst of +which Solomon appeared with the announcement that breakfast was +waiting. + +To which Bart replied,-- + +"O, bother breakfast!" + +"I don't want any," said Bruce. + +"I have no appetite," said Arthur. + +"Nor I," said Pat. + +"I want to be on board that ship," said Phil. + +"We can easily eat breakfast afterwards," said Tom. + +At this manifest neglect of his cooking, poor Solomon looked quite +heart-broken; but Captain Corbet told him that he might bring the +things ashore, and this in some measure assuaged his grief. + +It did not take long to get ready. The oar was flung on board the +boat, which had thus far been floating behind the schooner; and +though the boat had a little too much water on board to be +comfortable, yet no complaints were made, and in a few minutes they +were landed. + +"How much time have we yet?" asked Bart, "before high tide?" + +"O, you've got fifteen or twenty minutes," said Captain Corbet. + +"Hurrah, boys! Come along," said Bart; and leading the way, he +went straight to the office. + +As he approached it he uttered suddenly a cry of joy. + +"What's the matter, Bart?" + +Bart said nothing, but hurried forward, and the astonished boys saw +him shaking hands very vigorously with a gentleman who seemed like +the chief man on the place. He was an old acquaintance, evidently. +In a few minutes all was explained. As the boys came up, Bart +introduced them as his friends, and they were all warmly greeted; +after which the gentleman said,-- + +"Why, what a crowd of you there is! Follow me, now. There's +plenty of room for you, I imagine, in a ship of fifteen hundred +tons; and you've just come in time." + +With these words he hurried off, followed by all the boys. He led +the way up an inclined plane which ran up to the bows of the ship, +and on reaching this place they went along a staging, and finally, +coming to a ladder, they clambered up, and found themselves on the +deck of the ship. + +"I must leave you now, Bart, my boy," said the gentleman; "you go +to the quarter-deck and take care of yourselves. I must go down +again." + +"Who in the world is he, Bart?" asked the boys, as they all stood +on the quarter-deck. + +"Was there ever such luck!" cried Bart, joyously. "This is the +ship Sylph, and that is Mr. Watson, and he has built this ship for +my father. Isn't it odd that we should come to this place at this +particular time?" + +"Why, it's as good as a play." + +"Of course it is. I've known Mr. Watson all my life, and he's one +of the best men I ever met with. He was as glad to see me as I was +to see him." + +But now the boys stopped talking, for the scene around them began +to grow exciting. In front of them was the settlement, and in the +yard below was a crowd who had assembled to see the launch. Behind +them was the broad expanse of the Petitcodiac River, beyond which +lay the opposite shore, which went back till it terminated in +wooded hills. Overhead arose the masts, adorned with a hundred +flags and streamers. The deck showed a steep slope from bow to +stern. But the scene around was nothing, compared with the +excitement of suspense, and expectation. In a few minutes the +hammers were to sound. In a few minutes the mighty fabric on which +they were standing would move, and take its plunge into the water. + +The suspense made them hold their breath, and wait in perfect +silence. + +Around them were a few men, who were talking in a commonplace way. +They were accustomed to launches, and an incident like this was as +nothing in their lives, though to the boys it was sufficient to +make their hearts throb violently, and deprive them of the power of +speech. + +A few minutes passed. + +"We ought to start soon," said Bart, in a whisper; for there was +something in the scene which made them feel grave and solemn. + +The other boys nodded in silence. + +A few minutes more passed. + +Then there arose a cry. + +And then suddenly there came to their excited ears the rattle of a +hundred hammers. Stroke after stroke, in quick succession, was +dealt upon the wedges, which thus raised the vast structure from +her resting-place. For a moment she stood motionless, and then-- + +Then with a slow motion, at first scarce perceptible, but which +every instant grew quicker, she moved down her ways, and plunged +like lightning into the water. The stern sank deep, then rose, and +then the ship darted through the water across the river. Then +suddenly the anchor was let go, and with the loud, sharp rattle of +chains, rushed to the bed of the river. With a slight jerk the +ship stopped. + +The launch was over. + +A boat now came from the shore, bringing the builder, Mr. Watson; +and at the same time a steamer appeared, rounding a point up the +river, and approaching them. + +"Do you want to go to St. John, Bart?" + +"Not just yet, sir," said Bart. + +"Because if you do you can go down in the ship. The steamer is +going to take her in tow at once. But if you don't want to go, you +may go ashore in the boat. I'm sorry I can't stay here to show you +the country, my boy; but I have to go down in the ship, and at +once, for we can't lie here in the river, unless we want to be left +high and dry at low tide. So good by. Go to the house. Mrs. +Watson'll make you comfortable as long as you like; and if you want +to take a drive you may consider my horses your own." + +With these words he shook hands with all the boys for good by, and +after seeing them safely on board the boat, he waited for the +steamer which was to tow the Sylph down the bay. The boys then +were rowed ashore. By the time they landed, the steamer had +reached the ship, a stout cable was passed on board and secured, +her anchor was weighed, and then, borne on by steam, and by the +tide, too, which had already turned, the Sylph, in tow of the +steamer, passed down the river, and was soon out of sight. + +Bart then went to see Mrs. Watson, with all the boys. That lady, +like her husband, was an old acquaintance, and in the true spirit +of hospitality insisted on every one of them taking up their abode +with her for an indefinite period. Finding that they could not do +this, she prepared for them a bounteous breakfast, and then +persuaded them to go off for a drive through the country. This +invitation they eagerly accepted. + +Before starting, they encountered Captain Corbet. + +"Don't hurry back, boys," said he, "unless you very pertik'l'ry +wish to go up to Moncton by the arternoon tide. Don't mind me. I +got several things to occoopy me here." + +"What time could we start up river?" + +"Not before four." + +"O, we'll be back by that time." + +"Wal. Ony don't hurry back unless you like. I got to buy some +ship-bread, an I got to fix some things about the boat. It'll take +some time; so jest do as you like." + +Being thus left to their own devices, and feeling quite unlimited +with regard to time, the boys started off in two wagons, and took a +long drive through the country. The time passed quickly, and they +enjoyed themselves so much that they did not get back until dusk. + +"It's too late now, boys, to go up," said the captain, as he met +them on their return. "We've got to wait till next tide. It's +nearly high tide now." + +"All right, captain; it'll do just as well to go up river to- +night." + +"Amen," said the captain. + +But now Mrs. Watson insisted on their staying to tea, and so it +happened that it was after nine o'clock before they were ready to +go on board the Antelope. Going down to the shore, they found the +boat ready, with some articles which Captain Corbet had procured. + +"I've been fixing the gunwales," said he; "an here's a box of +pilot-bread. We were gettin out of provisions, an I've got in a +supply, an I've bought a bit of an old sail that'll do for a jib. +I'm afeard thar won't be room for all of us. Some of you better +stay ashore, an I'll come back." + +"I'll wait," said Bart, taking his seat on a stick of timber. + +"An I'll wait, too," said Bruce. + +The other boys objected in a friendly way, but Bart and Bruce +insisted on waiting, and so the boat at length started, leaving +them behind. + +In a short time it reached the schooner. + +Captain Corbet secured the boat's painter to the stem, and threw +the oar on board. + +"Now, boys, one of you stay in the boat, an pass up them things to +me--will you?" + +"All right," said Tom. "I'll pass them up." + +On this Captain Corbet got on board the schooner, followed by +Arthur, and Phil, and Pat. Tom waited in the boat. + +"Now," said Captain Corbet, "lift up that thar box of pilot-bread +fust. 'Tain't heavy. We'll get these things out afore we go +ashore for the others." + +"All right," said Tom. + +He stooped, and took the box of biscuit in his arms. + +At that time the tide was running down very fast, and the boat, +caught by the tide, was forced out from the schooner with such a +pressure that the rope was stiffened out straight. + +Tom made one step forward. The next instant he fell down in the +bottom of the boat, and those on board of the schooner who were +looking at him saw, to their horror, that the boat was sweeping +away with the tide, far down the river. + + + + + + +V. + +A Cry of Horror.--What shall we do?--Hard and fast.--Bart and +Bruce.--Gloomy Intelligence.--The Promontory.--The Bore of the +Petitcodiac.--A Night of Misery.--A mournful Waking.--Taking +Counsel. + + + + + +A cry of horror escaped those on board, and for some time they +stood silent in utter dismay. + +"The rope wasn't tied," groaned Arthur. + +"Yes, it was," said Captain Corbet; "it bruk; catch me not tyin it. +It bruk; see here!" and he held up in the dim light the end of the +rope which still was fastened to the schooner. "I didn't know it +was rotten," he moaned; "'tain't over ten year old, that bit o' +rope, an I've had it an used it a thousand times without its ever +thinkin o' breakin." + +"What can we do?" cried Arthur. "We must do something to save +him." + +Captain Corbet shook his head. + +"We've got no boat," said he. + +"Boat! Who wants a boat?" + +"What can we do without a boat?" + +"Why, up anchor, and go after him with the schooner." + +"The schooner's hard and fast," said Captain Corbet, mournfully. + +"Hard and fast?" + +"Yes; don't you notice how she leans? It's only a little, but +that's a sign that her keel's in the mud." + +"I don't believe it! I won't believe it!" cried Arthur. "Come, +boys, up with the anchor." + +As the boys rushed to the windlass, Captain Corbet went there, too, +followed by the mate, and they worked at it for some time, until at +last the anchor rose to the surface. + +But the Antelope did not move. On the contrary, a still greater +list to one side, which was now unmistakable, showed that the +captain was right, and that she was actually, as he said, hard and +fast. This fact had to be recognized, but Arthur would not be +satisfied until he had actually seen the anchor, and then he knew +that the vessel was really aground. + +"Do you mean to say," he cried at last, "that there is nothing to +be done?" + +"I don't see," said Captain Corbet, "what thar is to be done till +the schewner muves." + +"When will that be?" + +"Not till to-morrow mornin." + +"How early?" + +"Not before eight o'clock." + +"Eight o'clock!" cried Arthur, in horror. + +"Yes, eight o'clock. You see we had to come in pooty nigh to the +shore, an it'll be eight o'clock before we're floated." + +"And what'll become of poor Tom?" groaned Arthur. + +"Wal," said the captain, "don't look on the wust. He may get +ashore." + +"He has no oar. The oar was thrown aboard of the schooner." + +"Still he may be carried ashore." + +"Is there any chance?" + +"Wal, not much, to tell the truth. Thar's no use of buo-oyin of +ourselves up with false hopes; not a mite. Thar's a better chance +of his bein picked up. That thar's likely now, an not unnatooral. +Let's all don't give up. If thar's no fog outside, I'd say his +chances air good." + +"But it may be foggy." + +"Then, in that case, he'll have to drift a while--sure." + +"Then there's no hope." + +"Hope? Who's a sayin thar's no hope? Why, look here; he's got +provisions on board, an needn't starve; so if he does float for a +day or two, whar's the harm? He's sure to be picked up +eventooally." + +At this moment their conversation was interrupted by a loud call +from the promontory. It was the voice of Bruce. + +While these events had been taking place on board the schooner, +Bruce and Bart had been ashore. At first they had waited patiently +for the return of the boat, but finally they wondered at her delay. +They had called, but the schooner was too far off to hear them. +Then they waited for what seemed to them an unreasonably long time, +wondering what kept the boat, until at length Bruce determined to +try and get nearer. Burt was to stay behind in case the boat +should come ashore in his absence. With this in view he had walked +down the promontory until he had reached the extreme point, and +there he found himself within easy hail of the Antelope. + +"Schooner ahoy!" he cried. + +"A-ho-o-o-o-y!" cried Captain Corbet. + +"Why don't you come and take us off?" he cried. + +After this there was silence for some time. At last Captain Corbet +shouted out,-- + +"The boat's lost." + +"What!" + +"The boat's adrift." + +Captain Corbet said nothing about Tom, from a desire to spare him +for the present. So Bruce thought that the empty boat had drifted +off, and as he had been prepared to hear of some accident, he was +not much surprised. + +But he was not to remain long in ignorance. In a few moments he +heard Arthur's voice. + +"Bruce!" + +"Hallo!" + +"The boat's gone." + +"All right." + +"TOM'S ADRIFT IN HER!" + +"What!" shouted Bruce. + +"TOM'S ADRIFT IN HER." + +At this appalling intelligence Bruce's heart seemed to stop beating. + +"How long?" he dried, after a pause. + +"Half an hour," cried Arthur. + +"Why don't you go after him?" cried Bruce again. + +"We're aground," cried Arthur. + +The whole situation was now explained, and Bruce was filled with +his own share of that dismay which prevailed on board of the +schooner; for a long time nothing more was said. At length +Arthur's voice sounded again. + +"Bruce!" + +"Hallo!" + +"Get a boat, and come aboard as soon as you can after the tide +turns." + +"All right. How early will the tide suit?" + +"Eight o'clock." + +"Not before?" + +"No." + +After this nothing more was said. Bruce could see for himself that +the tide was falling, and that he would have to wait for the +returning tide before a boat could be launched. He waited for some +time, full of despair, and hesitating to return to Bart with his +mournful intelligence. At length he turned, and walked slowly back +to his friend. + +"Well, Bruce?" asked Bart, who by this time was sure that some +accident had happened. + +"The boat's adrift." + +"The boat!" + +"Yes; and what's worse, poor Tom!" + +"Tom!" cried Bart, in a horror of apprehension. + +"Yes, Tom's adrift in her." + +At this Bart said not a word, but stood for some time staring at +Bruce in utter dismay. + +A few words served to explain to Bart the situation of the +schooner, and the need of getting a boat. + +"Well," said Bart, "we'd better see about it at once. It's eleven +o'clock, but we'll find some people up; if not, we'll knock them +up." + +And with these words the two lads walked up from the river bank. + +On reaching the houses attached to the shipyard, they found that +most of the people were up. There was a good deal of singing and +laughter going on, which the boys interpreted to arise from a +desire to celebrate the launching of the ship. They went first to +Mrs. Watson's house, where they found that good lady up. She +listened to their story with undisguised uneasiness, and afterwards +called in a number of men, to whom she told the sad news. These +men listened to it with very serious faces. + +"It's no joke," said one, shaking his head. The others said +nothing, but their faces spoke volumes. + +"What had we better do?" asked Bruce. + +"Of course ye'll be off as soon as ye can get off," said one. + +"The lad might have a chance," said another. "The return tide may +drift him back, but he may be carried too far down for that." + +"He'll be carried below Cape Chignecto unless he gets to the land," +said another. + +"Isn't there a chance that he'll be picked up?" asked Bart. + +The man to whom he spoke shook his head. + +"There's a deal of fog in the bay this night," said he. + +"Fog? Why, it's clear enough here." + +"So it is; but this place and the Bay of Fundy are two different +things." + +"A regular sou-wester out there," said another man. + +"An a pooty heavy sea by this time," said another. + +And in this way they all contributed to increase the anxiety of the +two boys, until at last scarce a ray of hope was left. + +"You'd better prepare yourselves for the worst," said one of the +men. "If he had an oar he would be all right; but, as it is--well, +I don't care about sayin what I think." + +"O, you're all too despondent," said Mrs. Watson. "What is the use +of looking on the dark side? Come, Bart, cheer up. I'll look on +the bright side. Hope for the best. Set out on the search with +hope, and a good heart. I'm confident that he will be safe. You +will pick him up yourselves, or else you will hear of his escape +somewhere. I remember two men, a few years ago, that went adrift +and were saved." + +"Ay," said one of the men, "I mind that well. They were Tom +Furlong and Jim Spencer. But that there boat was a good-sized +fishing boat; an such a boat as that might ride out a gale." + +"Nonsense," said Mrs. Watson. "You're all a set of confirmed +croakers. Why, Bart, you've read enough shipwreck books to know +that little boats have floated in safety for hundreds of miles. So +hope for the best; don't be down-hearted. I'll send two or three +men down now to get the boat ready for you. You can't do anything +till the morning, you know. Won't you stay here? You had better +go to bed at once." + +But Bart and Bruce could not think of bed. + +"Well, come back any time, and a bed will be ready for you," said +Mrs. Watson. "If you want to see about the boat now, the men are +ready to go with you." + +With those words she led the way out to the kitchen, where a couple +of men were waiting. Bart and Bruce followed them down to a boat- +house on the river bank, and saw the boat there which Mrs. Watson +had offered them. This boat could be launched at any time, and as +there was nothing more to be done, the boys strolled disconsolately +about, and finally went to the end of the promontory, and spent a +long time looking out over the water, and conversing sadly about +poor Tom's chances. + +There they sat late in the night, until midnight came, and so on +into the morning. At last the scene before them changed from a +sheet of water to a broad expanse of mud. The water had all +retired, leaving the bed of the river exposed. + +Of all the rivers that flow into the Bay of Fundy none is more +remarkable than the Petitcodiac. At high tide it is full--a mighty +stream; at low tide it is empty--a channel of mud forty miles long; +and the intervening periods are marked by the furious flow of +ascending or descending waters. + +And now, as the boys sat there looking out upon the expanse of mud +before them, they became aware of a dull, low, booming sound, that +came up from a far distant point, and seemed like the voice of many +waters sounding from the storm-vexed bay outside. There was no +moon, but the light was sufficient to enable them to see the +exposed riverbed, far over to the shadowy outline of the opposite +shore. Here, where in the morning a mighty ship had floated, +nothing could now float; but the noise that broke upon their ears +told them of the return of the waters that now were about to pour +onward with resistless might into the empty channel, and send +successive waves far along into the heart of the land. + +"What is that noise?" asked Bruce. "It grows louder and louder." + +"That," said bart, "is the Bore of the Petitcodiac." + +"Have you ever seen it?" + +"Never. I've heard of it often, but have never seen it." + +But their words were interrupted now by the deepening thunder of +the approaching waters. Towards the quarter whence the sound arose +they turned their heads involuntarily. At first they could see +nothing through the gloom of night; but at length, as they strained +their eyes looking down the river, they saw in the distance a +faint, white, phosphorescent gleam, and as it appeared the roar +grew louder, and rounder, and more all-pervading. On it came, +carrying with it the hoarse cadence of some vast surf flung ashore +from the workings of a distant storm, or the thunder of some mighty +cataract tumbling over a rocky precipice. + +And now, as they looked, the white, phosphorescent glow grew +brighter, and then whiter, like snow; every minute it approached +nearer, until at last, full before them and beneath them, there +rolled a giant wave, extending across the bed of the river, +crescent-shaped, with its convex side advancing forwards, and its +ends following after within short distance from the shore. The +great wave rolled on, one mass of snow-white foam, behind which +gleamed a broad line of phosphorescent lustre from the agitated +waters, which, in the gloom of night, had a certain baleful +radiance. As it passed on its path, the roar came up more +majestically from the foremost wave; and behind that came the roar +of other billows that followed in its wake. By daylight the scene +would have been grand and impressive; but now, amid the gloom, the +grandeur became indescribable. The force of those mighty waters +seemed indeed resistless, and it was with a feeling of relief that +the boys reflected that the schooner was out of the reach of its +sweep. Its passage was swift, and soon it had passed beyond them; +and afar up the river, long after it had passed from sight, they +heard the distant thunder of its mighty march. + +By the time the wave had passed, the boys found themselves +excessively weary with their long wakefulness. + +"Bart, my boy," said Bruce, "we must get some rest, or we won't be +worth anything to-morrow. What do you say? Shall we go back to +Mrs. Watson's?" + +"It's too late--isn't it?" + +"Well, it's pretty late, no doubt. I dare say it's half past two; +but that's all the more reason why we should go to bed." + +"Well." + +"What do you say? Do you think we had better disturb Mrs. Watson, +or not?" + +"O, no; let's go into the barn, and lie down in the hay." + +"Very well. Hay makes a capital bed. For my part, I could sleep +on stones." + +"So could I." + +"I'm determined to hope for the best about Tom," said Bruce, rising +and walking off, followed by Bart. "Mrs. Watson was right. +There's no use letting ourselves be downcast by a lot of croakers-- +is there?" + +"No," said Bart. + +The boys then walked on, and in a few minutes reached the ship- +yard. + +Here a man came up to them. + +"We've been looking for you everywhere," said the man. "Mrs. +Watson is anxious about you." + +"Mrs. Watson?" + +"Yes. She won't go to bed till you get back to the house. There's +another man out for you, up the river." + +"O, I'm sorry we have given you all so much trouble," said Bart; +"but we didn't think that anybody would bother themselves about +us." + +"Well, you don't know Mrs. Watson that's all," said the man, +walking along with them. "She's been a worrytin herself to death +about you; and the sooner she sees you, the better for her and for +you." + +On reaching the house the boys were received by Mrs. Watson. One +look at her was enough to show them that the man's account of her +was true. Her face was pale, her manner was agitated, and her +voice trembled as she spoke to them, and asked them where they had +been. + +Bart expressed sorrow at having been the cause of so much trouble, +and assured her he thought that she had gone to bed. + +"No," said she; "I've been too excited and agitated about your +friend and about you. But I'm glad that you've been found; and as +it's too late to talk now, you had better go to bed, and try to +sleep." + +With these words she gently urged them to their bedroom; and the +boys, utterly worn out, did not attempt to withstand her. They +went to bed, and scarcely had their heads touched the pillows +before they were fast asleep. + +Meanwhile the boys on board the Antelope had been no less anxious; +and, unable to sleep, they had talked solemnly with each other over +the possible fate of poor Tom. Chafing from their forced inaction, +they looked impatiently upon the ebbing water, which was leaving +them aground, when they were longing to be floating on its bosom +after their friend, and could scarcely endure the thought of the +suspense to which they would be condemned while waiting for the +following morning. + +Captain Corbet also was no less anxious, though much less agitated. +He acknowledged, with pain, that it was all his fault, but, +appealed to all the boys, one by one, asking them how he should +know that the rope was rotten. He informed them that the rope was +an old favorite of his, and that he would have willingly risked his +life on it. He blamed himself chiefly, however, for not staying in +the boat himself, instead of leaving Tom in it. To all his remarks +the boys said but little, and contented themselves with putting +questions to him about the coast, the tides, the wind, the +currents, and the fog. + +The boys on board went to sleep about one o'clock, and waked at +sunrise. Then they watched the shore wistfully, and wondered why +Bart and Bruce did not make their appearance. But Bart and Bruce, +worn out by their long watch, did not wake till nearly eight +o'clock. Then they hastily dressed themselves, and after a very +hurried breakfast they bade good by to good Mrs. Watson. + +"I shall be dreadfully anxious about that poor boy," said she, +sadly. "Promise me to telegraph as soon as you can about the +result." + +Bart promised. + +Then they hurried down to the beach. The tide was yet a +considerable distance out; but a half dozen stout fellows, whose +sympathies were fully enlisted in their favor, shoved the boat down +over the mud, and launched her. + +Then Bart and Bruce took the oars, and soon reached the schooner, +where the boys awaited their arrival in mournful silence. + + + + + + +VI. + +Tom adrift.--The receding Shores.--The Paddle.--The Roar of Surf-- +The Fog Horn.--The Thunder of the unseen Breakers.--A Horror of +great Darkness.--Adrift in Fog and Night. + + + + + +When the boat in which Tom was darted down the stream, he at first +felt paralyzed by utter terror; but at length rousing himself, he +looked around. As the boat drifted on, his first impulse was to +stop it; and in order to do this it was necessary to find an oar. +The oar which Captain Corbet had used to scull the boat to the +schooner had been thrown on board of the latter, so that the +contents of the boat might be passed up the more conveniently. Tom +knew this, but he thought that there might be another oar on board. +A brief examination sufficed to show him that there was nothing of +the kind. A few loose articles lay at the bottom; over these was +the sail which Captain Corbet had bought in the ship-yard, and on +this was the box of pilot-bread. That was all. There was not a +sign of an oar, or a board, or anything of the kind. + +No sooner had he found out this than he tried to tear off one of +the seats of the boat, in the hope of using this as a paddle. But +the seats were too firmly fixed to be loosened by his hands, and, +after a few frantic but ineffectual efforts, he gave up the +attempt. + +But he could not so quickly give up his efforts to save himself. +There was the box of biscuit yet. Taking his knife from his +pocket, he succeeded in detaching the cover of the box, and then, +using this as a paddle, he sought with frantic efforts to force the +boat nearer to the shore. But the tide was running very swiftly, +and the cover was only a small bit of board, so that his efforts +seemed to have but little result. He did indeed succeed in turning +the boat's head around; but this act, which was not accomplished +without the severest labor, did not seem to bring her nearer to the +shore to any perceptible extent. What he sought to do was to +achieve some definite motion to the boat, which might drag her out +of the grasp of the swift current; but that was the very thing +which he could not do, for so strong was that grasp, and so swift +was that current, that even an oar would have scarcely accomplished +what he wished. The bit of board, small, and thin, and frail, and +wielded with great difficulty and at a fearful disadvantage, was +almost useless. + +But, though he saw that he was accomplishing little or nothing, he +could not bring himself to give up this work. It seemed his only +hope; and so he labored on, sometimes working with both hands at +the board, sometimes plying his frail paddle with one hand, and +using the other hand at a vain endeavor to paddle in the water. In +his desperation he kept on, and thought that if he gained ever so +little, still, by keeping hard at work, the little that he gained +might finally tell upon the direction of the boat--at any rate, so +long as it might be in the river. He knew that the river ran for +some miles yet, and that some time still remained before he would +reach the bay. + +Thus Tom toiled on, half despairing, and nearly fainting with his +frenzied exertion, yet still refusing to give up, but plying his +frail paddle until his nerveless arms seemed like weights of lead, +and could scarce carry the board through the water. But the +result, which at the outset, and in the very freshness of his +strength, had been but trifling, grew less and less against the +advance of his own weakness and the force of that tremendous tide, +until at last his feeble exertions ceased to have any appreciable +effect whatever. + +There was no moon, but it was light enough for him to see the +shores--to see that he was in the very centre of that rapid +current, and to perceive that he was being borne past those dim +shores with fearful velocity. The sight filled him with despair, +but his arms gained a fresh energy, from time to time, out of the +very desperation of his soul. He was one of those natures which +are too obstinate to give up even in the presence of despair +itself; and which, even when hope is dead, still forces hope to +linger, and struggles on while a particle of life or of strength +remains. So, as he toiled on, and fought on, against this fate +which had suddenly fixed itself upon him, he saw the shores on +either side recede, and knew that every passing moment was bearing +him on to a wide, a cruel, and a perilous sea. He took one hasty +glance behind him, and saw what he knew to be the mouth of the +river close at hand; and beyond this a waste of waters was hidden +in the gloom of night. The sight lent new energy to his fainting +limbs. He called aloud for help. Shriek after shriek burst from +him, and rang wildly, piercingly, thrillingly upon the air of +night. But those despairing shrieks came to no human ear, and met +with no response. They died away upon the wind and the waters; and +the fierce tide, with swifter flow, bore him onward. + +The last headland swept past him; the river and the river bank were +now lost to him. Around him the expanse of water grew darker, and +broader, and more terrible. Above him the stars glimmered more +faintly from the sky. But the very habit of exertion still +remained, and his faint plunges still dipped the little board into +the water; and a vague idea of saving himself was still uppermost +in his mind. Deep down in that stout heart of his was a desperate +resolution never to give up while strength lasted; and well he +sustained that determination. Over him the mist came floating, +borne along by the wind which sighed around him; and that mist +gradually overspread the scene upon which his straining eyes were +fastened. It shut out the overhanging sky. It extinguished the +glimmering stars. It threw a veil over the receding shores. It +drew its folds around him closer and closer, until at last +everything was hidden from view. Closer and still closer came the +mist, and thicker and ever thicker grew its dense folds, until at +last even the water, into which he still thrust his frail paddle, +was invisible. At length his strength failed utterly. His hands +refused any longer to perform their duty. The strong, indomitable +will remained, but the power of performing the dictates of that +will was gone. He fell back upon the sail that lay in the bottom +of the boat, and the board fell from his hands. + +And now there gathered around the prostrate figure of the lost boy +all the terrors of thickest darkness. The fog came, together with +the night, shrouding all things from view, and he was floating over +a wide sea, with an impenetrable wall of thickest darkness closing +him in on all sides. + +As he thus lay there helpless, he had leisure to reflect for the +first time upon the full bitterness of his situation. Adrift in +the fog, and in the night, and borne onward swiftly down into the +Bay of Fundy--that was his position. And what could he do? That +was the one question which he could not answer. Giving way now to +the rush of despair, he lay for some time motionless, feeling the +rocking of the waves, and the breath of the wind, and the chill +damp of the fog, yet unable to do anything against these enemies. +For nearly an hour he lay thus inactive, and at the end of that +time his lost energies began to return. He rose and looked around. +The scene had not changed at all; in fact, there was no scene to +change. There was nothing but black darkness all around. Suddenly +something knocked against the boat. He reached out his hand, and +touched a piece of wood, which the next instant slipped from his +grasp. But the disappointment was not without its alleviation, for +he thought that he might come across some bits of drift wood, with +which he could do something, perhaps, for his escape. And so +buoyant was his soul, and so obstinate his courage, that this +little incident of itself served to revive his faculties. He went +to the stern of the boat, and sitting there, he tried to think upon +what might be best to be done. + +What could be done in such a situation? He could swim, but of what +avail was that? In what direction could he swim, or what progress +could he make, with such a tide? As to paddling, he thought of +that no more; paddling was exhausted, and his board was useless. +Nothing remained, apparently, but inaction. Inaction was indeed +hard, and it was the worst condition in which he could be placed, +for in such a state the mind always preys upon itself; in such a +state trouble is always magnified, and the slow time passes more +slowly. Yet to this inaction he found himself doomed. + +He floated on now for hours, motionless and filled with despair, +listening to the dash of the waves, which were the only sounds that +came to his ears. And so it came to pass, in process of time, that +by incessant attention to these monotonous sounds, they ceased to +be altogether monotonous, but seemed to assume various cadences and +intonations. His sharpened ears learned at last to distinguish +between the dash of large waves and the plash of small ones, the +sighing of the wind, the pressure of the waters against the boat's +bows, and the ripple of eddies under its stern. Worn out by +excitement and fatigue, he lay motionless, listening to sounds like +these, and taking in them a mournful interest, when suddenly, in +the midst of them, his ears caught a different cadence. It was a +long, measured sound, not an unfamiliar one, but one which he had +often heard--the gathering sound which breaks out, rising and +accumulating upon the ear, as the long line of surf falls upon some +rocky shore. He knew at once what this was, and understood by it +that he was near some shore; but what shore it might be he could +not know. The sound came up from his right, and therefore might be +the New Brunswick coast, if the boat had preserved its proper +position. But the position of the boat had been constantly +changing as she drifted along, so that it was impossible to tell +whether he was drifting stern foremost or bow foremost. The water +moved as the boat moved, and there was no means by which to judge. +He listened to the surf, therefore, but made no attempt to draw +nearer to it. He now knew perfectly well that with his present +resources no efforts of his could avail anything, and that his only +course would be to wait. Besides, this shore, whatever it was, +must be very different, he thought, from the banks of the +Petitcodiac. It was, as he thought, an iron-bound shore. And the +surf which he heard broke in thunder a mile away, at the foot of +giant precipices, which could only offer death to the hapless +wretch who might be thrown among them. He lay, therefore, +inactive, listening to this rolling surf for hours. At first it +grew gradually louder, as though he was approaching it; but +afterwards it grew fainter quite as gradually, until at length it +could no longer be heard. + +During all these lonely hours, one thing afforded a certain +consolation, and that was, the discovery that the sea did not grow +rougher. The wind that blew was the sou-wester, the dreaded wind +of fog and, storm; but on this occasion its strength was not put +forth; it blew but moderately, and the water was not very greatly +disturbed. The sea tossed the little boat, but was not high enough +to dash over her, or to endanger her in any way. None of its spray +ever came upon the recumbent form in the boat, nor did any moisture +come near him, save that which was deposited by the fog. At first, +in his terror, he had counted upon meeting a tempestuous sea; but, +as the hours passed, he saw that thus far there had been nothing of +the kind, and, if he were destined to be exposed to such a danger, +it lay as yet in the future. As long as the wind continued +moderate, so long would he toss over the little waves without being +endangered in any way. And thus, with all these thoughts, +sometimes depressing, at other times rather encouraging, he drifted +on. + +Hours passed away. + +At length his fatigue overpowered him more and more, and as he sat +there in the stern, his eyes closed, and his head fell heavily +forward. He laid it upon the sail which was in front of him, so as +to get an easier position, and was just closing his eyes again, +when a sound came to his ears which in an instant drove every +thought of sleep and of fatigue away, and made him start up and +listen with intense eagerness. + +It was the sound of a fog horn, such as is used by coasting +vessels, and blown during a fog, at intervals, to give warning of +their presence. The sound was a familiar one to a boy who had been +brought up on the fog-encircled and fish-haunted shores of +Newfoundland; and Tom's hearing, which had been almost hushed in +slumber, caught it at once. It was like the voice of a friend +calling to him. But for a moment he thought it was only a fancy, +or a dream, and he sat listening and quivering with excitement. He +waited and listened for some time, and was just about to conclude +that it was a dream, when suddenly it came again. There was no +mistake this time. It was a fog horn. Some schooner was sailing +these waters. O for day-light, and O for clear weather, so that he +might see it, and make himself seen! The sound, though clear, was +faint, and the schooner was evidently at a considerable distance; +but Tom, in his eagerness, did not think of that. He shouted with +all his strength. He waited for an answer, and then shouted again. +Once more he waited, and listened, and then again and again his +screams went forth over the water. But still no response came. At +last, after some interval, the fog horn again sounded. Again Tom +screamed, and yelled, and uttered every sound that could possibly +convey to human ears an idea of his presence, and of his distress. + +The sounds of the fog horn, however, did not correspond with his +cries. It was blown at regular intervals, which seemed painfully +long to Tom, and did not seem to sound as if in answer to him. At +first his hope was sustained by the discovery that the sounds were +louder, and therefore nearer; but scarcely had he assured himself +of this, when he perceived that they were growing fainter again, as +though the schooner had approached him, and then sailed away. This +discovery only stimulated him to more frantic exertions. He yelled +more and more loudly, and was compelled, at last, to cease from +pure exhaustion. But even then he did not cease till long after +the last notes of the departing fog horn had faintly sounded in his +ears. + +It was a disappointment bitter indeed, since it came after a +reviving hope. What made it all the worse was a fixed idea which +he had, that the schooner was no other than the Antelope. He felt +confident that she had come at once after him, and was now +traversing the waters in search of him, and sounding the horn so as +to send it to his ears and get his response. And his response had +been given with this result! This was the end of his hopes. He +could bear it no longer. The stout heart and the resolute +obstinacy which had so long struggled against fate now gave way +utterly. He buried his face in his hands, and burst into a passion +of tears. + +He wept for a long time, and roused himself, at last, with +difficulty, to a dull despair. What was the use of hoping, or +thinking, or listening? Hope was useless. It was better to let +himself go wherever the waters might take him. He reached out his +hand and drew the sail forward, and then settling himself down in +the stern of the boat, he again shut his eyes and tried to sleep. +But sleep, which a short time before had been so easy, was now +difficult. His ears took in once more the different sounds of the +sea, and soon became aware of a deeper, drearer sound than any +which had hitherto come to him. It was the hoarse roar of a great +surf, far more formidable than the one which he had heard before. +The tumult and the din grew rapidly louder, and at length became +so terrific that he sat upright, and strained his eyes in the +direction from which it came. Peering thus through the darkness, +he saw the glow of phosphorescent waves wrought out of the strife +of many waters; and they threw towards him, amid the darkness, a +baleful gleam which fascinated his eyes. A feeling came to him now +that all was over. He felt, as though he were being sucked into +some vortex, where Death lay in wait for him. He trembled. A +prayer started to his lips, and burst from him. Suddenly his boat +seemed caught by some resistless force, and jerked to one side; the +next instant it rose on some swelling wave, and was shot swiftly +forward. Tom closed his eyes, and a thrill of horror passed +through every nerve. All at once a rude shock was felt, and the +boat shook, and Tom thought he was going down. It seemed like the +blow of a rock, and he could think only of the ingulfing waters. +But the waters hesitated to claim their prey; the rushing motion +ceased; and soon the boat was tossing lightly, as before, over the +waves, while the hoarse and thunderous roar of those dread unseen +breakers, from which he had been so wondrously saved, arose +wrathfully behind, as though they were howling after their escaped +victim. A cry of gratitude escaped Tom, and with trembling lips he +offered a heart-felt prayer to that divine Power whose mighty hand +had just rescued him from a terrible doom. + +Tom's agitation had been so great that it was long before he could +regain his former calm. At last, however, his trembling subsided. +He heard no longer the howling surf. All was calm and quiet. The +wind ceased, the boat's motion was less violent, the long-resisted +slumber came once more to his eyes. Still his terror kept off +sleep, and as his eyes would close, they would every moment open +again, and he would start in terror and look around. + +At length he saw that the darkness was less profound. Light was +coming, and that light was increasing. He could see the dark +waters, and the gloomy folds of the enclosing mist became apparent. +He gave a heavy sigh, partly of terror at the thought of all that +he had gone through, and partly of relief at the approach of light. + +Well might he sigh, for this light was the dawn of a new day, and +showed him that he had been a whole night upon the waters. + +And now he could no longer struggle against sleep. His eyes closed +for the last time. His head fell forward on the wet sail. + +He was sound asleep. + + + + + + +VII. + +Lost in the Fog.--The Shoal and its Rocks.--Is it a Reef?--The +Truth.--Hoisting Sail.--A forlorn Hope.--Wild Steering.--Where am +I?--Land, ho! + + + + + +Tom slept for many hours; and when he at length awoke, he was +stiffened in every limb, and wet to the skin. It was his +constrained position and the heavy fog which had done this. He sat +up and looked around with a bewildered air; but it did not take a +long time for him to collect his wandering faculties, and arrive at +the full recollection of his situation. Gradually it all came +before him--the night of horror, the long drift, the frantic +struggles, the boom of the surf, the shrill, penetrating tone of +the fog horn, his own wild screams for help, the thunder of the +breakers, and the grasp of the giant wave; all these, and many +more, came back to his mind; and he was all too soon enabled to +connect his present situation with the desperate position of the +preceding night. + +In spite of all these gloomy thoughts, which thus rushed in one +accumulated mass over his soul, his first impulse had nothing to do +with these things, but was concerned with something very different +from useless retrospect, and something far more essential. He +found himself ravenously hungry; and his one idea was to satisfy +the cravings of his appetite. + +He thought at once of the box of biscuit. + +The sail which he had pulled forward had very fortunately covered +it up, else the contents might have been somewhat damaged. As it +was, the upper edges of the biscuits, which had been exposed before +being covered by the sail, were somewhat damp and soft, but +otherwise they were not harmed; and Tom ate his frugal repast with +extreme relish. Satisfying his appetite had the natural effect of +cheering his spirits, and led him to reflect with thankfulness on +the very fortunate presence of that box of biscuit in the boat. +Had it not been for that, how terrible would his situation be! But +with that he could afford to entertain hope, and might reasonably +expect to endure the hardships of his situation. Strange to say, +he was not at all thirsty; which probably arose from the fact that +he was wet to the skin. + +Immersing one's self in water is often resorted to by shipwrecked +mariners, when they cannot get a drink, and with successful +results. As for Tom, his whole night had been one long bath, in +which he had been exposed to the penetrating effects of the sea air +and the fog. + +He had no idea whatever of the time. The sun could not be seen, +and so thick was the fog that he could not even make out in what +part of the sky it might be. He had a general impression, however, +that it was midday; and this impression was not very much out of +the way. His breakfast refreshed him, and he learned now to attach +so much value to his box of biscuit, that his chief desire was to +save it from further injury. So he hunted about for the cover, and +finding it underneath the other end of the sail, he put it on the +box, and then covered it all up. In this position the precious +contents of the box were safe. + +The hour of the day was a subject of uncertainty, and so was the +state of the tide. Whether he was drifting up or down the bay he +could not tell for certain. His recollection of the state of the +tide at Petitcodiac, was but vague. He reckoned, however, from the +ship launch of the preceding day, and then, allowing sufficient +time for the difference in the tide, he approximated to a correct +conclusion. If it were midday, he thought that the tide would be +about half way down on the ebb. + +These thoughts, and acts, and calculations took up some time, and +he now began to look around him. Suddenly his eye caught sight of +something not far away, dimly visible through the mist. It looked +like a rock. A farther examination showed him that such was the +case. It was a rock, and he was drifting towards it. No sooner +had he ascertained this, than all his excitement once more +awakened. Trembling from head to foot at this sudden prospect of +escape, he started to his feet, and watched most eagerly the +progress of the boat. It was drifting nearer to the rock. Soon +another appeared, and then another. The rocks were black, and +covered with masses of sea-weed, as though they were submerged at +high tide. A little nearer, and he saw a gravelly strand lying +just beyond the rocks. His excitement grew stronger and stronger, +until at last it was quite uncontrollable. He began to fear that +he would drift past this place, into the deep water again. He +sprang into the bows, and grasping the rope in his hand, stood +ready to leap ashore. He saw that he was drawing nearer, and so +delayed for a while. Nearer he came and nearer. At length the +boat seemed to pass along by the gravelly beach, and move by it as +though it would go no nearer. This Tom could not endure. He +determined to wait no longer. He sprang. + +He sank into the water up to his armpits, but he did not lose his +hold of the rope. Clutching this in a convulsive grasp, he +regained his foothold, which he had almost lost, and struggled +forward. For a few moments he made no headway, for the boat, at +the pressure of the current, pulled so hard that he could not drag +it nearer. A terrible fear came to him that the rope might break. +Fortunately it did not, and, after a short but violent struggle, +Tom conquered the resistance of the tide, and pulled the boat +slowly towards the shore. He then towed it near to the rocks, +dragged its bows up as far as he could, and fastened it securely. + +Then he looked around. + +A few rocks were near him, about six feet high, jutting out of the +gravel; and beyond these were others, which rose out of the water. +Most of them were covered with sea-weed. A few sticks of timber +were wedged in the interstices of the nearest rocks. As to the +rest, he saw only a rocky ledge of small extent, which was +surrounded by water. Beyond this nothing was visible but fog. + +At first he had thought that this was a beach, but now he began to +doubt this. He walked all around, and went into the water on every +side, but found no signs of any neighboring shore. The place +seemed rather like some isolated ledge. But where was it, and how +far away was the shore? If he could only tell that! He stopped, +and listened intently; he walked all around, and listened more +intently still, in hopes of hearing the sound of some neighboring +surf. In vain. Nothing of the kind came to his ears. All was +still. The water was not rough, nor was there very much wind. +There was only a brisk breeze, which threw up light waves on the +surface. + +After a time he noticed that the tide was going down, and the area +of the ledge was evidently enlarging. This inspired hope, for he +thought that perhaps some long shoal might be disclosed by the +retreating tide, which might communicate with the main land. For +this he now watched intently, and occupied himself with measuring +the distance from the rock where his boat was tied. Doing this +from time to time, he found that every little while the number of +paces between the rock and the water's edge increased. This +occupation made the time pass rapidly; and at last Tom found his +stopping-place extending over an area of about a hundred yards in +length, and half as many in breadth. The rocks at one end had +increased in apparent size, and in number; but the ledge itself +remained unchanged in its general character. + +This, he saw, was its extreme limit, beyond which it did not +extend. There was no communication with any shore. There was no +more indication now of land than when he had first arrived. This +discovery was a gradual one. It had been heralded by many fears +and suspicions, so that at last, when it forced itself on his +convictions, he was not altogether unprepared. Still, the shock +was terrible, and once more poor Tom had to struggle with his +despair--a despair, too, that was all the more profound from the +hopes that he had been entertaining. He found, at length, in +addition to this, that the tide was rising, that it was advancing +towards his resting-place, and that it would, no doubt, overflow it +all before long. It had been half tide when he landed, and but a +little was uncovered; at full tide he saw that it would all be +covered up by the water,--sea weed, rocks, and all,--and concealed +from human eye. + +In the midst of these painful discoveries there suddenly occurred +to him the true name and nature of this place. + +Quaco Ledge! + +That was the place which Captain Corbet had described. He recalled +now the full description. Here it lay before him; upon it he +stood; and he found that it corresponded in every respect with the +description that the captain had given. If this were indeed so, +and the description were true,--and he could not doubt this,--how +desperate his situation was, and how he had been deceived in his +false hopes! Far, far away was he from any shore!--in the middle +of the bay; on a place avoided by all--a place which he should shun +above all other places if he hoped for final escape! + +And now he was as eager to quit this ill-omened place as he had +once been to reach it. The tide was yet low. He tried to push the +boat down, but could not. He saw that he would have to wait. So +he got inside the boat, and, sitting down, he waited patiently. +The time passed slowly, and Tom looked despairingly out over the +water. Something attracted his attention. It was a long pole, +which had struck against the edge of the shoal. He got out of the +boat, and, securing it, he walked back again. It was some waif +that had been drifting about till it was thus cast at his feet. He +thought of taking it for a mast, and making use of the sail. The +idea was an attractive one. He pulled the sail out, unfolded it, +and found it to be the jib of some schooner. He cut off one end of +this, and then with his knife began to make a hole in the seat for +his mast. It was very slow work, but he succeeded at last in doing +it, and inserted the pole. Then he fastened the sail to it. He +was rather ignorant of navigation, but he had a general idea of the +science, and thought he would learn by experience. By cutting off +the rope from the edge of the sail he obtained a sheet, and taking +off the cover of the biscuit box a second time, he put this aside +to use as a rudder. + +But now, in what direction ought he to steer? + +This was an insoluble problem. He could tell now by the flow of +the current the points of the compass, but could not tell in which +direction he ought to go. The New Brunswick coast he thought was +nearest, but he dreaded it. It seemed perilous and unapproachable. +He did not think much better of the Nova Scotia coast. He thought +rather of Cape d'Or, as a promising place of refuge, or the +Petitcodiac. So, after long deliberation, he decided on steering +back again, especially as the wind was blowing directly up the bay. + +By the time that he had finished these preparations and deliberations +the boat was afloat. Eagerly Tom pushed it away from the shoal; +eagerly, and with trembling hands, he let the sail unfold, and +thrust the board into the water astern. The boat followed the +impulse of the wind, and the young sailor saw with delight that his +experiment was successful, and before long the dark rocks of Quaco +Ledge were lost to view. + +Now, where there is a definite object to steer by, or a compass to +guide one, and a decent rudder, even an inexperienced hand can +manage to come somewhere near the point that he aims at. But take +a boat like Tom's, and a rude and suddenly extemporized sail, with +no other rudder than a bit of board, with no compass, and a +surrounding of thick fog, and it would puzzle even an experienced +sailor to guide himself aright. Tom soon suspected that his course +was rather a wild one; his board in particular became quite +unmanageable, and he was fatigued with trying to hold it in the +water. So he threw it aside, and boldly trusted to his sail alone. + +The boat seemed to him to be making very respectable progress. The +wind was fresh, and the sea only moderate. The little waves beat +over the bows, and there was quite a commotion astern. Tom thought +he was doing very well, and heading as near as possible towards the +Petitcodiac. Besides, in his excitement at being thus saved from +mere blind drifting, he did not much care where he went, for he +felt assured that he was now on the way out of his difficulties. + +In an hour or two after leaving the ledge it grew quite dark, and +Tom saw that it would be necessary to prepare for the night. His +preparations were simple, consisting in eating a half dozen +biscuit. He now began to feel a little thirsty, but manfully +struggled against this feeling. Gradually the darkness grew +deeper, until at last it assumed the intense character of the +preceding night. But still Tom sat up, and the boat went on. The +wind did not slacken, nor did the boat's progress cease. Hours +passed by in this way. As to the tides, Tom could not tell now +very well whether they were rising or falling, and, in fact, he was +quite indifferent, being satisfied fully with his progress. As +long as the wind distended his sail, and bore the boat onward, he +cared not whether the tide favored or opposed. + +Hours passed, but such was Tom's excitement that he still bore up, +and thought nothing of rest or of sleep. His attention was needed, +too, and so he kept wide awake, and his ears were ever on the +stretch to hear the slightest sound. But at last the intense +excitement and the long fatigue began to overpower him. Still he +struggled against his weakness, and still he watched and listened. + +Hours passed on, and the wind never ceased to fill the sail, and +the boat never ceased to go onward in a course of which Tom could +have no idea. It was a course totally different from the one which +be intended--a course which depended on the chance of the wind; and +one, too, which was varied by the sweep of the tide as it rose or +fell; but the course, such as it was, continued on, and Tom watched +and waited until, at last, from sheer exhaustion, he fell sound +asleep. + +His dreams were much disturbed, but he slept on soundly, and when +he awaked it was broad day. He looked around in deep disappointment. +Fog was everywhere, as before, and nothing could be seen. Whether +he was near any shore or not he could not tell. Suddenly he noticed +that the wind was blowing from an opposite direction. How to +account for this was at first a mystery, for the fog still +prevailed, and the opposite wind could not bring fog. Was it +possible that the boat had turned during his sleep? He knew that it +was quite possible. Indeed, he believed that this was the case. +With this impression he determined to act on the theory that the +boat had turned, and not that the wind had changed. The latter idea +seemed impossible. The wind was the chill, damp fog wind--the +sou-wester. Convinced of this, Tom turned the boat, and felt +satisfied that he had resumed his true course. + +After a time the wind went down, and the sail flapped idly against +the mast. Tom was in a fever of impatience, but could do nothing. +He felt himself to be once more at the mercy of the tides. The +wind had failed him, and nothing was left but to drift. All that +day he drifted, and night came on. Still it continued calm. Tom +was weary and worn out, but so intense was his excitement that he +could not think of sleep. At midnight the wind sprung up a little; +and now Tom determined to keep awake, so that the boat might not +again double on her track. He blamed himself for sleeping on the +previous night, and losing so much progress. Now he was determined +to keep awake. + +His resolution was carried out. His intense eagerness to reach +some shore, no matter where, and his fear of again losing what he +had gained, kept sleep from his eyes. All that night he watched +his boat. The wind blew fitfully, sometimes carrying the boat on +rapidly, again dying down. + +So the next morning came. + +It was Thursday. + +It was Monday night when he had drifted out, and all that time he +had been on the deep, lost in the fog. + +And now, wearied, dejected, and utterly worn out, he looked around +in despair, and wondered where this would end. Fog was everywhere, +as before, and, as before, not a thing could be seen. + +Hours passed on; the wind had sprang up fresh, and the boat went on +rapidly. + +Suddenly Tom sprang upright, and uttered a loud cry. + +There full before him he saw a giant cliff, towering far overhead, +towards which the boat was sailing. At its base the waves were +dashing. Over its brow trees were bending. In the air far above +he heard the hoarse cries of sea-gulls. + +In his madness he let the boat drive straight on, and was close to +it before he thought of his danger. He could not avoid it now, +however, for he did not know how to turn the boat. On it went, and +in a few moments struck the beach at the base of the cliff. + +The tide was high; the breeze was moderate, and there was but +little sun. The boat was not injured by running ashore there. Tom +jumped out, and, taking the rope in his hands, walked along the +rough and stony beach for about a hundred yards, pulling the boat +after him. There the cliff was succeeded by a steep slope, beyond +which was a gentle, grass-grown declivity. Towards this he bent +his now feeble steps, still tugging at the boat, and drawing it +after him. + +At length he reached the grassy slope, and found here a rough +beach. He fastened the boat securely to the trunk of a tree that +grew near. + +Then he lifted out the box of biscuit, and over this he threw the +sail. + +He stood for a few moments on the bank, and looked all around for +signs of some human habitation; but no signs appeared. Tom was too +exhausted to go in search of one. He had not slept for more than +thirty hours. The country that he saw was cleared. Hills were at +a little distance, but the fog which hung all around concealed +everything from view. One look was enough. + +Overwhelmed with gratitude, he fell upon his knees, and offered up +a fervent prayer of thankfulness for his astonishing escape. + +Then fatigue overpowered him, and, rolling himself up in the sail, +he went to sleep. + + + + + + +VIII. + +Off in Search.--Eager Outlook.--Nothing but Fog.--Speaking a +Schooner.--Pleasant Anecdotes.--Cheer up.--The Heart of Corbet. + + + + + +After the arrival of Bruce and Bart, Captain Corbet did not delay +his departure much longer. The vessel was already afloat, and +though the tide was still rising, yet the wind was sufficiently +favorable to enable her to go on her way. The sails were soon set, +and, with the new boat in tow, the Antelope weighed anchor, and +took her departure. For about two hours but little progress was +made against the strong opposing current; yet they had the +satisfaction of reaching the mouth of the river, and by ten +o'clock, when the tide turned and began to fall, they were fairly +in the bay. The wind here was ahead, but the strong tide was now +in their favor, and they hoped for some hours to make respectable +progress. + +During this time they had all kept an anxious lookout, but without +any result. No floating craft of any kind appeared upon the +surface of the water. Coming down the river, the sky was +unclouded, and all the surrounding scene was fully visible; but on +reaching the bay, they saw before them, a few miles down, a lofty +wall of light-gray cloud. Captain Corbet waved his hand towards +this. + +"We're in for it," said he, "or we precious soon will be." + +"What's that?" asked Phil. + +"Our old friend--a fog bank. You'd ought to know it by this time, +sure." + +There it lay, a few miles off, and every minute brought them +nearer. The appearance of the fog threw an additional gloom over +the minds of all, for they saw the hopeless character of their +search. Of what avail would it be to traverse the seas if they +were all covered by such thick mists? Still nothing else was to be +done, and they tried to hope for the best. + +"Any how," said Captain Corbet, "thar's one comfort. That thar fog +may go as quick as it come. It ony needs a change of wind. Why, +I've knowed it all vanish in half an hour, an the fog as thick as +it is now." + +"But sometimes it lasts long--don't it?" + +"I should think it did. I've knowed it hang on for weeks." + +At this gloomy statement the boys said not a word. + +Soon after the schooner approached the fog bank, and in a little +while it had plunged into the midst of its misty folds. The chill +of the damp clouds, as they enveloped them, struck additional chill +to their hearts. It was into the midst of this that poor Tom had +drifted, they thought, and over these seas, amidst this impenetrable +atmosphere, he might even now be drifting. In the midst of the deep +dejection consequent upon such thoughts, it was difficult for them +to find any solid ground for hope. + +The wind was moderate, yet adverse, and the schooner had to beat +against it. As she went on each tack, they came in sight of the +shores; but as time passed, the bay widened, and Captain Corbet +kept away from the land as much as possible. All the time the boys +never ceased to maintain their forlorn lookout, and watched over +the sides, and peered anxiously through the mist, in the hope that +the gloomy waters might suddenly disclose to their longing eyes the +form of the drifting boat and their lost companion. + +"I tell you what it is, boys," said Captain Corbet, after a long +and thoughtful silence; "the best plan of acting in a biz of this +kind is to pluck up sperrit an go on. Why, look at me. You mind +the time when that boat, that thar i-dentical, individdle boat, +drifted away onst afore, with youns in it. You remember all about +that,--course. Well, look at me. Did I mourn? Did I fret? Was I +cast down? Nary down; not me. I cheered up. I cheered up Mr. +Long. I kep everybody in good sperrits. An what was the result? +Result was, you all turned up in prime order and condition, a +enjyin of yourselves like all possessed, along with old O'Rafferty. + +"Again, my friends," he continued, as the boys made no remark, +"consider this life air short an full of vycissitoods. Ups an +downs air the lot of pore fallen hoomanity. But if at the fust +blast of misforten we give up an throw up the game, what's the good +of us? The question now, an the chief pint, is this--Who air we, +an whar air we goin, an what air we purposin to do? Fust, we air +hooman beins; secondly, we air a traversin the vast an briny main; +and thirdly, we hope to find a certain friend of ourn, who was +borne away from us by the swellin tide. Thar's a aim for us--a +high an holy aim; an now I ask you, as feller-critters, how had we +ought to go about it? Had we ought to peek, an pine, an fret, an +whine? Had we ought to snivel, and give it up at the fust? Or had +we ought, rayther, to be up an doin,--pluck up our sperrits like +men, and go about our important work with energy? Which of these +two, my friends? I pause for a reply." + +This was quite a speech for Captain Corbet, and the effort seemed +quite an exhaustive one. He paused some time for a reply; but as +no reply was forthcoming, he continued his remarks. + +"Now, see here," said he; "this here whole business reminds me of a +story I once read in a noospaper, about a man up in this here +identical river, the Petticoat Jack, who, like a fool, pulled up +his boat on the bank, and wont off to sleep in her. Wal, as a +matter of course, he floated off,--for the tide happened to be +risin,--an when he woke up out of his cool an refreshin slumbers, +he found himself afar on the briny deep, a boundin like 'a thing of +life,' o'er the deep heavin sea. Besides, it was precious foggy,-- +jest as it is now,--an the man couldn't see any more'n we can. +Wal, the story went on to say, how that thar man, in that thar +boat, went a driftin in that thar fashion, in that thar fog; an he +drifted, an drifted, an derifted, for days an days, up an down, on +one side an t'other side, an round every way,--an, mind you, he +hadn't a bit to eat, or to drink either, for that matter,--'t any +rate, the paper didn't mention no such thing; an so, you know, he +drifted, an d-e-e-e-rifted,--until at last he druv ashore. An now, +whar d'ye think he druv?" + +The boys couldn't think. + +"Guess, now." + +The boys couldn't guess. + +"D'ye guv it up?" + +They did. + +"Wal, the paper said, he druv ashore at Grand Manan; but I've my +doubts about it." + +The captain paused, looked all around through the fog, and stood +for a moment as though listening to some sound. + +"I kine o' thought," said he, "that I detected the dash of water on +the shore. I rayther think it's time to bring her round." + +The vessel was brought round on another tack, and the captain +resumed his conversation. + +"What I was jest sayin," he continued, "reminds me of a story I +onst heard, or read, I forget which (all the same, though), about +two boys which went adrift on a raft. It took place up in Scott's +Bay, I think, at a ship-yard in that thar locality. + +"These two unfortunate children, it seems, had made a raft in a +playful mude, an embarkin on it they had been amoosin theirselves +with paddlin about by pushin it with poles. At length they came to +a pint where poles were useless; the tide got holt of the raft, an +the ferrail structoor was speedily swept onward by the foorus +current. Very well. Time rolled on, an that thar raft rolled on +too,--far over the deep bellew sea,--beaten by the howlin storm, an +acted upon by the remorseless tides. I leave you to pictoor to +yourselves the sorrow of them thar two infant unfortunits, thus +severed from their hum an parients, an borne afar, an scarce enough +close on to keep 'em from the inclemency of the weather. So they +drifted, an drifted, an de-e-rifted, until at last they druv +ashore; an now, whar do you think it was that they druv?" + +The boys couldn't say. + +"Guess now." + +The boys declined. + +"Try." + +They couldn't. + +"Name some place." + +They couldn't think of any. + +"D'ye guv it up?" asked the captain, excitedly. + +They did. + +"Well, then," said he, in a triumphant tone, "they druv ashore on +Brier Island; an ef that thar ain't pooty tall driftin, then I'm a +Injine." + +To this the boys had no reply to make. + +"From all this," continued the captain, "you must perceive that +this here driftin is very much more commoner than you hev ben +inclined to bleeve it to be. You also must see that thar's every +reason for hope. So up with your gizzards! Pluck up your +sperrits! Rise and look fortin an the footoor squar in the face. +Squar off at fortin, an hav it out with her on the spot. I don't +want to hev you go mopin an whinin about this way. Hello!" + +Captain Corbet suddenly interrupted his remarks by an exclamation. +The exclamation was caused by the sudden appearance of a sail +immediately to windward. She was coming up the bay before the +wind, and came swiftly through the fog towards them. In passing on +her way, she came astern of the Antelope. + +"Schooner, ahoy!" cried Captain Corbet; and some conversation took +place, in which they learned that the stranger was the schooner +Wave, from St. John, and that she had not seen any signs whatever +of any drifting boat. + +This news was received sadly by the boys, and Captain Corbet had to +exert his utmost to rouse them from their depression, but without +much effect. + +"I don't know how it is," said he, plaintively, "but somehow your +blues air contiguous, an I feel as ef I was descendin into a +depression as deep as yourn. I don't remember when I felt so +depressed, cept last May--time I had to go off in the Antelope with +taters, arter I thought I'd done with seafarin for the rest of my +life. But that thar vessel war wonderously resussutated, an the +speouse of my buzzum druv me away to traverse the sea. An I had to +tar myself away from the clingin gerasp of my weepin infant,--the +tender bud an bulossum of an old man's life--tar myself away, an +feel myself a outcast. Over me hovered contennooly the image of +the pinin infant, an my heart quivered with responsive sympathy. +An I yearned--an I pined--an I groaned--an I felt that life would +be intoll'ble till I got back to the babby. An so it was that I +passed away, an had scace the heart to acknowledge your youthful +cheers. Wal, time rolled on, an what's the result? Here I air. +Do I pine now? Do I peek? Not a pine! Not a peek! As tender a +heart as ever bet still beats in this aged frame; but I am no +longer a purray to sich tender reminiscinsuz of the babby as onst +used to consume my vitals." + +Thus it was that the venerable captain talked with the boys, and it +was thus that he sought, by every possible means, to cheer them up. +In this way the day passed on, and after five or six hours they +began to look for a turn of tide. During this time the schooner +had been beating; and as the fog was as thick as ever, it was +impossible for the boys to tell where they were. Indeed, it did +not seem as though they had been making any progress. + +"We'll have to anchor soon," said the captain, closing his eyes and +turning his face meditatively to the quarter whence the wind came. + +"Anchor?" + +"Yes." + +"What for?" + +"Wal, you see it'll soon be dead low tide, an we can't go on any +further when it turns. We'll have wind an tide both agin us." + +"How far have we come now?" + +"Wal, we've come a pooty considerable of a lick now--mind I tell +you. 'Tain't, of course, as good as ef the wind had ben favorable, +but arter all, that thar tide was a pooty considerable of a tide, +now." + +"How long will you anchor?" + +"Why, till the next tarn of tide,--course." + +"When will that be?" + +"Wal, somewhar about eleven o'clock." + +"Eleven o'clock?" + +"Yes." + +"Why, that's almost midnight." + +"Course it is." + +"Wouldn't it be better to cruise off in the bay? It seems to me +anything is better than keeping still." + +"No, young sir; it seems to me that jest now anythin is better than +tryin to cruise in the bay, with a flood tide a comin up. Why, +whar d'ye think we'd be? It would ony take an hour or two to put +us on Cape Chignecto, or Cape d'Or, onto a place that we wouldn't +git away from in a hurry,--mind I tell you." + +To this, of course, the boys had nothing to say. So, after a half +hour's further sail, the anchor was dropped, and the Antelope +stopped her wanderings for a time. + +Tedious as the day had been, it was now worse. The fog was as +thick as ever, the scene was monotonous, and there was nothing to +do. Even Solomon's repasts had, in a great measure, lost their +attractions. He had spread a dinner for them, which at other +times, and under happier circumstances, would have been greeted +with uproarious enthusiasm; but at the present time it was viewed +with comparative indifference. It was the fog that threw this +gloom over them. Had the sky been clear, and the sun shining, they +would have viewed the situation with comparative equanimity; but +the fog threw terror all its own around Tom's position; and by +shutting them in on every side, it forced them to think of him who +was imprisoned in the same way--their lost companion, who now was +drifting in the dark. Besides, as long as they were in motion, +they had the consciousness that they were doing something, and that +of itself was a comfort; but now, even that consolation was taken +away from them, and in their forced inaction they fell back again +into the same despondency which they had felt at Petitcodiac. + +"It's all this fog, I do believe," said Captain Corbet. "If it +want for this you'd all cheer up, an be as merry as crickets." + +"Is there any prospect of its going away?" + +"Wal, not jest yet. You can't reckon on it. When it chooses to go +away, it does so. It may hang on for weeks, an p'aps months. +Thar's no tellin. I don't mind it, bein as I've passed my hull +life in the middle of fog banks; but I dare say it's a leetle tryin +to youns." + +The repast that Solomon spread for them on that evening was scarce +tasted, and to all his coaxings and remonstrances the boys made no +reply. After the tea was over, they went on deck, and stared +silently into the surrounding gloom. The sight gave them no +relief, and gave no hope. In that dense fog twilight came on soon, +and with the twilight came the shadows of the night more rapidly. +At last it grew quite dark, and finally there arose all around them +the very blackness of darkness. + +"The best thing to do," said Captain Corbet, "is to go to sleep. +In all kinds of darkness, whether intunnel or extunnel, I've allus +found the best plan to be to sleep it off. An I've knowed great +men who war of my opinion. Sleep, then, young sirs, while yet you +may, while yer young blood is warm, an life is fresh an fair, an +don't put it off to old age, like me, for you mayn't be able to do +it. Look at me! How much d'ye think I've slep sence I left Mud +Creek? Precious little. I don't know how it is, but bein alone +with you, an havin the respons'bility of you all, I kine o' don't +feel altogether able to sleep as I used to do; an sence our late +loss--I--wal, I feel as though I'd never sleep agin. I'm talkin an +talkin, boys, but it's a solemn time with me. On me, boys, rests +the fate of that lad, an I'll scour these here seas till he turns +up, ef I hev to do it till I die. Anxious? Yes, I am. I'm that +anxious that the diskivery of the lost boy is now the one idee of +my life, for which I forget all else; but allow me to say, at the +same time, that I fully, furmly, an conshuentiously bleve an affum, +that my conviction is, that that thar lad is bound to turn up all +right in the end--right side up--with care--sound in every respect, +in good order an condition, jest as when fust shipped on board the +good schooner Antelope, Corbet master, for Petticoat Jack, as per +bill ladin." + +The captain's tones were mournful. He heaved a deep sigh as he +concluded, and relapsed into a profound and melancholy silence. + +The boys waited on deck for some time longer, and finally followed +his advice, and sought refuge below. They were young and strong, +and the fatigue which they felt brought on drowsiness, which, in +spite of their anxiety, soon deepened into sleep. All slept, and +at length Captain Corbet only was awake. It was true enough, as he +had said, the fate of the lost boy rested upon him, and he felt it. +His exhortations to the boys about keeping up their courage, and +his stories about lost men who had drifted to a final rescue, were +all spoken more with reference to himself than to them. He sought +to keep up his own courage by these words. Yet, in spite of his +efforts, a profound depression came over him, and well nigh subdued +him. No one knew better than he the many perils which beset the +drifting boat in these dangerous waters--the perils of storm, the +perils of fog, the perils of thick darkness, the perils of furious +tides, the perils of sunken rocks, of shoals, and of iron-bound +coasts. The boys had gone to sleep, but there was no sleep for +him. He wandered restlessly about, and heavy sighs escaped him. +Thus the time passed with him until near midnight. Then he roused +the mate, and they raised the anchor and hoisted the sails. It was +now the turn of tide, and the waters were falling again, and the +current once more ran down the bay. To this current he trusted the +vessel again, beating, as before, against the head wind, which was +still blowing; and thus the Antelope worked her way onward through +all that dark and dismal night, until at last the faint streaks of +light in the east proclaimed the dawn of another day. + +Through all that night the boys slept soundly. The wind blew, the +waves dashed, but they did not awake. The anchor was hoisted, and +the sails were set, but the noise failed to rouse them. Weariness +of body and anxiety of mind both conspired to make their sleep +profound. Yet in that profound sleep the anxiety of their minds +made itself manifest; and in their dreams their thoughts turned to +their lost companion. They saw him drifting over the stormy +waters, enveloped in midnight darkness, chilled through with the +damp night air, pierced to the bone by the cold night wind; +drifting on amid a thousand dangers, now swept on by furious tides +towards rocky shores, and again drawn back by refluent currents +over vast sunken sea-ledges, white with foam. Thus through all the +night they slept, and as they slept the Antelope dashed on through +the waters, whose foaming waves, as they tumbled against her sides +and over her bows, sent forth sounds that mingled with their +dreams, and became intermingled with poor Tom's mournful cries. + + + + + + +IX. + +Awake once more.--Where are we?--The giant cliff.--Out to Sea.-- +Anchoring and Drifting.--The Harbor.--The Search.--No Answer.-- +Where's Solomon? + + + + + +Scarce had the streaks of light greeted Captain Corbet's eyes, and +given him the grateful prospect of another day, when the boys +awaked and hurried up on deck. Their first act was to take a +hurried look all around. The same gloomy and dismal prospect +appeared--black water and thick, impenetrable fog. + +"Where are we now, Captain?" asked Bruce. + +"Wal, a con-siderable distance down the bay." + +"What are you going to do?" + +"Wal--I've about made up my mind whar to go." + +"Where?" + +"I'm thinkin of puttin into Quaco." + +"Quaco?" + +"Yes." + +"How far is it from here?" + +"Not very fur, 'cordin to my calc'lations. My idee is, that the +boat may have drifted down along here and got ashore. Ef so, he +may have made for Quaco, an its jest possible that we may hear +about him." + +"Is this the most likely place for a boat to go ashore?" + +"Wal, all things considered, a boat is more likely to go ashore on +the New Brunswick side, driftin from Petticoat Jack; but at the +same time 'tain't at all certain. Thar's ony a ghost of a chance, +mind. I don't feel over certain about it." + +"Will we get to Quaco this tide?" + +"Scacely." + +"Do you intend to anchor again?" + +"Wal, I rayther think I'll hev to do it. But we'd ought to get to +Quaco by noon, I calc'late. I'm a thinkin--Hello! Good +gracious!" + +The captain's sudden exclamation interrupted his words, and made +all turn to look at the object that had called it forth. One +glance showed an object which might well have elicited even a +stronger expression of amazement and alarm. + +Immediately in front of them arose a vast cliff,--black, rocky, +frowning,--that ascended straight up from the deep water, its +summit lost in the thick fog, its base white with the foaming waves +that thundered there. A hoarse roar came up from those breaking +waves, which blended fearfully with the whistle of the wind through +the rigging, and seemed like the warning sound of some dark, drear +fate. The cliff was close by, and the schooner had been steering +straight towards it. So near was it that it seemed as though one +could have easily tossed a biscuit ashore. + +But though surprised, Captain Corbet was not in the least confused, +and did not lose his presence of mind for a moment. Putting the +helm hard up, he issued the necessary commands in a cool, quiet +manner; the vessel went round, and in a few moments the danger was +passed. Yet so close were they, that in wearing round it seemed as +though one could almost have jumped from the stern upon the rocky +shelves which appeared in the face of the lofty cliff. + +Captain Corbet drew a long breath. + +"That's about the nighest scratch I remember ever havin had," was +his remark, as the Antelope went away from the land. "Cur'ous, +too; I don't see how it happened. I lost my reckonin a little. +I'm a mile further down than I calc'lated on bein." + +"Do you know that place?" asked Bart. + +"Course I know it." + +"It's lucky for us we didn't go there at night." + +"Yes, it is rayther lucky; but then there wan't any danger o' that, +cos, you see, I kep the vessel off by night, an the danger couldn't +hev riz. I thought we were a mile further up the bay; we've been a +doin better than I thought for." + +"Shall we be able to get into Quaco any sooner?" + +"Wal, not much." + +"I thought from what you said that we were a mile nearer." + +"So we air, but that don't make any very great difference." + +"Why, we ought to get in all the sooner, I should think." + +"No; not much." + +"Why not? I don't understand that." + +"Wal, you see it's low tide now." + +"The tides again!" + +"Yes; it's allus the tides that you must consider here. Wal, it's +low tide now, an the tide's already on the turn, an risin. We've +got to anchor." + +"Anchor!" + +"Yes." + +"What, again?" + +"Yes, agin. Even so. Ef we didn't anchor we'd only be drifted up +again, ever so far, an lose all that we've ben a gainin. We're not +more'n a mile above Quaco Harbor, but we can't fetch it with wind +an tide agin us; so we've got to put out some distance an anchor. +It's my firm belief that we'll be in Quaco by noon. The next +fallin tide will carry us thar as slick as a whistle, an then we +can pursue our investigations." + +The schooner now held on her course for about a mile away from the +shore, and then came to anchor. The boys had for a moment lost +sight of this unpleasant necessity, and had forgotten that they had +been using up the hours of the ebb tide while asleep. There was no +help for it, however, and they found, to their disgust, another day +of fog, and of inaction. + +Time passed, and breakfast came. Solomon now had the satisfaction +of seeing them eat more, and gave manifest signs of that +satisfaction by the twinkle of his eye and the lustre of his ebony +brow. After this the time passed on slowly and heavily; but at +length eleven o'clock came, and passed, and in a short time they +were once more under way. + +"We're going to Quaco now--arn't we?" asked Phil. + +"Yes; right straight on into Quaco Harbor, fair an squar." + +"I don't see how it's possible for you to know so perfectly where +you are." + +"Young sir, there ain't a nook, nor a corner, nor a hole, nor a +stun, in all the outlinin an configoortion of this here bay but +what's mapped out an laid down all c'rect in this here brain. I'd +undertake to navigate these waters from year's end to year's end, +ef I was never to see the sun at all, an even ef I was to be +perpetooly surrounded by all the fogs that ever riz. Yea, verily, +and moreover, not only this here bay, but the hull coast all along +to Bosting. Why, I'm at home here on the rollin biller. I'm the +man for Mount Desert, an Quoddy Head, an Grand Manan, an all other +places that air ticklish to the ginrality of seafarin men. Why, +young sir, you see before you, in the humble an unassumin person of +the aged Corbet, a livin, muvin, and sea-goin edition of Blunt's +Coast Pilot, revised and improved to a precious sight better +condition than it's ever possible for them fellers in Bosting to +get out. By Blunt's Coast Pilot, young sir, I allude to a +celebrated book, as big as a pork bar'l, that every skipper has in +his locker, to guide him on his wanderin way--ony me. I don't have +no call to use sech, being myself a edition of useful information +techin all coastin matters." + +The Antelope now proceeded quickly on her way. Several miles were +traversed. + +"Now, boys, look sharp," said the captain; "you'll soon see the +settlement." + +They looked sharp. + +For a few moments they went onward through the water, and at length +there was visible just before them what seemed like a dark cloud +extending all along. A few minutes further progress made the dark +cloud still darker, and, advancing further, the dark cloud finally +disclosed itself as a line of coast. It was close by them, and, +even while they were recognizing it as land, they saw before them +the outline of a wharf. + +"Good agin!" cried the captain. "I didn't come to the wharf I +wanted, but this here'll do as well as any other, an I don't know +but what it'll do better. Here we air, boys. Stand by thar, mate, +to let fall the jib." + +On they went, and in a few minutes more the Antelope wore round, +and her side just grazed the wharf. The mate jumped ashore, lines +were secured, and the Antelope lay in safety. + +"An now, boys, we may all go ashore, an see if we can hear anything +about the boat." + +With these words Captain Corbet stepped upon the wharf, followed by +all the boys, and they all went up together, till they found +themselves on a road. There they saw a shop, and into this they +entered. No time was to be lost; the captain at once told his +story, and asked his question. + +The answer was soon made. + +Nothing whatever was known there about any boat. Two or three +schooners had arrived within two days, and the shopkeeper had seen +the skippers, but they had not mentioned any boat. No boat had +drifted ashore anywhere near, nor had any strange lad arrived at +the settlement. + +This intelligence depressed them all. + +"Wal, wal," said the captain, "I didn't have much hopes; it's jest +as I feared; but, at the same time, I'll ask further. An first and +foremost I'll go an see them schooners." + +He then went off with the boys in search of the schooners just +mentioned. These were found without difficulty. One had come from +up the bay, another from St. John, and a third from Eastport. None +of them had encountered anything like a drilling boat. The one +from up the bay afforded them the greatest puzzle. She must have +come down the very night of Tom's accident. If he did drift down +the bay in his boat, he must have been not very far from the +schooner. In clear weather he could not have escaped notice; but +the skipper had seen nothing, and heard nothing. He had to beat +down against the wind, and anchor when the tide was rising; but, +though he thus traversed so great an extent of water, nothing +whatever attracted his attention. + +"This sets me thinkin," said the captain, "that, perhaps, he mayn't +have drifted down at all. He may have run ashore up thar. Thar's +a chance of it, an we must all try to think of that, and cheer up, +as long as we can." + +Leaving the schooners, the captain now went through the settlement, +and made a few inquiries, with no further result. Nothing had been +heard by any one about any drifting boat, and they were at last +compelled to see that in Quaco there was no further hope of gaining +any information whatever about Tom. + +After this, the captain informed the boys that he was going back to +the schooner to sleep. + +"I haven't slep a wink," said he, "sence we left Grand Pre, and +that's more'n human natur can ginrally stand; so now I'm bound to +have my sleep out, an prepare for the next trip. You boys had +better emply yourselves in inspectin this here village." + +"When shall we leave Quaco?" + +"Wal, I'll think that over. I haven't yet made up my mind as to +what's best to be done next. One thing seems certain. There ain't +no use goin out in this fog, an I've half a mind to wait here till +to-morrow." + +"To-morrow!" + +"Yes,--an then go down to St. John." + +"But what'll poor Tom be doing?" + +"It's my firm belief that he's all right," said Captain Corbet, +confidently. "At any rate, you'd better walk about now, an I'll +try an git some sleep." + +As there was nothing better to be done, the boys did as he +proposed, and wandered about the village. It was about two miles +long, with houses scattered at intervals along the single street of +which it was composed, with here, and there a ship-yard. At one +end was a long, projecting ledge, with a light-house; at the other +there was a romantic valley, through which a stream ran into the +bay. On the other side of this stream were cliffs of sandstone +rocks, in which were deep, cavernous hollows, worn by the waves; +beyond this, again, was a long line of a precipitous shore, in +whose sides were curious shelves, along which it was possible to +walk for a great distance, with the sea thundering on the rocks +beneath. At any other time they would have taken an intense +enjoyment in a place like this, where there were so many varied +scenes; but now their sense of enjoyment was blunted, for they +carried in their minds a perpetual anxiety. None the less, however, +did they wander about, penetrating up the valley, exploring the +caverns, and traversing the cliffs. + +They did not return to the schooner till dusk. It would not be +high tide till midnight, and so they prolonged their excursion +purposely, so as to use up the time. On reaching the schooner they +were welcomed by Captain Corbet. + +"I declar, boys," said he, "I'm getting to be a leetle the biggest +old fool that ever lived. It's all this accident. It's onmanned +me. I had a nap for two or three hours, but waked at six, an ever +sence I've been a worretin an a frettin about youns. Sence that +thar accident, I can't bar to have you out of my sight, for I fear +all the time that you ar gettin into mischief. An now I've been +skeart for two mortal hours, a fancyin you all tumblin down from +the cliffs, or a strugglin in the waters." + +"O, we can take care of ourselves, captain," said Bart + +"No, you can't--not you. I wouldn't trust one of you. I'm getting +to be a feeble creetur too,--so don't go away agin." + +"Well, I don't think we'll have a chance in Quaco. Arn't we going +to leave to-night?" + +"Wal, that thar is jest the pint that I've been moosin on. You see +it's thick; the fog's as bad as ever. What's the use of going out +to-night? Now, ef we wait till to-morrow, it may be clear, an then +we can decide what to do." + +At this proposal, the boys were silent for a time. The experience +which they had formed of the bay and its fogs showed them how +useless would be any search by night, and the prospect of a clear +day, and, possibly, a more favorable wind on the morrow, was very +attractive. The question was debated by all, and considered in all +its bearings, and the discussion went on until late, when it was +finally decided that it would be, on the whole, the wisest course +to wait until the following day. Not the least influential of the +many considerations that occurred was their regard for Captain +Corbet. They saw that he was utterly worn out for want of sleep, +and perceived how much he needed one night's rest. This finally +decided them. + +Early on the following morning they were all up, and eager to see +if there was any change in the weather. The first glance around +elicited a cry of admiration from all of them. Above, all was +clear and bright. The sun was shining with dazzling lustre; the +sky was of a deep blue, and without a cloud on its whole expanse; +while the wide extent of the bay spread out before them, blue like +the sky above, which it mirrored, and throwing up its waves to +catch the sunlight. A fresh north wind was blowing, and all the +air and all the sea was full of light and joy. + +The scene around was in every respect magnificent. The tide was +low, and the broad beach, which now was uncovered by the waters, +spread afar to the right and left in a long crescent that extended +for miles. On its lower extremity it was terminated by a ledge of +black rocks, with the light-house before spoken of, while its upper +end was bounded by cavernous cliffs of red sandstone, which were +crowned with tufted trees. Behind them were the white houses of +the village, straggling irregularly on the borders of the long +road, with here and there the unfinished fabric of some huge ship; +while in the background were wooded hills and green sloping fields. +Out on the bay a grander scene appeared. Far down arose a white +wall, which marked the place where the fog clouds were sullenly +retreating; immediately opposite, and forty miles away over the +water, arose the long line of the Nova Scotia coast, which bounded +the horizon; while far up arose Cape Chignecto, and beside it +towered up the dark form of a lonely island, which they knew, in +spite of the evident distortion of its shape, to be no other than +Ile Haute. + +The wondrous effects which can be produced by the atmosphere were +never more visible to their eyes than now. The coast of Nova +Scotia rose high in the air, dark in color, apparently only half +its actual distance away, while the summit of that coast seemed as +level as a table. It seemed like some vast structure which had +been raised out of the water during the night by some magic power. +Ile Haute arose to an extraordinary height, its summit perfectly +level, its sides perfectly perpendicular, and its color a dark +purple hue. Nor was Cape Chignecto less changed. The rugged cliff +arose with magnified proportions to a majestic height, and took +upon itself the same sombre color, which pervaded the whole of the +opposite coast. + +Another discussion was now begun as to their best plan of action. +After talking it all over, it was finally decided to go to St. +John. There they would have a better opportunity of hearing about +Tom; and there, too, if they did hear, they could send messages to +him, or receive them from him. So it was decided to leave at about +eleven o'clock, without waiting for high tide; for, as the wind was +fair, they could go on without difficulty. After coming to this +conclusion, and learning that the tide would not be high enough to +float the schooner until eleven, they all took breakfast, and +stimulated by the exhilarating atmosphere and the bright sunshine, +they dispersed down the village towards the light-house. + +By ten o'clock they were back again. The tide was not yet up, and +they waited patiently. + +"By the way, captain," asked Bart, "what's become of Solomon?" + +"Solomon? O, he took a basket an went off on a kine o' foragin +tower." + +"Foraging?" + +"Yes. He said he'd go along the shore, and hunt for lobsters." + +"The shore? What shore?" + +"Why, away up thar," said the captain, pointing towards the +headland at the upper end of the village. + +"How long since?" + +"Wal, jest arter breakfast. It must hev ben afore seven." + +"It's strange that he hasn't got back." + +"Yes; he'd ought to be back by this time." + +"He can't get any lobsters now; the tide is too high." + +"That's a fact." + +They waited half an hour. The rising tide already touched the +Antelope's keel. + +"Solomon ought to be back," cried Bart, starting up. + +"That's so," said Captain Corbet. + +"I'm afraid something's happened. He's been gone too long. Two +hours were enough." + +The boys all looked at one another with anxious faces. + +"If he went up that shore," said Bart, "he may have got caught by +the tide. It's a very dangerous place for anybody--let alone an +old man like him." + +"Wal, he did go up thar; he said partic'lar that he wanted to find +somethin of a relish, an would hunt up thar. He said, too, he'd be +back by nine." + +"I'm certain something's happened," cried Bart, more anxiously +than before. "If he's gone up there, he's been caught by the +tide." + +Captain Corbet stared, and looked uneasy. + +"Wal, I must say, that thar's not onlikely. It's a bad place, a +dreadful bad place,--an him an old man,--a dreadful bad place. +He'd be down here by this time, ef he was alive." + +"I won't wait any longer," cried Bart. "I must go and see. Come +along, boys. Don't let's leave poor old Solomon in danger. Depend +upon it, he's caught up there somewhere." + +"Wal, I think you're right," said Captain Corbet, "an I'll go too. +But ef we do go, we'd better go with some preparations." + +"Preparations? What kind of preparations?" + +"O, ony a rope or two," said Captain Corbet; and taking a coil of +rope over his arm, he stepped ashore, and all the boys hurried +after him. + +"I feel kine o' safer with a kile o' rope,--bein a seafarin man," +he remarked. "Give a seafarin man a rope, an he'll go anywhar an +do anythin. He's like a spider onto a web." + + + + + + +X. + +Tom ashore.--Storm at Night.--Up in the Morning.--The Cliffs and +the Beach.--A startling Discovery.--A desert Island.--A desperate +Effort.--Afloat again. + + + + + +Tom slept soundly for a long time in the spot where he had flung +himself. The sense of security came to the assistance of his +wearied limbs, and lulled him into profounder slumbers. There was +nothing here that might rudely awaken him--no sudden boat shocks, +no tossings and heavings of waves, no hoarse, menacing thunders of +wrathful surges from rocky shores; nor were there distressing +dreams to harass him, or any anxieties carried from his waking +hours into the land of slumbers to annoy and to arouse. From +Monday night until this time on Thursday, he had known but little +sleep, and much fatigue and sorrow. Now the fatigue and the sorrow +were all forgotten, and the sleep was all his own. Not a thought +had he given to the land which he had reached so strangely. It was +enough for him that he felt the solid ground beneath his feet. + +For hours he slept there, lying there like a log, wrapped in the +old sail, moving not a limb, but given up altogether to his +refreshing slumber. At length he waked, and, uncovering his head, +looked around. At first he thought that he was in the boat, then +he grew bewildered, and it was only after a persistent effort of +memory that he could recollect his position. + +He looked all around, but nothing was visible. There was nothing +around him but darkness, intense and utter. It was like the +impenetrable veil that had enshrouded him during the night of his +memorable voyage. He could not see where his boat was. A vague +idea which he had of examining its fastening was dismissed. He +felt hungry, and found the biscuit box lying under one corner of +the sail. A few of these were sufficient to gratify his hunger. +Nothing more could be done, and he saw plainly that it would be +necessary for him to wait there patiently until morning. Once +more, therefore, he rolled himself up in the sail, and tried to go +to sleep. But at first his efforts were vain. The first fatigue +had passed away, and now that he had been refreshed by sleep, his +mind was too much occupied by thoughts of his past voyage to be +readily lulled to sleep again. He could not help wondering what +Captain Corbet and the boys were doing. That they were searching +for him everywhere he well knew, but which direction they had +chosen he could not tell. And what was the place whither he had +drifted? He felt confident that it was the mouth of the +Petitcodiac, and could not help wondering at the accuracy of his +course; yet, while wondering, he modestly refrained from taking the +credit of it to himself, and rather chose to attribute it to the +wind and tide. It was by committing himself so completely to their +guidance, he thought, that he had done so well. + +In the midst of such thoughts as these, Tom became aware of the +howling of the wind and the dash of the waters. Putting forth his +head, he found that there was quite a storm arising; and this only +added to his contentment. No fear had he now, on this solid +ground, of rising wind or swelling wave. Even the fog had lost its +terrors. It was with feelings like these that he once more covered +up his head from the night blast; and not long after he was once +more asleep. + +When he next awaked, it was day. Starting to his feet, he looked +around him, and shouted for joy. The sky was clear. The sun was +rising, and its rays, coming from over the distant hills, were +glittering over the surface of the water. The wind had changed. +The fog had dispersed. + +No sooner had he seen this than he was filled with curiosity to +know where he was. This did not look much like the mouth of the +Petitcodiac. He stared around with a very strange sensation. + +Immediately beside him, where he was standing, the easy slope went +back for a hundred yards or so, covered with short, wild grass, +with here and there a stunted tree. Turning round, he saw the land +rising by a steep acclivity towards the heights which bordered on +the sea in such tremendous cliffs. Over the heights, and along the +crest of those cliffs, were flying great flocks of sea-gulls, which +kept up one incessant chorus of harsh, discordant screams. In +front of him spread out a broad sheet of water, on the opposite +side of which arose a lofty line of coast. Into this there +penetrated a long strait, beyond which he could see broad waters +and distant shores--a bay within a bay, approached by this strait. +On each side of the strait were lofty, towering cliffs; and on one +side, in particular, the cliffs were perpendicular, and ran on in a +long and unbroken wall. The extremity of the cliff nearest him was +marked by a gigantic mass of broken rock, detached from the main +land, and standing alone in awful grandeur. + +What place was this? Was this the mouth of the Petitcodiac? Was +that broad bay a river? Was he still dreaming, or what did it all +mean? And that gigantic fragment severed from a cliff, which thus +stood guard at the entrance of a long strait, what was that? Could +it be possible? Was there indeed any other broken cape, or could +it be possible that this was Cape Split? + +He hurried up the slope, and on reaching the top, saw that it +descended on the other side towards the water. This water was a +broad sheet, which extended for seven or eight miles, and was +terminated by a lofty coast that extended down the bay as far as +the eye could reach. One comprehensive glance was sufficient. He +saw it all, and understood it all. It was not the mouth of the +Petitcodiac River. It was the entrance to the Basin of Minas that +lay before him. There lay the great landmarks, seen under new +aspects, it is true, yet now sufficiently distinguishable. There +was the Nova Scotia coast. In yonder hollow was Scott's Bay. That +giant rock was Cape Split. The long channel was the Strait of +Minas, and the cliffs opposite were Cape d'Or and Cape Chignecto. + +And now the recognition of all these places brought to him a great +and sudden shock. + +For what was this place on which he stood? Was it any part of the +main land? + +It was not. + +He looked around. + +It was an island. + +He saw its lofty cliffs, its wooded crest, its flocks of sea-gulls, +its sloping east end, where he stood, running down to a low point. +He had seen them all at a distance before; and now that he stood +here, he recognized all. + +He was on Ile Haute! + +The moment that he recognized this startling fact, he thought of +his boat. He hurried to the beach. The tide was very low. To his +immense relief he found the fastening of the boat secure, and he +turned away at once, without any further examination, to think over +his situation, and consider the best plan for reaching the main +land. Making a comfortable seat for himself on the sail, he sat +down, and drawing out the box, he took some biscuit. Then feeling +thirsty, he went off in search of fresh water. Before he had +walked many paces he found a brook. + +The brook was a small one, which ran from the lofty west end of the +island to the low land of the east, and thence into the bay. The +water was good, and Tom satisfied his thirst by a long draught. + +Judging by the position of the sun, it was now about seven o'clock +in the morning; and Tom seated himself once more, and began to try +to think how it was that he should have come in a direction so +entirely different from the one which he had believed himself to be +taking. He had fully expected to land at Petitcodiac, and he found +himself far away on the other side of the bay. Yet a little +reflection showed him how useless it was to try to recall his past +voyage, and how impossible it was for him to account for it, +ignorant as he was of the true direction of the wind and of the +tide. He contented himself with marking a rude outline of his +course on his memorandum book, making allowance for the time when +he turned on that course; and having summed it all up to his own +satisfaction in a crooked line which looked like a slip-knot, he +turned his attention to more important matters. + +There was one matter of first-rate importance which now pressed +itself upon his thoughts, and that was, how to escape from his +present situation. As far as he could see, there was no inhabitant +on the island, no house, no cultivation, and no domestic animal. +If there had been anything of that kind, they would be visible, he +knew, from the point where he was standing. But all was deserted; +and beyond the open ground in his neighborhood arose the east end, +wooded all over its lofty summit. From Captain Corbet's words, and +from his own observation, he knew that it was a desert island, and +that if he wished to escape he would have to rely altogether upon +his own resources. + +With this conclusion he once more turned his attention to his +surroundings. + +Nearest to him was Cape d'Or, about four miles away, and Cape +Split, which was some distance farther. Then there was the Nova +Scotia shore, which appeared to be seven or eight miles distant. +On the beach and within sight was the boat which offered a sure and +easy mode of passing over to the main land. But no sooner did he +recognize this fact than a difficulty arose. How was he to make +the passage? The boat had come ashore at high tide, and was close +up to the grassy bank. The tide was far down, and between the boat +and the water was a broad beach, covered with cobblestones, and +interspersed with granite boulders. It was too heavy a weight for +him to move any distance, and to force it down to the water over +such a beach was plainly impossible. On the other hand, he might +wait until the boat floated at high tide, and then embark. But +this, again, would be attended with serious difficulties. The +tide, he saw, would turn as soon as he should get fairly afloat, +and then he would have to contend with the downward current. True, +he might use his sail, and in that case he might gain the Nova +Scotia shore; but his experience of the tides had been so terrible +a one, that he dreaded the tremendous drift which he would have to +encounter, and had no confidence in his power of navigating under +such circumstances. Besides, he knew well that although the wind +was now from the north, it was liable to change at any moment; so +that even if he should be able to guide his boat, he might yet be +suddenly enveloped by a fog when but half way over, and exposed +once more to all those perils from which he had just escaped. The +more he thought of all these dangers, the more deterred he felt +from making any such attempt. Rather would he wait, and hope for +escape in some other way. + +But, as yet, he did not feel himself forced to anything so +desperate as that. There was another alternative. At high tide +the boat would be afloat, and then, as the tide fell, he could keep +her afloat until it was at its lowest. He could then embark, and +be carried by the returning water straight on to the Straits of +Minas, and up into the basin. He now made a calculation, and +concluded that it would be high tide about midday, and low tide +about six in the evening. If he were to embark at that time, he +would have two hours of daylight in which to run up with the tide. +He saw now that his whole plan was perfectly feasible, and it only +remained to make preparations for the voyage. As the whole +afternoon would be taken up in floating the boat down to low-water +mark, the morning would have to be employed in making whatever +arrangements might be necessary. + +Certain things were needed which required all that time. His +hastily extemporized mast and sail had done wonderfully well, but +he needed something to steer with. If he could only procure +something that would serve the purpose of a rudder, he would feel +well prepared for his voyage. + +On the search for this he now started. He walked all about the +open ground, looking around in all directions, to see if he could +find anything, but without any success. Then he ascended the +declivity towards the woods, but nothing appeared which was at all +adapted to meet his wants. He saw a young tree, which he thought +might do, and tried to cut it down with his pocket-knife. After +about an hour's hard work he succeeded in bringing it down, and +another hour was spent in trimming the branches. The result of all +this labor at length lay at his feet in the shape of a rough pole, +with jagged splinters sticking out all over it, which promised to +be of about as much utility as a spruce bush. In utter disgust he +turned away, leaving the pole on the ground, and making up his mind +to sail, as he did before, without any rudder. In this mood he +descended the declivity, and walked disconsolately towards the +shore which was on the side of the island directly opposite to +where the boat lay. He had not yet been near enough to see the +beach; but now, as he came nearer, a cry of delight escaped him +involuntarily; for there, all along the beach, and close up to the +bank, lay an immense quantity of drift-wood, which had been brought +here by the tide from all the upper waters of the bay. It was a +most heterogeneous mixture that lay before him--chips from timber +ponds, logs from ship-yards, boards from saw-mills, deals, battens, +fence posts, telegraph poles, deal ends, edgings, laths, palings, +railway sleepers, treenails, shingles, clapboards, and all the +various forms which wood assumes in a country which makes use of it +as the chief material of its manufactures. Along the countless +streams that flow into the bay, and along its far-winding shores, +and along the borders of all its subsidiary bays, and inlets, and +basins, the manufacture of wood is carried on--in saw-mills, in +ship-yards, and in timber ponds; and the currents that move to and +fro are always loaded with the fragments that are snatched away +from these places, most of which are borne afar out to sea, but +many of which are thrown all along the shores for hundreds of +miles. Ile Haute, being directly in the way of some of the +swiftest currents, and close by the entrance to a basin which is +surrounded by mills and ship-yards, naturally received upon its +shores an immense quantity of these scattered and floating +fragments. Such was the sight that now met the eyes of Tom, and +presented him with a countless number of fragments of wood adapted +to his wants, at the very time when he had worked fruitlessly for +two hours at fashioning one for himself. + +Looking over the heaps of drift-wood, he found many pieces which +suited him; and out of these he chose one which was shaped a little +like an oar. Securing this prize, he walked over to where the sail +was, and deposited it there. + +Then he ate some biscuit, and, after taking a draught from the cool +brook, he rested, and waited, full of hope, for the rising of the +tide. + +It was now rapidly approaching the boat. Tom watched it for some +time, and felt new happiness as he viewed the roll of every little +surf. There was not much wind, and nothing but a gentle ripple on +the water. All this was in his favor; for, if he wished for +anything now, it was a moderate breeze and a light sea. From time +to time he turned his attention to the Straits of Minas, and +arranged various plans in his mind. At one time he resolved to try +and reach Pereau; again he thought that he would be content if he +could only get to Parrsboro'; and yet again, he came to the wise +conclusion that if he got to any settlement at all he would be +content. At another time he half decided to take another course, +and try to reach Scott's Bay, where he felt sure of a warm welcome +and a plenteous repast. Aiming thus at so many different points, +it mattered but little to him in what particular direction the tide +might sweep him, so long as it carried him up the bay. + +The tide now came nearer, and Tom went down to the beach for a few +moments. He paced the distance between the boat and the water. He +noticed a few things lying in the boat. In the bow was a coil of +rope which Captain Corbet had probably obtained when he was ashore +at Petitcodiac. There was also a tin pan, used for baling. + +As the tide drew nearer, Tom began to feel more and more impatient. +Again and again he paced the intervening space between the boat and +the water, and chafed and fretted because it did not lessen more +rapidly. If the boat were once fairly afloat, he felt that the +time would pass much more rapidly; for then he would be working at +some definite task, and not standing idly waiting. + +But everything has an end; and so, at length, the end came here. +The water rose higher and higher, until, at length, it touched the +keel. Tom gave a shout of joy. + +He now untied the rope, and tried to shorten his suspense by +pushing the boat towards the water; but his strength was +insufficient. He could not move it. He would have to wait longer. + +Thus far the things which he had taken out had been lying on the +grass. It was now time to put them on board. So he carried down +the sail, folded it up, and stowed it away neatly at the bottom of +the boat. On this he stood the box of biscuit, taking care to put +the cover over it, and to spread over that again one fold of the +sail. + +This took up some time, and he had the gratification of seeing that +the water had come up a few feet farther. He now tried once more +to force the boat down, using his piece of board as a lever; but +the board bent, and almost broke, without moving the boat. He +stood for a moment waiting, and suddenly thought of the pole which +he had left up in the woods. He determined to get this, and +perhaps, with its help, he would be able to accomplish his wishes. +So off he started at a run, and in a few minutes reached the place. +Hurrying back again, he inserted one end of the pole under the bow, +and exerted all his force to press the boat downward into the +water. At first it did not move; but shortly after, when the water +had risen still higher, he made a new effort. This time he +succeeded; the boat moved slightly. + +Again. + +The boat moved farther. + +Once more. + +Still farther. + +And now he made a final trial. Thrusting the pole again +underneath, he exerted all his force for the last time, and pushed +the boat down for about a yard. + +It was at last afloat. + +The tide had not yet fully attained its height, but was close to +it. The wind was blowing from the north, as before, and quite +moderately. The sea sparkled and glittered in the rays of the sun. +The little wavelets tossed their heads on high, and danced far +away ever the sea. The air was bright, and stimulating, and +exhilarating. All the scene filled Tom's heart with gladness; and +the approach of his deliverance deepened and intensified this +feeling. + + + + + + +XI. + +Afloat again.--The rushing Water.--Down to the Bottom.--Desperate +Circumstances.--Can they be remedied?--New Hopes and Plans. + + + + + +The boat was at last afloat before Tom's eyes. + +At first he had thought of holding it by the painter, and patiently +standing on the beach, but the sight of it now changed his +purposes. He thought that it would be a far more sensible plan to +get on board, and keep the boat near the beach in that way. His +bit of stick, which he had found among the drift-wood, could be +used as an oar, and was good enough to enable him to move the boat +as much as would be necessary. As he would have to wait for six +hours at least, it was a matter of great importance that he should +be as little fatigued as possible, especially as he had to look +forward to a voyage, after the tide had fallen, attended with the +possibility of increased labor and exertion. All these thoughts +came rapidly to his mind, but passed in much less time than it +takes to tell it, so that Tom had scarcely seen the boat afloat +than he rushed through the water, and clambered into it. Then, +taking his stick, he stood up and looked around. + +The scene around has already been described. Tom kept his stick in +the water, so as to have it ready for use. He purposed keeping the +boat at a convenient distance from the shore by pushing and +paddling. By keeping it within a distance of from three to six +yards, he thought he would, for the present at least, be able to +keep afloat, and yet avoid the sweep of the tides. He did not +expect to remain in this particular spot all the time, but expected +to find some place which would be out of the way of the tide, where +he could float comfortably without being forced to keep in too +close to the land. + +But suddenly Tom's thoughts and speculations were rudely interrupted. + +It appeared to him that there was a very unusual feeling about the +boat. She did not seem as high out of the water as she ought to +have been, and her bows seemed to be lower than they had been. +There was also a slight vibration in her, which he had never +noticed before, and which struck him now as very peculiar. In the +midst of this there came to his ears a low, faint, and scarcely +perceptible sound, made up of peculiar bubbling and gurgling +noises, which sounded from the boat. + +One brief examination showed him that the boat was certainly very +much deeper in the water than she had been. + +Five seconds later her bows had sunk farther. + +Two seconds more, and Tom's feet were surrounded by water up to his +ankles. + +The boat was filling! + +Scarce had he made this discovery than the water rose swiftly up, +the boat sank quickly down, the sea rolled over her sides, and the +boat went to the bottom. + +Very fortunate was it for Tom, at that moment, that he had not +pushed out farther from the shore. When the boat went down he was +not more than three or four yards off, and he did not sink lower +than up to his neck. But the shock was a sudden one, and for a +moment almost paralyzed him. The next instant, however, he +recovered from it; and looking round, he saw the box of biscuit +floating within his reach. Making a wild dash at this, he secured +it, and waded ashore with it in safety. He then turned mournfully +to look after the boat, and found that it was visible, floating on +the surface. As he left it, it had floated up, his weight being +the only thing that had sent it below. The tide was still coming +in, so that it did not float away. Tom flung off his coat and +waistcoat, and hurrying into the water, soon caught and dragged it +as near as he could to the beach. Then he secured it once more, +and waited. Standing there, he looked gloomily at the vessel, +wherein such precious hopes had been freighted only to be lost. +What had happened? Why could not the boat float? What was the +matter with her? These were the wondering questions which occurred +to him without his being able to give any answer. + +One thing he saw plainly, and that was, that he had lost this tide. +The next high tide would be after midnight, and the next would be +between one and two on the following day. If he could find out +what was the matter with the boat, and fix it, he would have to +wait till the next day, unless he chose to watch for his chance +after midnight, and make the journey then. + +He was not a boy who could be long inactive; so now, after a brief +period, in which he gave up to the natural despondency of his soul, +he stirred himself up once more, and sought comfort in occupation. +The box of biscuit did not seem much injured, it had not floated +long enough for the sea-water to penetrate it. Assuring himself of +this, he next turned to the boat and took out its contents. These +were the old sail, the coil of rope, and the baling dipper. + +By this time the tide had reached its height, and after the usual +time of delay, began to fall once more. The boat was secured to +the shore, and after a time the water began to leave her. Tom sat +at a little distance, wondering what could be the matter with her, +and deferring his examination until the boat should be left +aground. It was a mystery to him how this sudden change had +occurred, and why the boat, which had floated so well during his +long drift, should now, all of a sudden, begin to leak with such +astonishing rapidity. Something must have happened--something +serious, too; but what it was, or how it had happened, he could +not, for the life of him, conjecture. + +As Tom sat there, the tide gradually left the boat; and as the tide +left, the water ran out, keeping at just the same level inside as +the water outside. This showed, even to his inexperienced eyes, +that the leak must be a very large one, since it admitted of such a +ready flow of water in and out. The water descended lower and +lower as he sat, until, at last, the boat was left by the +retreating waves. The water had all run out. + +Tom now advanced, and proceeded to examine her. When he was +arranging her cargo before, the coil of rope had been in the bows. +This had prevented him from detecting anything wrong in the boat. +But now, since everything had been taken out, one glance only was +quite sufficient to make known to him instantly the whole +difficulty. There, in the bows, underneath the very place where +the coil of rope had lain, was a huge aperture. The planks had +been beaten in, and one side of the bow was destroyed beyond hope +of remedy. + +The sight of such an irremediable calamity as this renewed for a +time the despondency which he had felt at the first sinking of the +boat. Full of depression, he turned away, and tried to account for +it all. It was on the previous day that he had landed--about +twenty-four hours ago. How had he passed the time since then, and +what had happened? This he tried to remember. + +In the first place, up to the moment of landing the boat was +perfectly sound, and far from all injury. It had not been hurt +during the drift. It had struck at one place, but the long voyage +that had followed showed that no damage had resulted. Finally, it +had not been harmed by landing on Quaco Ledge. Since that time he +had drifted in safety far across the bay, without meeting with any +accident. All this proved clearly that the damage must have been +done to the boat since his landing on the island. + +He found it very difficult to recall anything that had happened +since then. On his first arrival he was worn out and exhausted. +He remembered vaguely how he came in sight of the giant cliff, how +he dragged the boat along, how he secured it to a tree, and then +how he flung himself down on the grass and fell asleep. After that +all was obscure to his memory; but he could recall his waking at +midnight and listening to the roar of the wind and the dash of the +surf. Evidently there must have been a heavier sea on the beach at +that time than when he landed, and this was sufficient to account +for the accident to the boat. She had been beating on the rough +rocks at high tide, exposed to the full sweep of the surf, and her +bows had been stove in. + +The melancholy spectacle of the ruined boat made Tom see that his +stay on the island might be prolonged even beyond the following +day. No sooner had this thought occurred to him than he went over +to the articles which he had taken out of the boat, and passed them +all in review before him, as though he were anxious to know the +full extent of his resources. He spread out the wet sail in the +sun. He spread out his coat and waistcoat. In the pocket of the +latter he found a card of matches, which were a little damp. These +he seized eagerly and laid on the top of a stone, exposed to the +rays of the sun, so as to dry them. The clothes which he kept on +were wet through, of course, but he allowed them to dry on him. + +He had been working now pretty industriously all the morning, first +at searching after a piece of wood, then in cutting down the pole, +then in searching among the drift-wood, and finally at the boat. +He felt, at length, hungry; and as he could not yet decide upon +what was to be done next, he determined to satisfy his desires, and +kill the time by taking his dinner. The repast was a frugal one, +consisting as before, of biscuit, which were washed down by cold +water; but Tom did not complain. The presence of food of any sort +was a cause for thankfulness to one in his position, and it was +with a feeling of this sort, in spite of his general depression of +spirits, that he ate his meal. + +After this he felt much more refreshed, and began to consider what +he had better do next. Of course, the centre of interest to him +was the boat, and he could not give up that hope of escape without +a struggle. As long as there was a hope of making his way from the +island by means of that, so long might he keep up his heart; but if +the damage that had been done should prove irreparable, how would +he be able to endure his situation? Whatever it was, it would be +best to know the worst once for all. Perhaps he might stop the +leak. He had material around which seemed to be the right sort of +thing to stop a leak with. He had the piece of sail, which could +be cut up into small pieces, and used to stop the leak. If he had +possessed a hatchet and some nails, he would have made an effort to +repair the fracture in the planks of the boat; but as he had +nothing of that sort, he tried to devise some method by which the +water might be kept out. As he thought, there gradually grew up in +his mind the rude outline of a plan which promised something, and +seemed to him to be certainly worth trying. At any rate, he +thought, it will serve to give me an occupation; and any +occupation, even if it proves to be of no practical value, is +better than sitting here doing nothing at all. + +Having something to do once more quickened Tom's energies anew, and +starting to his feet, he prepared to put his plan into execution. +First of all, in order to carry out that plan, it was necessary for +him to get a number of blocks and boards of different sizes. +These, he knew, could easily be found among the driftwood on the +beach. Over there he hurried, and after a moderate search he +succeeded, at length, in finding bits of wood that seemed suited to +the purpose which he had in view. With these he came back to the +boat; but as there was a large number of them, he had to make +several journeys before the whole collection was brought over. + +Then he took his pole, and, putting a block under it, used it as a +lever to raise up the boat. By dexterous management he succeeded +in doing this, and at the same time he ran a board underneath the +bow of the boat as it was slightly raised. This manoeuvre he +repeated several times, each time raising his lever higher, by +means of a higher fulcrum, and thus constantly raising the bow of +the boat; while after each elevation the bow was secured in its new +position by running an additional board underneath it, over the +other preceding boards. By carefully and perseveringly pursuing +this course, he at length succeeded in raising the bow of the boat +about a foot in the air. This gave him an opportunity to examine +it thoroughly outside as well as inside, and to see the whole +extent of the damage that had been done. + +It has already been said that the damage was serious. Tom's +examination now convinced him that it was in every respect as +serious as he had supposed, if not still more so. Even if he did +possess a hatchet and nails, or a whole box full of tools, he +doubted whether it would be in his power to do anything whatever in +the way of repairing it. No less than three of the lower planks of +the bows, down to the very keel, were beaten in and broken so badly +that they seemed actually crushed and mangled. It must have been a +fearful beating, and pounding, and grinding on the rocks which had +caused this. The planks, though thus broken, still held together; +but it seemed to Tom that with a blow of his fist he could easily +beat it all in; and as he looked at it he could not help wondering +how it had happened that the work which the rocks had thus so +nearly effected had not been completely finished. However, the +planks did hold together yet; and now the question was, Could any +thing be done? + +In answer to this question, Tom thought of the old sail and the +coil of rope. Already he had conceived the rude outline of a plan +whereby the entrance of the water might be checked. The plan was +worth trying, and he determined to set about it at once, and use up +the hours before him as long as he could, without any further delay. +If by any possibility he could stop that leak, he determined to +start off at the next high tide, that very night, and run the risk. +It was a daring, even a foolhardy thought; but Tom was desperate, +and the only idea which he had was, to escape as soon as possible. + +He now made some measurements, after which he went to the old sail, +and cut a piece from the end of it. This he divided into smaller +pieces, each about a yard square. Each of these pieces he folded +up in three folds, so as to make them about a foot wide and +eighteen inches long. Others he folded into six folds, making them +about half the size of the larger pieces. All this took up much +time, for he measured and planned very carefully, and his +calculations and measurements had to be done slowly and cautiously. +Returning to the boat with these bits of folded canvas, he put one +of the larger pieces on the inside, against the bow, right over the +broken place. Another large piece was placed carefully over this, +and then the smaller pieces were laid against these. In this way +he adjusted all the pieces of canvas in such a way as to cover up +the whole place where the leak was. + +Then he went over to the drift-wood, and spent a long time +searching after some bits of wood. He at length found a half dozen +pieces of board, about a foot long, and from six to eight inches in +width. He also found some bits of scantling, and palings, which +were only a foot or so in length. All these he brought back, and +laid them down on the beach near the boat. + +He now proceeded to place these bits of wood in the bows, in such a +way as to keep the canvas in a firm position. His idea was, that +the canvas, by being pressed against the opening, might keep out +the water, and the wood, by being properly arranged, might keep the +canvas secure in its place. The arrangement of the wood required +the greatest care. First of all, he took the smallest bits, and +stood these up against the canvas, so that they might correspond as +nearly as possible with the curve of the bows. A few more pieces +were placed in the hollow part of this curve, and outside these the +larger pieces were placed. Between the outside pieces and the +inner ones he thrust some of the smallest pieces which he could +find. After thus arranging all his boards, he found that there lay +between the outside board and the first seat of the boat a space of +about one foot. Selecting a piece of wood of about that length, he +put one end against the board, and the other against the seat, and +pressed it into a position where it served to keep the board tight +in its place. Then he took other pieces of about the same length, +and arranged them in the same way, so that, by being fixed between +the board and the seat, they might keep the whole mass of boards +and canvas pressed tight against the opening in the bows. After +placing as many blocks in position as he conveniently could, his +next work was to secure them all. In order to effect this, another +journey to the drift-wood was necessary, and another search. This +time he selected carefully a number of sticks, not more than half +an inch in thickness, some of them being much thinner. He found +pieces of paling, and laths, and shingles which suited his ideas. +Returning with these to the boat, he proceeded to thrust them, one +by one, into the interstices of the boards, using a stone to drive +them into their places. + +At last the work was finished as far as he could accomplish it, and +there remained nothing more to be done. As far as he could see, by +shaking, and pulling, and pushing at the collection of sticks and +canvas, it was very firm and secure. Every stick seemed to be +tight, and the pressure which they maintained against the aperture +was so strong that the wood-work now was forced out a little +distance beyond the outline of the boat. He examined most +carefully all about the bows on the outside, but saw no place which +did not seem to be fully protected. It seemed to him now as though +that piled-up canvas ought to resist the entrance of the water, or, +if not, at least that it ought not to allow it to enter so rapidly +but that he could easily keep the boat baled out. + +He was not altogether confident, yet he was hopeful, and as +determined as ever to make a trial. + + + + + + +XII. + +Waiting for high Water.--A Trial.--A new Discovery.--Total +Failure.--Down again.--Overboard.--A Struggle for Life. + + + + + +Tom's work was thus, at length, accomplished, and it remained now +to get the boat in readiness and wait. Slowly and carefully he +raised the bow by means of the lever, and one by one he withdrew +the boards which held it up. At last the boat lay on the beach, +ready to receive the uplifting arms of the returning tide whenever +it should make its appearance again. Tom saw with satisfaction +that the boat was about three yards down below high-water mark, on +the spot to which he had dragged it after the failure of his last +experiment. This, of course, would be so much in his favor, for it +would thus be able to float before the water should reach its +height. + +He had worked hard all the afternoon, and it was already dark. The +tide, which had been falling, had some time ago reached its lowest +point, and was now returning. Between him and the lowest point was +a great distance, for the tides here rise to a perpendicular height +of over forty feet; but Tom knew that the time required to traverse +the long space that here intervened between high and low-water mark +was precisely the same as if it had only to rise a few feet. + +He was very hungry, but some things had yet to be done. He had to +put on board the boat the articles that he had taken ashore. His +matches were now quite dry, and he put them in his pocket with a +deep sense of their value to him in his present position. His +clothes also were dry, and these he put on. The sail, the coil of +rope, and the box of biscuit were put on board the boat. Tom had +still to make his frugal repast; but this was soon accomplished, +and he felt again a sense of exceeding thankfulness at the +possession of the box of biscuit. At length his evening meal was +over, and by the time that he had finished it, it had grown quite +dark. He now went to the boat, and tied up the sail around the +mast. There was nothing to which he could fasten the boat; but it +was not necessary, as he was on the watch. The water continued +smooth, the wind was from the north, as before, and there was no +sign of fog. Overhead the sky was free from clouds, and the stars +twinkled pleasantly to his upturned eyes, as if to encourage him. +There was no moon, however, and though it was not very dark, yet it +was sufficiently so to veil the nearest shores in gloom, and +finally to withdraw them altogether from his view. Still it was +not a matter of necessity that he should see the opposite shores, +for he knew that his chief, and indeed his only reliance must be +upon the tide; and this would bear him in its upward course on the +morrow. The night was only needed to float the boat down as far as +low-water mark. The process of floating her would serve to test +the security of the fastenings, and show whether he could venture +to make the attempt. + +For hours Tom waited, sometimes seated in the boat, at other times +walking along the beach down to the water. He found it difficult +to keep himself awake, and therefore did not venture to sit down +long. Wearied with his long work through the day, the necessity of +constant exertion wearied him still more, until at length he could +scarce draw his legs after him. But all things have an end, and so +it was with Tom's dreary watch; for at length the waters came up, +and touched the boat, and surrounded it, until at last, to his +great joy, Tom found himself afloat. He seized his stick, and +pushed the boat into deeper water, a few yards off, with the +intention of keeping her at about that distance from the shore. + +The one thought that was now in his mind referred exclusively to +his work in the boat. Was it firm? Would it hold? Did it leak? +The boat was floating, certainly. How long would if continue to do +so? For a few minutes he waited anxiously, as he floated there in +deep water, with his eyes fixed on the work in the bow, and his +ears listening intently to detect any sign of that warning, +gurgling sound, which had struck terror to his heart on his last +embarkation. But no sign came of any sound of that sort, and he +heard nothing but the gentle dash of the water against the sides of +the boat. Thus about five minutes passed. At the end of that +time, he raised the sail, which he had laid along the bottom of the +boat, and examined underneath it. The first touch of his fingers +at the bottom lessened very largely the hope that was in him, and +at once chased away the feeling of exultation that was rising. For +there, in the bottom of the boat, he felt as much as an inch of +water. After the first shock, he tried to believe that it was only +the water that was in the boat before; and so, taking comfort in +this thought, he waited for further developments, but at the same +time took the dipper, so as to be ready to bale out the water, and +have a struggle for it in case the worst should happen. + +Another minute assured him that this was not the water which had +been in the boat before. A new supply was entering, and in the +space of that short time of waiting it had risen to the height of +another inch. Tom felt a sudden pang of dismay, but his stout +heart did not quail, nor did his obstinate resolution falter. +Since it was the sea water that was coming in, he determined to +have a fight with it for the possession of the boat. So he set to +work bravely, and began to bale. He pulled up the sail, so as to +have plenty of elbow-room, and worked away, dipping out the water; +but, as he dipped, he perceived that it was gradually getting +deeper. He dipped faster, but without any visible improvement, +indeed, his efforts seemed to have but very little effect in +retarding the entrance of the water. It grew deeper and deeper. +One inch of water soon deepened to two inches, and thence to three. +Soon after four inches were felt. + +And now the water came in more rapidly. It seemed to Tom as though +it had been delayed at first, for a little time, in finding an +entrance, but that now, after the entrance was found, it came +pouring in with ever-accelerated speed. Tom struggled on, hoping +against hope, and keeping up his efforts long after they were +proved to be useless. But the water came in faster and faster, +until at length Tom began to see that he must seek his safety in +another way. Flinging down his dipper, then, with a cry of +vexation, he started up, and, seizing his bit of board, he looked +around for the shore. + +He had been caught by some side current, and had been carried along +in such a way that he was about a hundred yards from the island, +and seemed to be drifting up the bay. The dark, shadowy shores +were much farther away than he had suspected. While struggling to +bale out the boat, he had forgotten how necessary it was to keep +near to the shore. He now saw his mistake, and strove to paddle +the boat back again. With such a clumsy oar it is not likely that +he could have achieved his desire at all, had the flood tide been +stronger; but now it was about at its height, and would soon turn, +if it was not turning already. The current, therefore, was but a +weak one, and Tom found himself able to move slowly back; but his +progress was very slow, and working at such a disadvantage was +excessively fatiguing. At last he saw that if he trusted to +paddling he could never reach the shore. In a moment another idea +suggested itself; there was no time to lose, and he at once acted +on it. Darting forward, he loosed the sail. The wind was still +blowing from the north; at once the sail was filled, and, yielding +to this new power, the boat began to move more rapidly. Tom tied +the sheet astern, and, seizing his paddle, tried to scull the boat. +For some minutes he kept up this work, and the boat moved steadily +forward, nearer and still nearer, until the land was at length not +more than thirty or forty yards off. + +But by this time the danger had come nearer, and the boat was +already half full of water. Tom began to see that it could not +float as far as the shore. What was he to do? He waited a little +longer. He looked around. The boat was drawing nearer, yet soon +it must go down. To ease it, it would be necessary to relieve it +of his own weight. He did not lose his presence of mind for a +moment, but determined at once to jump overboard. In his perfect +coolness he thought of one or two things which were of importance +to him, and performed them swiftly and promptly. First he took the +box of biscuit, and placed it on the heap of boards and canvas in +the bows, so that it might remain as long as possible out of reach +of the water. Then he took the card of matches out of his +waistcoat pocket, and put them in his hat, which he replaced on his +head. To secure thus from damage the two necessaries of food and +fire was but the work of a few seconds. To throw off his coat, +waistcoat, and trousers, and hang them over the top of the short +mast, was the work of a few seconds more. By the time this had +been done, the water was nearly up to the gunwales. In five +seconds more the boat would have gone down; but, so well had Tom's +work been done, and so promptly, that these five seconds were +saved. Having done what he wished, he let himself down into the +water; and, holding on by the stern of the boat, he allowed himself +to float after it, kicking out at the same time, so as to assist, +rather than retard, its progress. + +By this time the land was not more than twenty yards away. The +boat did not sink so rapidly now, but kept afloat much better; +still the water rose to a level with the gunwales, and Tom was too +much rejoiced to find that it kept afloat at all to find fault with +this. The wind still blew, and the sail was still up; so that the +water-logged vessel went on at a very respectable rate, until at +length half the distance which Tom had noticed on going overboard +was traversed. The boat seemed to float now, though full of water, +and Tom saw that his precious biscuit, at any rate, would not be +very much harmed. Nearer and nearer now he came until at last, +letting himself down, his feet touched bottom. A cry of delight +escaped him; and now, bracing himself firmly against the solid land +below, he urged the boat on faster, until at length her deep-sunk +bows grated against the gravel of the beach. + +He hurried up to the box of biscuit, and put this ashore in a safe +place; after which he secured the boat to a jagged rock on the +bank. He found now that he had come to a different part of the +beach altogether, for his boat was lying at the spot where the +little brook ran into the sea. Well was it for him, in that rash +and hazardous experiment, that he had floated off before the tide +was high. It had led to his drifting up the bay, instead of down, +and by a weak current, instead of a strong one. The wind had thus +brought him back. Had it been full tide, he would have drifted out +from the shore, and then have been carried down the bay by the +falling water to swift and sure destruction. + +Tom now took off his wet shirt, and put on the dry clothes which he +had so prudently hung on the top of the mast. He perceived that he +had not a very pleasant lookout for the night, for the sail which +he had formerly used to envelop himself with was now completely +saturated. It was also too dark to go to the woods in search of +ferns or mosses on which to sleep. However, the night was a +pleasant one, and the grass around would not be so bad a resting- +place as he had been forced to use while drifting in the boat. He +had now become accustomed to hardship by bitter experience, and so +he looked forward to the night without care. + +The day had been an eventful one, indeed, for him, and his last +adventure had been full of peril, from which he had been most +wonderfully rescued. + +These thoughts were in his mind, and he did not fail to offer up +prayers of heartfelt gratitude to that good and merciful Being who +had thus far so wonderfully preserved him. With such feelings in +his heart, he sought out a sleeping-place, and after some search he +found a mossy knoll. Seating himself here, he reclined his back +against it, and in a few minutes the worn-out boy was buried in a +deep sleep. + +He slept until late on the following day, and on waking looked +around to see if there were any sails in view. None were visible. +The tide was about half way up, and the wide waters spread before +him without any vessel in sight. He then began his preparations +for the day. He hung his shirt upon a bush, and spread out the wet +sail on the grass. An examination of the biscuit showed him that +they had scarcely been injured at all, the water having penetrated +only the lower part of the box. He removed the lower layer of +biscuit, and spread them out on a rock in the sun to dry. After +this he breakfasted, and wandered about for a time. He then took a +swim, and felt much refreshed. By the time that his swim was over, +he found that the hot sun had dried his shirt, so that he could +once more assume that very important article of clothing. + +The sun climbed high towards the zenith, and the tide came up +higher, as Tom sat there alone on his desert island, looking out +upon the sea. The boat from which he had hoped so much had proved +false to those hopes, and all the labors of the previous day had +proved useless. His attempt to escape had nearly resulted in his +destruction. He had learned from that experiment that no efforts +of his could now effect his rescue. He had done the very best he +could, and it would not be possible for him, with his present +resources, to contrive anything better than that which had so +miserably failed. If he could only procure some tar, he might then +stop up the interstices; but as it was, nothing of his construction +would avail to keep back the treacherous entrance of the water. It +seemed now to him that his stay on the island was destined to be +prolonged to a much greater extent than he had first thought of, +and there did not seem any longer a hope of saving himself by his +own exertions. + +Alone on a desert island! + +It was a dreadful fact which now forced itself more and more upon +Tom's mind, until at length he could think of nothing else. +Hitherto he had fought off the idea whenever it presented itself, +and so long as he had been able to indulge in any hope of freeing +himself by his own exertions, he prevented himself from sinking +into the gloom of utter despair. But now he could no longer save +himself from that gloom, and the thought grew darker and drearier +before him--the one fact of his present situation. + +Alone on a desert island! + +A very interesting thing to read about, no doubt; and Tom, like all +boys, had revelled in the portrayals of such a situation which he +had encountered in his reading. No one had entered with more zest +than he into the pages of Robinson Crusoe, and no one had enjoyed +more than he the talks which boys love to have about their possible +doings under such circumstances. But now, to be here, and find +himself in such a place,--to be brought face to face with the hard, +stern, dismal fact,--was another thing altogether. What oppressed +him most was not the hardships of his position. These he could +have withstood if there had been nothing worse. The worst part of +his present life was its solitude. If Bart had been here with him, +or Bruce, or Arthur, or Phil, or Pat, how different it would have +been! Even old Solomon would have enabled him to pass the time +contentedly. But to be alone,--all alone,--without a soul to speak +to,--that was terrible. + +Tom soon found that the very way to deepen his misery was to sit +still and brood over it. He was not inclined to give way to +trouble. It has already been seen that he was a boy of obstinate +courage, resolute will, and invincible determination. He was +capable of struggling to the last against any adversity; and even +if he had to lose, he knew how to lose without sinking into +complete despair. These moods of depression, or even of despair, +which now and then did come, were not permanent. In time he shook +them off, and looked about for some new way of carrying on the +struggle with evil fortune. + +So now he shook off this fit of depression, and starting up he +determined not to sit idle any longer. + +"I won't stand it," he muttered. "There's lots of things to be +seen, and to be done. And first of all I've got to explore this +island. Come, Tom, my boy; cheer up, old fellow. You've pretended +to admire Robinson Crusoe; act up to your profession. And first of +all, my boy, you've got to explore Juan Fernandez." + +The sound of his own voice had the effect of encouraging and +inspiriting him, while the purpose which he thus assigned to +himself was sufficient to awaken his prostrated energies. There +was something in the plan which roused all his curiosity, and +turned his thoughts and feelings into a totally new direction. No +sooner, then, had this thought occurred to him, than he at once set +out to put it into execution. + +First of all he took one parting look at the scene around him. The +sun had now passed its meridian, and it seemed to be one o'clock or +after. The tide was high. The boat, which had at first floated, +was now nearly full of water. Tom threw a melancholy glance at +this fresh proof of the utter futility of all his labor, and then +examined the fastenings, so that it might not drift away during his +absence. Then he searched among the drift-wood until he found a +stout stick to assist him in climbing, and to serve as a companion +in his walk, after which he started. + +The sun was bright, but over the sky some clouds were gathering, +and the opposite shores seemed to have grown darker than they were +a few hours ago, having assumed a hue like olive green. The wind +had also died away, and the water was as smooth as glass. + + + + + + +XIII. + +Where's Solomon?--An anxious Search.--The Beach.--The cavernous +Cliffs.--Up the Precipice.--Along the Shore.--Back for Boats. + + + + + +The loss of Solomon had filled the boys with anxiety, and even +Captain Corbet shared in the common feeling. He had preferred to +set out, as he said, with a coil of rope; but the sight of this +seemed to make Solomon's fate appear darker, and looked as though +he might have fallen over a precipice, or into a deep pool of +water. They all knew that a serious accident was not at all +improbable. They had seen the lofty and rugged cliffs that lined +the bay shore, and knew that the rising waters, as they dashed over +them, might form the grave of a man far younger and more active +than the aged Solomon. He was weak and rheumatic; he was also +timid and easily confused. If the water had overtaken him +anywhere, he might easily fall a prey. In his efforts to escape, +he would soon become so terrified that his limbs would be +paralyzed. He might then stumble over the rocks, and break some of +his bones, or he might be intrapped in some recess of the cliffs, +from which escape might be impossible without external help. + +Full of thoughts like these, the boys went on, with Captain Corbet, +up through the village, looking carefully around as they went on, +and making inquiries of every one whom they met. No one, however, +could give them any information. At last they reached the end of +the village. Here, on the left, there arose a high hill. The road +wound round this, and descended into a valley, through which a +stream ran to the bay. In this valley there was a ship-yard, where +the half-finished fabric of a large ship stood before them, and +from which the rattle of a hundred axes rose into the air. The +valley itself was a beautiful place, running up among steep hills, +till it was lost to view among a mass of evergreen trees and rich +foliage. Below the shipyard was a cove of no very great depth, but +of extreme beauty. Beyond this was a broad beach, which, at the +farthest end, was bounded by the projecting headland before alluded +to. The headland was a precipitous cliff of red sandstone, crowned +at the summit with a fringe of forest trees, white at its base were +two or three hollow caverns, worn into the solid rock by the action +of the surf. One of these was about thirty feet in height at its +mouth, and ran back for sixty or seventy feet, narrowing all the +way, like a funnel, from its entrance to its farthest extremity. + +The tide was now nearly at its height, and progress down the beach +and along the cliff was impossible. The caves were cut off also, +and the water penetrated them for some distance. At low tide one +could easily walk down to the extreme point of the headland, and +rounding this, he would find it possible to go along in front of +the cliffs for an immense distance, either by walking along the +rough beach at their foot, or, if the water should rise again, by +going along rocky shelves, which projected for miles from the +surface of the cliff. + +Reaching the head of the beach, Captain Corbet paused, and looked +around. + +"Before goin any further," said he, "we'd better ask the folks at +this ship-yard. It ain't possible to tell whether he's gone by the +beach or not. He may have gone up the valley." + +"O," said Bart, dolefully, "he must have gone by the beach." + +"I rayther think I'll ask, at any rate," said the captain. + +So saying, he walked up towards a house that was not far off, and +accosted some men who were standing there. On hearing his +question, they were silent for a few moments; and at last one of +them recollected seeing an aged colored man passing by early in the +morning. He had a basket on his arm, and in every way corresponded +to the description of Solomon. He was on his way up the shore. + +"Did he go down to the pint," asked Captain Corbet, "or up to the +top of the cliff?" + +The man couldn't say for certain; but as far as he could recollect, +it seemed to him that he went down to the pint. + +"About what time?" + +"Between eight and nine o'clock--in fact, about eight--not much +later." + +"Did he speak to any one here?" + +"No; he walked past without stoppin. An do you say he ain't got +back?" + +"Not yet." + +"Wal," said the man, "for an old feller, an a feller what don't +know the country hereabouts, he's gone on a dangerous journey; an +ef he's tried to get back, he's found it a pooty hard road to +travel." + +"Isn't there any chance of his gettin back by the cliff?" + +"Not with the water risin onto his path." + +"Is there any way of gettin up to the top of the cliff?" + +"Wal, fur a active young feller it wouldn't be hard, but for a pore +old critter like that thar, it couldn't be done--no how." + +"Wal, boys," said Captain Corbet, sorrowfully, "I guess we'd better +get on, an not lose any more time." + +They walked away in silence for some time, until at last they +reached the foot of the cliff. A path here ran up in a winding +direction so as to reach the top. + +"It seems too bad," said Captain Corbet, "not to be able to get to +the beach. I wish I'd come in the boat. What a fool I was not to +think of it!" + +"O, I dare say the top of the cliff will do," said Bruce. + +"Wal, it'll have to do. At any rate I've got the kile of rope." + +"We shall be able to see him from the top just as well, and perhaps +better." + +"Wal, I hope so; but we'll be a leetle too far above him for my +fancy,--ony we can use the rope, I s'pose. Can any of you +youngsters climb?" + +"O, yes," said Bart, "all of us." + +"What kind of heads have you got--stiddy?" + +"Yes, good enough," said Bruce. "I'll engage to go anywhere that I +can find a foothold; and here's Bart, that'll go certainly as far, +and perhaps farther. And here's Phil, that can do his share. As +for Pat, he can beat us all; he can travel like a fly, upside down, +or in any direction." + +"Wal, I'm glad to hear that, boys, for it's likely you'll be wanted +to do some climbin afore we get back. I used to do somethin in +that way; but since I've growed old, an rheumatic, I've got kine o' +out o' the way of it, an don't scacely feel sech confidence in +myself as I used to onst. But come, we mustn't be waitin here all +day." + +At this they started up the path, and soon reached the top of the +cliff. + +Arriving here, they found themselves in a cultivated meadow, +passing through which they reached a pasture field. After a walk +of about a quarter of a mile, they came to the cliff that ran along +the shore of the bay, and on reaching this, the whole bay burst +upon their view. + +It was still a beautiful day; the sun was shining brilliantly, and +his rays were reflected in a path of dazzling lustre from the face +of the sea. The wind was fresh, and the little waves tossed up +their heads across where the sunlight fell, flashing back the rays +of the sun in perpetually changing light, and presenting to the eye +the appearance of innumerable dazzling stars. Far away rose the +Nova Scotia shore as they had seen it in the morning, while up the +bay, in the distance, abrupt, dark, and precipitous, arose the +solitary Ile Haute. + +Beneath them the waters of the bay foamed and splashed; and though +there was not much surf, yet the waters came rolling among the +rocks, seething and boiling, and extending as far as the eye could +reach, up and down, in a long line of foam. + +Reaching the edge, they all looked down. At the bottom there were +visible the heads of black rocks, which arose above the waves at +times, but which, however, at intervals, were covered with the +rolling waters that tossed around them in foam and spray. Nearer +and higher up there were rocks which projected like shelves from +the face of the cliff, and seemed capable of affording a foothold +to any climber; but their projection served also to conceal from +view what lay immediately beneath. + +Along the whole beach, however, up and down, there appeared no sign +of human life. Anxiously they looked, hoping to see some human +form, in some part of that long line of rock; but none was visible, +and they looked at one another in silence. + +"Wal, he don't turn up yet; that's clar," said Captain Corbet. + +"We can see a great deal from here, too," said Bart, in a +despondent tone. + +"Ay, an that's jest what makes the wust of it. I thought that one +look from a commandin pint would reveal the wanderer to our eyes." + +"Perhaps he is crouching in among the rocks down there." + +"Wal, I rayther think he'd manage to git up a leetle further out of +the reach of the surf than all that." + +"He may be farther on." + +"True; an I dare say he is, too." + +"There don't seem to be any place below these rocks, where he would +be likely to be." + +"No; I think that jest here he could climb up, as fur as that thar +shelf, certain. He may be old an rheumatic, but he's able enough +to climb that fur." + +"I don't think anything could have happened to him here, or we +should see some signs of him." + +"Course we would--we'd see his remains--we'd see his basket, or his +hat, floatin and driftin about. But thar's not a basket or a hat +anywhar to be seen." + +"The cliff is long here, and runs in so from that point, that if he +went up any distance, it would be easy for him to be caught by the +rising tide." + +"Course it would. O, yes, course. That's the very thing that +struck me. It's very dangerous for an ole inexperienced man. But +come, we mustn't stand talkin, we must hurry on, or we may as well +go back agin, at onst." + +Starting forward, they walked on for some time in silence. For +about a hundred yards they were able to keep close to the edge of +the cliff, so as to look over; but after that they encountered a +dense alder thicket. In order to traverse this, they had to go +farther inland, where there was some sort of an opening. There +they came to a wood where the underbrush was thick, and the walking +difficult. This they traversed, and at length worked their way +once more to the edge of the cliff. Looking down here, they found +the scene very much like what it had been farther back. The waves +were dashing beneath them among rocks whose black crests were at +times visible among the foam, while from the cliffs there were the +same projecting shelves which they had noticed before. + +"See there!" cried Bart, pointing to a place behind them. "Do you +see how the cliff seems to go in there--just where the alder bushes +grow? That looks like a place where a man might be caught. I +wonder if he isn't there." + +"Can't we go and see?" + +"I don't think you can git thar." + +"O, it isn't far," said Bart. "I'll run back and look down. The +rest of you had better go on; I'll join you soon." + +"I'll go with you," said Bruce. + +"Very well." + +Bruce and Bart then set out, and forced their way through the dense +alder bushes, until at length they found themselves near the place. +Here there was a chasm in the line of cliff, reaching from the top +to the bottom. The sides were precipitous, and they could see +perfectly well all the way down. At the bottom the water was +rolling and tossing; and this, together with the precipitous +cliffs, showed them plainly that no one could have found shelter +here. + +Sadly and silently they returned, and rejoined the others, who had +been walking along in advance. + +"Wal?" said Captain Corbet, interrogatively. + +Bart shook his head. + +They then walked on for some time in silence. "Come," said Captain +Corbet; "we've been makin one mistake ever sence we started." + +"What's that?" + +"We've kep altogether too still. How do we know but we've passed +him somewhar along down thar. We can't see behind all them +corners." + +"Let's shout now--the rest of the way." + +"Yes; that's it; yell like all possessed." + +The cries of the boys now burst forth in shrill screams and yells, +which were echoed among the woods and rocks around. + +"Now," cried Captain Corbet, "all together!" + +The boys shouted all together. + +"That'll fetch him," said the captain, "ef anythin doos. It's a +pity we didn't think of this afore. What an ole fool I must ha ben +to forgit that!" + +The boys now walked on shouting, and screaming, and yelling +incessantly, and waiting, from time to time, to listen for an +answer. + +But no answer came. + +At times Captain Corbet's voice sounded forth. His cry was a very +peculiar one. It was high pitched, shrill, and penetrating, and +seemed as though it ought to be heard for miles. But the united +voices of the boys, and the far-piercing yell of the captain, all +sounded equally in vain. No response came, and at last, after +standing still and listening for a longer time than usual, they all +looked despondingly at one another, as though each were waiting for +the other to suggest some new plan of action. + +Captain Corbet stood and looked musingly out upon the sea, as +though the sight of the rolling waters assisted his meditations. +It was some time before he spoke. + +"I tell you what it is, boys," said he at last. "We've ben makin +another mistake." + +"How so?" + +"We've gone to work wrong." + +"Well, what can we do now?" + +"Wal, fust an foremost, I muve we go back on our tracks." + +"Go back?" + +"Yas." + +"Why?" + +"Wal, you see, one thing,--Solomon can't hev come further than this +by no possibility, onless he started straight off to walk all the +way up the bay agin, back to Petticoat Jack by the shore route,--an +as that's too rough a route for an ole man, why, I calc'late it's +not to be thought of. Ef, on the contrairy, he only kem out to +hunt for fish, 'tain't likely he come as fur as this, an in my +pinion he didn't come nigh as fur. You see we're a good piece on, +and Solomon wouldn't hev come so fur if he'd cal'lated to get back +to the schewner. What d'ye say to that?" + +"I've thought of that already," said Bruce, sadly. "We've +certainly gone as far as he could possibly have gone." + +"Terrew," said Captain Corbet, solemnly. + +"But what can we do now?" asked Bart. + +"Fust of all, go back." + +"What! give him up?" + +"I didn't say that. I said to go back, an keep a good lookout +along the shore." + +"But we've done that already." + +"Yes, I know; but then we didn't begin to yell till quite lately, +whereas we'd ought to hev yelled from the time of fust startin. +Now, I think ef we went back yellin all the way, we'd have a chance +of turnin him up somewhar back thar whar we fust came in sight of +the cliff. Very likely, if he ain't already drownded, he's a +twisted himself up in some holler in the cliff back thar. He +couldn't hev got this fur, certain,--unless he'd ben a runnin +away." + +All this seemed so certain to the boys that they had nothing to say +in opposition to it. In fact, as Bruce said, they had already gone +as far as Solomon could possibly have gone, and this thought had +occurred to them all. Captain Corbet's proposition, therefore, +seemed to them the only course to follow. So they all turned and +went back again. + +"What I was a goin to say," remarked Captain Corbet, after walking +a few paces,--"what I was a goin to say was this. The mistake I +made was in not gettin a boat." + +"A boat? Why we've traced the coast from the cliff well enough-- +haven't we?" + +"No, not well enough. We'd ought to have planned this here +expedition more kerfully. It wan't enough to go along the top of +the cliff this here way. You see, we've not been able to take in +the lower part of the cliff underneath. We'd ought to hev got a +boat. Some of us could hev gone along the cliff, jest as we hev +ben doin, and the others could have pulled along the shore an kep +up a sharp lookout that way. We've lost any quantity o' time that +way, but that's no reason why we should lose any more; so I muve +that some of us go back, right straight off, an get a boat at the +ship-yard, an come back. I'll go, unless some o' youns think +yourselfes smarter, which ain't onlikely." + +"O, you can't run, captain," said Bart. "Bruce and I will go, and +we'll run all the way." + +"Wal, that's the very best thing that you could do. You're both +young, an actyve. As for me, my days of youth an actyvity air +over, an I'm in the sere an yaller leaf, with spells o' rheumatics. +So you start off as quick as your legs can carry you, an ef you run +all the way, so much the better." + +The boys started off at this, and going on the full run, they +hurried, as fast as possible, back over the path they had +traversed, and through the woods, and over the fields, and down the +cliff towards the ship-yard. + +Phil and Pat, however, remained with Captain Corbet; and these +three walked back along the edge of the cliff; still looking down +carefully for signs of Solomon, and keeping up constantly their +loud, shrill cries. + +Thus they walked back, till, at length, they reached the place +where the alders were growing. Here they were compelled to make a +detour as before, after which they returned to the cliff, and +walked along, shouting and yelling as when they came. + + + + + + +XIV. + +Back again.--Calls and Cries.--Captain Corbet's Yell.--A +significant Sign.--The old Hat.--The return Cry.--The Boat rounds +the Point. + + + + + +Captain Corbet, with Phil and Pat, walked along the top of the +cliff in this way, narrowly scrutinizing the rocks below, and +calling and shouting, until, at length, they reached the place at +which they had first come out upon the shore. + +"Now, boys," said the captain, "from here to the pint down thar is +all new ground. We must go along here, an keep a good lookout. If +we hev any chance left of findin anythin, it's thar. I'm ony sorry +we didn't examine this here fust an foremost, before wanderin away +off up thar, whar 'tain't at all likely that Solomon ever dreamed +of goin. I hope the boys won't be long gettin off that thar boat." + +"Perhaps they can't get one." + +"O, yes, they can. I saw two or three down thar." + +They now walked on a little farther. + +At this place the cliff was as steep as it had been behind; but the +rocky shelves were more numerous, and down near the shore they +projected, one beyond another, so that they looked like natural +steps. + +"If Solomon was caught by the tide anywhar hereabouts," said +Captain Corbet, "thar's no uthly reason why he shouldn't save +himself. He could walk up them rocks jest like goin up stairs, an +git out of the way of the heaviest surf an the highest tide that +these shores ever saw." + +"It all depends," said Phil, "on whether he staid about here, or +went farther up." + +"Course--an it's my opinion that he did stay about here. He was +never such an old fool as to go so far up as we did. Why, ef he'd +a done so over them rocks, he'd never have got the use of his legs +agin." + +"Strange we don't see any signs of him." + +"O, wal, thar's places yet we hevn't tried." + +"One thing is certain--we haven't found any signs of him. If +anything had happened, we'd have seen his basket floating." + +"Yes, or his old hat." + +"I should think, if he were anywhere hereabouts, he'd hear the +noise; we are shouting loud enough, I'm sure. As for your voice, +why, he ought to hear it a mile away; and the point down there +doesn't seem to be a quarter that distance." + +"O, it's further than that; besides, my voice can't penetrate so +easily down thar. It gits kine o' lost among the rocks. It can go +very easy in a straight line; but when it's got to turn corners an +go kine o' round the edges o' sharp rocks, it don't get on so well +by a long chalk. But I think I'll try an divarsify these here +proceedins by yellin a leetle lower down." + +So saying, Captain Corbet knelt down, and putting his head over the +cliff, he uttered the loudest, and sharpest, and shrillest yell +that he could give. Then he listened in silence, and the boys also +listened in breathless expectation for some time. But there was no +response whatever. + +Captain Corbet arose with a sigh. + +"Wal, boys," said he, in a mournful tone, "we must git on to the +pint. We'd ought to know the wust pooty soon. But, at any rate, +I'm bound to hope for the best till hope air over." + +The little party now resumed their progress, and walked on towards +the point, shouting at intervals, as before. + +From this place on as far as the point, the ground was clear, and +there was nothing to bar their way. They could go along without +being compelled to make any further detour, and could keep near +enough to the edge to command a view of the rocks below. They +walked on, and shouted without ceasing, and thus traversed a +portion of the way. + +Suddenly Captain Corbet's eye caught sight of something in the +water. It was round in shape, and was floating within a few feet +of the shore, on the top of a wave. As Captain Corbet looked, the +wave rolled from underneath it, and dashed itself upon the rocks, +while the floating object seemed to be thrown farther out. The +tide had turned already, and was now on the ebb, so that floating +articles, such as this, were carried away from the shore, rather +than towards it. + +Upon this Captain Corbet fastened his gaze, and stood in silence +looking at it. At length he put his hand on Phil's shoulder, and +directed the attention of the boys to the floating object. + +"Do you see that?" said he. + +"What?" + +"That thing." + +"What--that round thing?" + +"Yes, that round thing. Look sharp at it now. What doos it look +like to your young eyes?" + +Phil and Pat looked at it very carefully, and in silence. Then +Phil looked up into Captain Corbet's face without saying a word. + +"Wal?" + +"What is it, do you think?" asked Phil, in a low voice. + +"What do YOU think?" + +"Sure an it's a hat--a sthraw hat," said Pat. + +Captain Corbet exchanged a meaning glance with Phil. + +"Do you think it's HIS hat?" asked Phil. + +"Whose else can it be?" + +Phil was silent, and his gaze was once more directed to the +floating object. As it rose and fell on the waves, it showed the +unmistakable outline of a straw hat, and was quite near enough for +them to recognize its general character and color. It was dark, +with the edges rather ragged, a broad brim, and a roomy crown, not +by any means of a fashionable or graceful shape, but coarse, and +big, and roomy, and shabby--just such a hat as Solomon had put on +his head when he left Grand Pre with them on this memorable and +ill-fated voyage. + +They looked at it for a long time in silence, and none of them +moved. + +Captain Corbet heaved a deep sigh. + +"This here," said he, "has been a eventfool vyge. I felt a derred +persentment afore I started. Long ago I told you how the finger of +destiny seemed to warn me away from the ocean main. I kem to the +conclusion, you remember, that henceforth I was to dwell under my +own vine an fig tree, engaged in the tender emplymint of nussin the +infant. But from this I was forced agin my own inclynations. An +what's the result? Why, this--that thar hat! See here, boys;" and +the venerable seaman's tone grew deeper, and more solemn, and more +impressive; "see here, boys," he repeated; "for mor'n forty year +hev I follered the seas, an traversed the briny deep; but, though +I've hed my share of storms an accydints, though I've ben +shipwrecked onst or twiste, yet never has it ben my lot to +experience any loss of human life. But now, but now, boys, call to +mind the startlin events of this here vyge! Think of your +companion an playmate a driftin off in that startlin manner from +Petticoat Jack! An now look here--gaze upon that thar! Words air +footil!" + +"Do you give him up, then?" cried Phil. "Poor, poor old Solomon!" + +Captain Corbet shook his head. + +"'Deed, thin, an I don't!" cried Pat. "What's a hat? 'Tain't a +man, so it isn't. Many's the man that's lost his hat, an ain't +lost his life. It's a windy place here, an ole Solomon's hat's a +mile too big for him, so it is--'deed an it is." + +Captain Corbet shook his head more gloomily than ever. + +"Ow, sure an ye needn't be shakin yer head that way. Sure an +haven't ye lost hats av yer own, over an over?" + +"Never," said the captain. "I never lost a hat." + +"Niver got one blowed off? 'Deed an ye must have." + +"I never got one blowed off. When the wind blowed hard I allus kep +'em tied on." + +"Well, Solomon hadn't any tie to his, an it cud tumble off his old +pate asy enough, so it cud. Sure he's lost it jumpin over the +rocks. Besides, where's his basket?" + +"At the bottom, no doubt." + +"Sure an it cud float." + +"No; I dar say it was full of lobsters." + +"Any how, I'll not believe he's gone till I see him," cried Pat, +earnestly. "Seein's believin." + +"Ef he's gone," said Captain Corbet, more solemnly than ever, +"ye'll never see him. These waters take too good care of a man for +that." + +"Well, yer all givin up too soon," said Pat. "Come along now; +there's lots of places yet to examin. Give one of yer loudest +yells." + +Captain Corbet did so. In spite of his despondency as to poor old +Solomon's fate, he was not at all unwilling to try any further +chances. On this occasion he seemed to gain unusual energy out of +his very despair; and the yell that burst from him was so high, so +shrill, so piercing, and so far penetrating, that the former cries +were nothing compared to it. + +"Well done!" cried Pat. "Sure an you bet yerself that time, out an +out." + +"Stop!" cried Phil. "Listen. What's that?" + +Far away, as they listened, they heard a faint cry, that seemed +like a response. + +"Is that the echo?" asked Phil, anxiously. + +"Niver an echo!" cried Pat, excitedly. "Shout agin, captain, +darlin." + +Captain Corbet gave another shout as loud and as shrill as the +preceding one. + +They listened anxiously. + +Again they heard the cry. It was faint and far off; yet it was +unmistakably a human cry. Their excitement now grew intense. + +"Where did it come from?" cried Phil. + +"Wal, it kine o' seemed to me that it came back thar," said the +captain, pointing to the woods. + +"'Deed an it didn't," cried Pat; "not a bit of it. It was from the +shore, jest ahead; from the pint, so it was, or I'm a nagur." + +"I think it came from the shore, too," said Phil; "but it seemed to +be behind us." + +"Niver a bit," cried Pat; "not back there. We've been there, an +whoever it was wud have shouted afore, so he wud. No, it's ahead +at the pint. He's jest heard us, an he's shoutin afther us. +Hooray! Hurry up, an we'll be there in time to save him." + +Pat's confidence was not without its effect on the others. Without +waiting any longer, they at once set off at a run, stopping at +intervals to yell, and then listening for a response. To their +delight, that response came over and over again; and to their still +greater joy, the sound each time was evidently louder. + +Beyond a doubt, they were drawing nearer to the place from which +the sounds came. + +This stimulated them all the more, so that they hurried on faster. + +The edge of the cliff was not covered by any trees, but the ground +at its summit had been cleared, so that progress was not at all +difficult. They therefore did not take much time in traversing the +space that intervened between the spot where they had first heard +the cry, and the point where the cliff terminated. The cry grew +steadily louder, all the way, until at last, when they approached +the point, it seemed to come directly from beneath. + +The cliff here was perpendicular for about forty feet down, and +below this it seemed to retreat, so that nothing could be seen. +The tide was on the ebb; but it was still so high that its waves +beat below them, and seemed to strike the base of the rock. +Beyond, on the right, there was a sloping ledge, which descended +from the cliffs into the sea, over which the waves were now +playing. + +It was from the hollow and unseen recess down at the foot of the +cliff that the cry seemed to arise, which had come in response to +the calls of those on the summit. On reaching the place above, +they knelt down, and looked over, but were not able to distinguish +any human being, or any sign of the presence of one. But as they +looked anxiously over, the cry arose, not very loud, but quite +distinct now, and assured them that this was the place which +sheltered the one who had uttered that cry. + +Captain Corbet now thrust his head over as far as he could, and +gave a call in his loudest voice. + +"Hal-lo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!" + +To which there came up in answer a cry that sounded like-- + +"Hi-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i!" + +"Solomo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-on!" + +"He-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-ey!" + +"Is that yo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ou?" + +"It's me-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e!" + +"Where are y-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ou?" + +"He-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-re!" + +"Come u-u-u-u-u-u-u-up!" + +"Ca-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-n't!" + +"Why no-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ot?" + +"Too hi-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-gh!" + +"Go round the pi-i-i-i-i-i-nt!" + +"Too high ti-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-de!" + +"Wa-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-it!" + +"All ri-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ght!" + +Captain Corbet now sprang up as nimbly as a young lad, and looked +at Phil and Pat with an expression of such exceeding triumph, that +his face seemed fairly to shine. + +"It IS Solomon!" he cried. But it was of no use for him to convey +that piece of information to the boys, who already knew that fact +quite as well as he did. + +"It IS Solomon," he repeated; "an now the pint is, how air we to +git him up?" + +"Let me go down," said Pat. + +"How?" + +"Sure an I can git down wid that bit o' rope you have." + +"Mebbe you can, an then agin mebbe you can't; but s'posin you was +to git down, how upon airth would that help the matter?" + +"Sure an we cud give him a pull up." + +"I don't think we could manage that," said Captain Corbet, "and you +couldn't, at any rate, if you were down thar with him. As far as I +see, we'll hev to wait till the tide falls." + +"Wouldn't it be better," said Phil, "for us to go around, so as to +come nearer?" + +"How? Whar?" + +"Why, down to the beach, and then we could walk around the point." + +"Walk? Why, it's high water." + +"So it is--I forgot that." + +"The fact is, we can't git any nearer than we air now. Then, agin, +the boys'll be along in a boat soon. They ought to be here by this +time; so let's sit down here, an wait till they heave in sight." + +With a call of encouragement to Solomon which elicited a reply of +satisfaction, Captain Corbet sat down upon the grass, and the boys +followed his example. In this position they waited quietly for the +boat to come. + +Meanwhile, Bart and Bruce had hurried on as rapidly as their legs +could carry them, and at length reached the path which went down to +the beach. Down this they scrambled, and not long afterwards they +reached the ship-yard. Here they obtained a boat without any +difficulty, which the workmen launched for them; and then they +pushed off, and pulled for the point, with the intention of rowing +along opposite the shore, and narrowly inspecting it. + +Scarcely had they reached the point, however, when a loud and well- +known voice sounded from on high. They both turned and looked up, +still pulling. There they saw Captain Corbet, and Phil, and Pat, +all of whom were shouting and making furious gestures at them. + +"We've found him! Come in closer!" cried Captain Corbet. + +"Whe-e-e-re?" cried Bruce. + +But before any answer could come, a loud, shrill scream, followed +by a yell of delight, burst forth from some place still nearer. + +Burt and Bruce both started, and looked towards the place from +which this last cry came. + +There a very singular and pleasing sight met their eyes. + +About six feet above the water was a shelf of rock, that ran down +sloping to the beach, and over this there projected a great mass of +the cliff. In this recess there crouched a familiar figure. He +had no hat, but between his legs, as he sat there, he held a +basket, to which he clung with his knees and his hands. As he sat +there his eyes were fixed upon them, and their whites seemed +enlarged to twice their ordinary dimensions, while yell after yell +came from him. + +"Help, he-e-e-e-e-lp! Mas'r Ba-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-art! O, Mas'r Ba-a- +a-a-a-a-a-a-a-art! He-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-lp! Sa-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a- +a-a-a-a-a-ave me!" + +"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried Bart and Bruce, in a burst of heartfelt +joy. + +"He-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-lp!" came forth once more from Solomon. + +"All right," cried Bart; and at once the boat pointed towards the +place where Solomon was sitting. The water nearer the shore was +somewhat rough, but fortunately there were no rocks just there, and +they were able to bring the boat in close to the place where +Solomon was confined. At their approach Solomon moved slowly down +the incline of the rock, on his hands and knees, for there was not +room for him to stand upright; and as he moved he pushed the basket +before him, as though there was something inside of uncommon value. +Reaching, at length, a spot where the rock was about the level of +the boat, he waited for them to approach. Soon the boat touched +the rock. + +"Come, old Sol," cried Bart, "jump in!" + +"Hyah, take hole ob dis yar," said Solomon, even in that moment of +rescue refusing to move till his precious basket should be safe. + +Bart grasped it, and put it into the boat, noticing, as he did so, +that it was full of lobsters. + +"Come, Solomon, hurry up. I don't like the boat to be knocking +here this way." + +"All right, sah," said Solomon, crawling along rather stiffly; "ben +tied up in a knot all day, an feel so stiff dat I don't know as +I'll git untied agin fur ebber mo. Was jest makin my will, any +way, as you came along." + +By this time Solomon had tumbled into the boat, and worked his way +aft, though not without many groans. + +"It's de cold rocks, an de wet," he groaned. "Sech an attack o' +rheumaticses as dis ole nigga's gwine to hab beats all! Any how, I +ben an sabed de lobsta. Loss me ole hat, but didn't car a mite fer +dat so long as I sabed de lobsta." + +"All right," cried Bart; and at this the two boys pulled away from +the rocks and rounded the point. As they came into the sight of +those who were waiting on the top of the cliff, a shout of joy +arose. + + + + + + +XV. + +Exploring Juan Fernandez.--The Cliffs.--The tangled Underbrush.-- +The Fog Bank.--Is it coming or going?--The Steamer.--Vain Appeals.-- +New Plans. + + + + + +Starting off, as we have seen, to explore the island, Tom first +directed his steps towards the elevated land which has before been +mentioned. At first his path was easy, and the descent very +gradual; but at length it became more difficult, and he had to +ascend a steep hill, which was over-strewn with stones and +interspersed with trees and mounds. Up among these he worked his +way, and at length the ascent ceased. He was on the summit of the +island. Here he walked to the edge of the area on which he stood, +and found himself on the edge of a precipice that went sheer down +to a beach, which was apparently two hundred feet beneath him. The +precipice seemed actually to lean forward out of the perpendicular, +and so tremendous was the view beneath, that Tom, although not by +any means inclined to be nervous, found his head grow giddy as he +looked down. Looking forth thus from his dizzy elevation, he could +see across the bay to the New Brunswick shore, and could mark the +general course which his drifting boat must have taken over those +deep, dark, and treacherous waters. + +The sea was broad, and blue, and tranquil, and desolate, for even +from this commanding height not a sail was visible. There was +nothing here which could attract Tom's attention for any long +period; so he prepared to continue his progress. In front of him +lay a wood, before plunging in which he turned to see if there were +any vessels coming through the Straits of Minas. None were +visible; so, turning back once more, he resumed his journey, and +went forward among the trees. + +His path now became a difficult one. It was necessary to keep away +from the edge of the cliff, but still not to go out of sight of it. +The trees were principally spruce and fir, but there were also +birch and maple. He also noticed mountain ash and willow. Beneath +him all the ground was covered with soft moss, in which he sank to +his ankles, while on every side were luxuriant ferns and evergreen +trailers. Tom recognized all these with great satisfaction, for +they showed him the means of furnishing for himself a soft couch, +that might be envied by many a man in better circumstances. +Progress soon grew more difficult, for there were numerous mounds, +and dense underbrush, through which he could only force his way by +extreme effort. Windfalls also lay around in all directions, and +no sooner would he have fairly surmounted one of them, than another +would appear. Thus his progress was exceedingly slow and +laborious. + +After about a half an hour of strenuous exertion, Tom found himself +in the midst of an almost impassable jungle of tangled, stunted fir +trees. He tried to avoid these by making a detour, but found that +they extended so far that he could only pass them by going along +close to the edge of the cliff. This last path he chose, and +clinging to the branches, he passed for more than a hundred yards +along the crest of a frightful precipice, where far down there +yawned an abyss, at whose bottom was the sea; while abreast of him +in the air there floated great flocks of gulls, uttering their +hoarse yells, and fluttering fiercely about, as though trying to +drive back this intruder upon their domains. Once or twice Tom was +compelled to stop, and turn away his face from the abyss, and +thrust himself in among the trees; but each time he regained his +courage, after a little rest, and went on as before. + +At length he passed the thick spruce underbrush, and found the +woods less dense. He could now work his way among them without +being compelled to go so close to the edge of the cliff; and the +dizzy height and the shrieks of the gulls no longer disturbed his +senses. The trees here were not so high as those at the other end +of the island, but were of much smaller size, and seemed stunted. +There were no maples or other forest trees, but only scraggy fir, +that seemed too exposed to the winds from the sea to have much +health or verdure. The underbrush was wanting to a great extent, +but moss was here in large quantities, and thick clusters of alder +bushes. Wild shrubs also--such as raspberries and blueberries-- +were frequently met with; while ledges of weather-beaten rock +jutted out from amid thick coverings of moss. + +Walking here was not at all difficult, and he went on without any +interruption, until, at last, he found any farther progress barred +by a precipice. He was at the lower or western end of the island. + +He looked down, and found beneath him a great precipice, while +rocks jutted out from the sea, and ledges projected beyond. The +gulls were present here, as elsewhere, in great flocks, and still +kept up their noisy screams. + +Tom looked out over the sea, and saw its waters spread far away +till it was lost in the horizon. On the line of that horizon he +saw a faint gray cloud, that looked like a fog bank. It had, to +his eyes, a certain gloomy menace, and seemed to say to him that he +had not seen the last of it yet. On the left of the broad sea, the +Nova Scotia Coast ran along till it was lost in the distance; and +on the right was the long line of the New Brunswick shore, both of +which had now that dark hue of olive green which he had noticed on +the land opposite before he had started. + +Suddenly, while he was looking, his eyes caught sight of something +white that glistened brightly from the blue water. It was about +midway between the two coasts, and he knew it at once to be some +sailing vessel. He could not make out more than one sail, and that +showed that the vessel was either coming up the bay or going down; +for if it had been crossing, she would, of course, have lain +broadside on to his present locality, and would have thus displayed +two sails to his view. The sight of this vessel agitated him +exceedingly; and the question about her probable course now entered +his mind, and drove away all other thoughts. Whether that vessel +were going up or down became of exclusive importance to him now, if +she were coming up, she might approach him, and hear his hail, or +catch sight of his signals. Suddenly he reflected that he had no +way of attracting attention, and a wild desire of running back and +setting up the longest pole or board that he could find came into +his mind; but such was the intensity of his curiosity, and the +weight of his suspense, that he could not move from the spot where +he was until he had satisfied himself as to the vessel's course. + +He sat down not far from the edge of the precipice, and, leaning +forward with his hands supporting his chin, he strained his eyes +over the intervening distance, as he tried to make out in which way +the vessel was going. It seemed fully ten miles away, and her hull +was not visible. It was only the white of her sails that he saw; +and as the sunlight played on these from time to time, or fell off +from the angle of reflection, the vessel was alternately more or +less visible, and thus seemed by turns to draw nearer and depart +farther from his sight. + +Thus for a long time he sat, alternately hoping and desponding, at +every play of those sails in the sunlight. The calm of the water +showed him that, even if the vessel were coming up, he could not +expect any very rapid progress. There was now no wind, and the +surface of the water was perfectly unruffled. Besides, he knew +that the tide was falling rapidly. How, then, could he expect that +the vessel could come any nearer, even if she were trying to? +Thoughts like these at last made him only anxious to keep the +vessel in sight. If her destination lay up the bay, she would +probably anchor; if it lay down the bay, she would drift with the +tide. He thought, then, that if she only would remain in sight, it +would be a sufficient proof of her course. + +Thus he sat, watching and waiting, with all his soul intent upon +those flashing sails, and all his thoughts taken up with the +question as to the course of that solitary bark. It seemed a long +time to him, in his suspense; but suspense always makes time seem +long. At last, however, even though he hoped so persistently for +the best, his hope began to die within him. Fainter and fainter +grew those sails; at intervals rarer and rarer did their flash come +to his eyes, until at length the sight of them was lost altogether, +and nothing met his eyes but the gloomy gray of the fog cloud on +the far horizon. + +Even after he had lost hope, and become convinced that she was +gone, Tom sat there for a long time, in a fixed attitude, looking +at that one spot. He would have sat there longer, but suddenly +there came to his ears a peculiar sound, which made him start to +his feet in a moment, and filled him with a new excitement. + +He listened. + +The sound came again. + +A flush of joy spread over his face, his heart beat faster and +faster, and he listened as though he could scarce believe his +senses. + +As he listened, the sounds came again, and this time much louder. + +There was now no mistake about it. It was a regular boat, which +Tom knew well to be the peculiar sound made by the floats of a +steamer's paddles. He had often heard it. He had but recently +heard it, when the revenue steamer was approaching the Antelope, +and again during the foggy night, when the whistle roused them, and +the same beat of the paddles came over the midnight waters. + +And now, too, he heard it. + +He gave a shout of joy, and started off to catch sight of her. + +For a few paces only he ran, and then stopped. + +He was puzzled. He did not know in which direction it was best to +go. He was at the west end of the island, but could not make out +very well the direction of the sounds. He tried to think whether +the steamer would pass the island on the north side or the south. +He did not know, but it seemed to him that she would certainly go +to the north of it. There was no time to be lost, and standing +there to listen did not seem to be of any use, even if his +impatience had allowed him to do so. Accordingly he hurried back +by the way that he had come along the north side of the island. + +For some time he ran along through the trees, and at length, in +about fifteen or twenty minutes, he reached the place where the +dense underbrush was, by the edge of the cliff. From this point a +wide view was commanded. On reaching it he looked out, and then up +the bay, towards the Straits of Minas. He could see almost up to +the straits, but no steamer appeared. For a moment he stood +bewildered, and then the thought came to him, that he had mistaken +altogether the steamer's course. She could not be coming down on +the north side of the island, but on the south side. With a cry of +grief he started back again, mourning over his error, and the time +that he had lost. On reaching the more open wood, he thought that +it would be better to hurry across the island to the south side, +and proceeded at once to do so. The way was rough and tedious. +Once or twice he had to burst through thickets of alder, and +several times he had to climb over windfalls. At length, in his +confusion, he lost his way altogether; he had to stop and think. +The shadows of the trees showed him where the south lay, and he +resumed his journey. At length, after most exhaustive efforts, he +reached a part of the cliff, where a fringe of alders grew so +thick, that he was scarce aware that he was at his destination, +until the precipice opened beneath him. Here he stood, and, +pressing apart the dense branches, he looked out. + +There was the steamer, about two miles off, already below where he +was standing, and going rapidly down the bay with the falling tide. + +Another cry of grief burst from Tom. Where he was standing he +could see the vessel, but he himself was completely concealed by +the clustering bushes. He now lamented that he had left his first +position, and saw that his only chance was to have remained there. + +To stay where he was could not be thought of. There was scarce a +chance now of doing anything, since the steamer was so far away; +but what chance there was certainly depended on his being in some +conspicuous position. He started off, therefore, to the west +point, where he had watched the schooner for so long a time. He +hurried on with undiminished energy, and bounded over windfalls, +and burst through thickets, as before. But in spite of his +efforts, his progress could not be more rapid than it had formerly +been. His route was necessarily circuitous, and before he could +find the desired point, many more minutes had elapsed. + +But he reached it at last, and there, on the bare rock, springing +forward, he waved his hat in the air, and sent forth a piercing cry +for help. But the steamer was now as much as four or five miles +away--too far altogether for his loudest cry to go. His screams +and his gestures did not appear to attract the slightest attention. +She moved on her way right under the eyes of the frantic and +despairing boy, nor did she change her course in the slightest +degree, nor did her paddles cease to revolve, but went rolling +round, tossing up the foam, and bearing far, far away that boat on +which poor Tom had rested his last hope. + +As for Tom, he kept up his screams as long as he could utter a +sound. He tore off his coat, and shook it up and down, and waved +it backward and forward. But none of these things were heard or +seen. The steamboat passed on, until, at length, even Tom became +convinced that further efforts were useless. + +This last blow was too much. Tom sank under it, and, falling on +his face, he burst into a flood of tears. + +Struggling up at length from this last affliction, Tom roused +himself, and his buoyancy of soul began once more to assert itself. + +"Come now, Thomas, my son," said he, as he dried his eyes, "this +sort of thing will never do, you know. You're not a baby, my boy; +you've never been given to blubbering, I think. Cheer up, then, +like a man, and don't make me feel ashamed of you." + +This little address to himself had, as before, the effect of +restoring his equanimity, and he thought with calmness upon his +recent disappointments. + +He saw, by the passage of these vessels, what he had for a time +lost sight of, namely, that this island, though uninhabited, was +still in the middle of a bay which was constantly traversed by +sailing vessels and steamboats. The latter ran regularly up to +the Basin of Minas from St. John. As to the former, they were +constantly passing to and fro, from the large ship down to the +small fishing vessel. Inhabited countries surrounded him on every +side, between the coasts of which there was a constant communication. +If he only kept patient, the time must come, and that, too, before +very long, when he would be delivered. + +In order to secure this delivery, however, he saw that it would be +necessary to arrange some way by which he might attract the notice +of passing vessels. On this subject he meditated for a long time. +It would be necessary, he thought, to have some sort of a signal in +some conspicuous place. Among the drift-wood he might, perhaps, be +able to find some sort of a pole or staff which he could set up. +One might not be enough, but in that case he could put up two, or +three, or half a dozen. + +The next thing to decide about was the choice of a place. There +was the east end, and the west end--which was the better? The west +end, where he was standing, was high; but then it was surrounded by +trees, and unless he could set up a very tall staff, it could +scarcely be noticed. The east end, on the contrary, was lower; but +then it was bare, and any kind of a signal which might be set up +there could hardly fail to attract attention. He could also pile +up a heap of drift-wood, and set fire to it, and, by this means, if +a vessel were passing by, he could be certain of securing +attention. It did not make much difference which end the signals +were placed upon, as far as referred to the passing of vessels; for +all that passed by would go along the island, so that both ends +would be visible to them. + +As to the signals, he felt confident that he could find a staff, +or, if one would not be long enough, several could be fastened +together. The coil of rope in the boat would enable him to do +this. The sail would afford material for a flag. + +All these plans came to his mind as he stood there; and the +prospect of once more doing something which was to help him to +escape from his prison drove away the last vestige of his grief. +His courage again arose, hope revived, and he burst forth into a +light and joyous song. Very different was he now from the +despairing lad who, but a short time before, had been pouring forth +his tears of sorrow; and yet but a few minutes had passed since +then. The steamer was yet in sight down the bay, but Tom, who had +lately been so frantic in his efforts to attract her attention, now +cast a glance after her of perfect indifference. + +And now it was necessary for him to return to the east end of the +island, and look about for the means of putting into execution his +plan for making a signal. + +He started off on his return without any further delay. The path +back was as rough and toilsome as the way down had been; but Tom +was now full of hope, and his elastic spirits had revived so +thoroughly that he cared but little for the fatigue of the journey. +It was traversed at last, and he descended the slope to the place +from which he had started. + +His exploration of the island had been quite complete. It seemed +to him to be about a mile and a half in length, and a half a mile +or so in width. The east end, where he had first arrived, was the +only place where it was at all desirable to stay. + +Immediately on his arrival he examined the boat, and found it +secure. To his surprise it was now about sunset. He had forgotten +the lapse of time. He was hungry; so he sat down, ate his biscuit, +drank his water, and rested from the toils of the day. + + + + + + +XVI. + +A Sign for the outer World.--A Shelter for the Outcast's Head.-- +Tom's Camp and Camp-bed.--A Search after Something to vary a too +monotonous Diet.--Brilliant Success. + + + + + +Tom sat down after his eventful day, and took his evening meal, as +has been said. He rested then for some time. His excessive labors +had fatigued him less than the great excitement which he had +undergone, and now he felt disinclined to exert himself. But the +sun had set, and darkness was coming on rapidly; so he rose, at +last, and went over to the drift-wood. Here, after a search of +about half an hour, he found something which was very well suited +to his purpose. It was a piece of scantling about twenty feet +long, and not very thick; and to this he saw that he could fasten +the pole that he had made up in the woods. These two pieces would +make, when joined, a very good flag-staff. These he brought up to +the bank. Then he collected an armful of dry chips and sticks, +which he carried over to a spot near where the boat lay. A rock +was there, and against one side of this he built a pile of the +chips. He then tried a match, and found that it was quite dry, and +lighted it without any difficulty. With this he kindled the fire, +and soon saw, with great satisfaction, a bright and cheerful blaze. + +He was so delighted with the fire that he brought up a dozen more +loads of wood, which he laid near. Then he drew up the bit of +scantling, and bringing the coil of rope, he cut a piece off, and +proceeded to fasten to the scantling the pole which he had procured +in the woods. He did this by winding the rope around in a close +and even wind; and, finally, on concluding his task, he found that +it was bound firmly enough to stand any breeze. It took a long +time to finish this; but Tom had slept late in the morning, and, +though fatigued, he was not sleepy. After this he sat down in +front of the fire, and enjoyed its friendly light and its genial +glow. He kept heaping on the fuel, and the bright flames danced +up, giving to him the first approach to anything like the feeling +of comfort that he had known since he had drifted away from the +Antelope. Nor was it comfort only that he was mindful of while he +watched and fed the fire. He saw in this fire, as it shone out +over the water, the best kind of a signal, and had some hope of +being seen and hailed by some passing vessel. In this hope he sat +up till midnight, looking out from time to time over the water, and +expecting every instant to see the shadow of some approaching +vessel. + +But midnight came, and Tom at length thought of sleep. The sail +had dried thoroughly through the day; so now he used it once more +as a coverlet, and, folding himself in it, he reclined, as before, +against the mossy bank, and slept. + +On awaking the next day, he arose and looked around. To his deep +disappointment, he could see nothing. There was a fog over all the +scene. The wind had changed, and his old enemy was once more +besieging him. It was not so thick, indeed, as it had been, being +light and dry, so that the ground was not at all moistened; but +still the view was obscured, so that no vessel could be seen unless +it came within half a mile; and that was rather closer than most +vessels would care to come to his island. + +This day was Sunday, and all Tom's plans had to be deferred until +the following day. However, it was not at all disagreeable to him +to get rid of the necessity of work; and, indeed, never before did +he fully appreciate the nature of the Day of Rest. The rest was +sweet indeed to his exhausted and overworn frame, and he did not go +far away from his fire. He had found some embers still glowing in +the morning, and had kindled the fire anew from these, without +drawing any more upon his precious store of matches. He resolved +now to keep the coals alive all the time, by feeding the fire +during the day, and covering it up with ashes by night. + +It was Sunday,--the Day of Rest,--and Tom felt all the blessedness +of rest. On the whole, it turned out to be the pleasantest day +which he had known since he left the schooner. Left now to quiet +reflection, he recalled the events of the last week, and had more +leisure to feel thankful over the wonderful safety which he had met +with. Even now on the island he was not without his comforts. He +had food and warmth. So, on the whole, though he had his moments +of sadness, yet the sadness was driven out by cheerfulness. It was +not all dismal. The words of that poem which is familiar to every +school-boy rang in his ears:-- + + + "O, Solitude, where are the charms + That sages have seen in thy face? + Better dwell in the midst of alarms + Than reign in this horrible place." + + +Yet these words were accompanied and counterbalanced by the more +pleasing and consoling sentiments of others, which on this day +accorded better with Tom's mood:-- + + + "There's mercy in every place; + And mercy--encouraging thought!-- + Gives even affliction a grace, + And reconciles man to his lot." + + +Nothing occurred during the day to disturb the quiet of the island, +and Tom went to bed early that night, so as to have a long sleep, +and fortify himself for the labors of the morrow. The ashes were +raked carefully round the coals, which, when Tom waked in the +morning, were easily kindled again. + +He was up early on that Monday morning. He saw, with deep +disappointment, that the fog still covered every thing, and that +the wind was blowing quite brisk from the south-west, and raising +rather a heavy sea. But he had a great deal to do now, and to this +he turned his attention. + +First of all, he had to finish his signal-staff and set it up. He +was very much troubled about the proper material for a flag. The +canvas was rather too heavy; but as he had nothing else, he had to +take this. He fastened a bit of the rope to the head of the staff, +so as to form a loop, and through this he ran a piece which was +long enough to serve for halyards. Thus far he had not used up +more than a quarter of the coil of rope; but he needed all that was +left for other purposes. The next thing was to set up his staff. +To do this required much labor. He had already selected the place +which seemed most suitable. It was at the extreme point of a +tongue of land which projected beside the brook, and only a little +distance from his resting-place. Here the ground was soft; and +choosing a sharp stone, he worked diligently for about a couple of +hours, until at length he succeeded in digging a hole which was +about eighteen inches in depth. Then he fastened ropes to the +staff, where the pole joined it, so that four lines came down far +enough to serve as stays. Having done this, he inserted the end of +the staff in the hole, and thrust in the earth all around it, +trampling it in, and beating it down as tight as he could with a +stone. After this he procured some sticks from the drift-wood, +and, sharpening the ends, he secured the stays by fastening them to +these sticks, which he drove into the ground. The staff then +seemed to be as secure as was necessary. It only remained now to +hoist up his flag; and this he did without any difficulty, securing +it at half mast, so that it might serve unmistakably as a signal of +distress. + +Upon completing this, Tom rested on the mound, and from that +distance he contemplated the signal with a great deal of calm and +quiet satisfaction. It was his own device, and his own handiwork, +and he was very proud of it. But he did not allow himself a long +rest. There yet remained much to be done, and to this he now +directed his attention. + +He had been thinking, during his last employment, upon the +necessity which he had of some shelter. A plan had suggested +itself which he felt confident that he could carry into execution +without any very great trouble. The fog that now prevailed, and +which was far different from the light mist of the previous day, +accompanied also, as it was, by the damp south-west wind, made some +sort of a shelter imperatively necessary, and that, too, before +another night. To pass this night in the fog would be bad enough; +but if it should happen to rain also, his situation would be +miserable indeed. + +He now set out for the beach, and found, without much difficulty, +some pieces of wood which were necessary to his purpose. Bringing +these back, he next looked about for a good situation. There was a +rock not far from the fire, and in front of this was a smooth spot, +where the land was flat, and covered with short grass. On the left +it sloped to the brook. This seemed to him to be the best place on +the island. It was sufficiently sheltered. It was dry, and in +case of rain the water would not be likely to flood it. With all +these it also possessed the advantage of being sufficiently +conspicuous to any passing vessel which might be attracted by the +signal-staff. Here, then, Tom determined to erect his place of +residence. + +His first work was to select two long and slender pieces of wood, +and sharpen the ends of them. Then he drove each of them into the +ground in such a way that their tops crossed one another. These he +bound fast together. Two other stakes were driven into the ground, +and secured in the same way, about six or seven feet off. Another +long piece of scantling was then placed so as to pass from one to +the other of the two crossed sticks, so that it rested upon them. +This last was bound tight to the crossed sticks, and thus the whole +structure formed a camp-shaped frame. + +Over this Tom now threw the sail, and brought it down to the ground +on either side, securing it there with pegs. At the back of the +camp a piece of the sail was folded over and secured so as to cover +it in; while in front another piece of the sail hung down until it +nearly reached the ground. This could hang down at night, and be +folded over the top by day. Tom now tore up some sods, and laid +them over the edge of the canvas on each side, where it touched the +ground, and placed on these heavy stones, until at length it seemed +sufficiently protected from the entrance of any rain that might +flow down the roof. His last task consisted in collecting a large +quantity of moss and ferns from the woods, which he strewed over +the ground inside, and heaped up at one end, so as to form a soft +and fragrant bed. When this was accomplished the camp was +finished. + +It had taken a long time, and when at last the work was done, it +began to grow dark. Tom noticed this with surprise. He had been +working so incessantly that he was not mindful of the flight of +time, and now the day was done, and the evening was upon him before +he was aware. But there were other things still for him to do +before he could rest from his labors. His fire was just flickering +around its last embers, and if he wished to have a pleasant light +to cheer the solitude and the darkness of his evening hours, it +would be necessary to prepare a supply of fuel. To this he +attended at once, and brought up several armfuls of drift-wood from +the beach. Placing these near the fire, he kindled it up afresh, +and flung upon the rising flames a generous supply of fuel. The +fires caught at it, and crackled as they spread through the dry +wood, and tossed up their forked tongues on high, till in the dusk +of evening they illuminated the surrounding scene with a pleasant +light. A few more armfuls were added, and then the work for the +day was over. That work had been very extensive and very +important. It had secured a means of communication with the outer +world, and had also formed a shelter from the chill night air, the +fog, and the storm. It was with a very natural pride that Tom cast +his eyes around, and surveyed the results of his ingenuity and his +industry. + +The camp opened towards the fire, from which it was not so far +distant but that Tom could attend to it without any very great +inconvenience. The fire shone pleasantly before him as he sat down +at his evening repast. As the darkness increased, it threw a +ruddier glow upon all the scene around, lighting up field and hill, +and sending long streams of radiance into the fog that overhung the +sea. Tom had prepared an unusually large supply of fuel, this +evening, for the express purpose of burning it all up; partly for +his own amusement, and partly in the hope that it might meet the +eyes of some passing navigator. It was his only hope. To keep his +signals going by night and day was the surest plan of effecting a +speedy escape. Who could tell what might be out on the neighboring +sea? How did he know but that the Antelope might be somewhere near +at hand, with his companions on board, cruising anxiously about in +search after the missing boat? He never ceased to think that they +were following after him somewhere, and to believe that, in the +course of their wanderings, they might come somewhere within sight +of him. He knew that they would never give him up till they +assuredly knew his fate, but would follow after him, and set other +vessels on the search, till the whole bay, with all its shores and +islands, should be thoroughly ransacked. + +Fortunate was it for him, he thought, that there was so large a +supply of drift-wood at hand on the beach, dry, portable, and in +every way convenient for use. Thanks to this, he might now +disperse the gloom of dark and foggy nights, and keep up a better +signal in the dark than he could do in the light. Thus the fuel +was heaped on, and the fire flamed up, and Tom sat near, looking +complacently upon the brilliant glow. + +Thus far, for nearly a week, he had fed on biscuit only; but now, +as he ate his repast, he began to think that it was a very +monotonous fare, and to wonder whether it might not be possible to +find something which could give a zest to his repasts. The biscuit +were holding out well, but still he felt a desire to husband his +resources, and if any additional food could in any way be procured, +it would not only be a relish, but would also lessen his demand +upon his one sole source of supply. He thought earnestly upon the +subject of fish. He turned his thoughts very seriously to the +subject of fish-hooks, and tried to think of some way by which he +could capture some of the fish with which these waters abounded. +But this idea did not seem to promise much. In the first place, he +could think of no possible way in which he could procure any +serviceable hook; in the second place, even if he had a hook and +line all ready and baited, he did not see how he would be able to +cast it within reach of any fish. His boat would not float him +even for the little distance that was required to get into the +places where fish might be. He could only stand upon the beach out +of their reach. + +But, in the course of his thoughts, he soon perceived that other +sources of food were possible to him besides the fish that were +caught by hook and line. His mind reverted to the populous realm +of shell-fish. These were all before him. Round the rocks and +amid the sea-weed there certainly must be mussels. At low tide, +amid the ledges and the sand, there surely must be some lobsters. +Before him there was an extensive mud flat, where there ought to be +clams. Here was his fire, always ready, by night and by day. Why +should he not be able to make use of that fire, not only for +cheering his mind, and giving him warmth, and signaling to passers- +by, but also for cooking his meals? + +This was the question that he asked himself as he ate his biscuit. +He could not see why he should not be able to accomplish this. As +far as he could see, there ought to be plenty of shell-fish of +various kinds on these shores. The more he thought of it, the more +probable it seemed. He determined to solve the difficulty as soon +as possible. On former occasions he had arranged his work on the +evening for the succeeding day. On this evening he marked out this +work for the morrow, and arranged in his mind a comprehensive and +most diligent search for shell-fish, which should embrace the whole +circuit of the island. + +With this in his mind, he arranged the fire as usual, so as to keep +it alive, and then retired to his camp for the night. The presence +of a roof over his head was grateful in the extreme. He let down +the canvas folds over the entrance, and felt a peculiar sense of +security and comfort. The moss and ferns which he had heaped up +were luxuriously soft and deliciously fragrant. Over these he +stretched his wearied limbs with a sigh of relief, and soon was +asleep. + +So comfortable was his bed, and so secure his shelter, that he +slept longer than usual. It was late when he awaked. He hurried +forth and looked around. The fog still rested over everything. If +possible it was thicker and more dismal than even on the preceding +day. To his surprise, he soon noticed that it had been raining +quite heavily through the night. Around, in many places, he saw +pools of water, and in the hollows of the rocks he saw the same. +This could only have been done by the rain. Going back to his +camp, he saw that the canvas was quite wet. And yet the rain had +all rolled off. Not a drop had entered. The moss and the fern +inside were perfectly dry, and he had not the slightest feeling of +dampness about him. His camp was a complete success. + +He now went off to search for clams. The tide had been high at +about six in the morning. It was now, as he judged, about ten or +eleven, and the water was quite low. Selecting a piece of shingle +from his wood-pile, he walked down over the mud flat that extended +from the point, and, after going a little distance, he noticed the +holes that give indications of the presence of clams beneath. +Turning up the sand, he soon threw out some of them. He now dug in +several different places, and obtained sufficient for the day. +These he carried back to the bank in triumph. Then he stirred up +his fire, heaped on plenty of wood, and arranged his clams in front +so as to roast them. + +In spite of Mrs. Pratt's theories, the clams were found by Tom to +be delicious, and gave such relish to the biscuit, that he began to +think whether he could not make use of the baling dipper, and make +a clam chowder. + +This breakfast was a great success, and Tom now confidently +expected to find other shell-fish, by means of which his resources +might be enlarged and improved. + + + + + + +XVII. + +Solomon's solemn Tale.--A costly Lobster.--Off again.--Steam +Whistles of all Sizes.--A noisy Harbor.--Arrival Home.--No News. + + + + + +The shout of joy uttered by those on the top of the cliff at seeing +old Solomon safe was responded to by those in the boat; and then, +as the latter went on her way, Captain Corbet set out to return to +the beach, followed by Phil and Pat. Soon they were all reunited, +and, the boat being landed, they returned in triumph to the +Antelope. + +On their way back, Solomon told them the story of his adventures. + +"Went out," said he, "on a splorin scursion, cos I was termined to +try an skewer somethin to make a dinnah to keep up de sperrit ob +dis yah party. Ben trouble nuff, an dat's no reason why we should +all starb. I tought by de looks ob tings dar was lobstas somewhar +long dis yah sho, an if I got a chance, I knowed I could get 'em. +Dar was lots ob time too, ef it hadn't ben fur dat ar pint; dat's +what knocked me. Lots o' lobstas--could hab picked up a barl full, +ony hadn't any barl to pick up." + +"Well, but how did you happen to get caught?" + +"Dat ar's jes what I'm a comin to. You see, I didn't tink ob dat +ar pint when I went up de sho,--but knowed I had lots ob time; so I +jes tought I'd make sure ob de best ob de lobstas. Wan't goin to +take back any common lobstas,--bet you dat,--notin for me but de +best,--de bery best ones dar. Dat ar's what kep me. It takes a +heap ob time an car to get de best ones, when dar's a crowd lyin +about ob all sizes, an de water comin in too." + +"But didn't you see that the tide was coming up to the point?" + +"Nebber see a see,--not a see; lookin ober de lobstas all de time, +an mos stracted wid plexity cos I couldn't cide bout de best ones. +Dar was lots an lots up dar at one place, dough I didn't go fur,-- +but ef I'd gone fur, I'd hab got better ones." + +"How far did you go?" + +"Not fur,--ony short distance,--didn't want to go too fur away for +feah ob not gittin back in time. An so I started to come back +pooty soon, an walked, an walked. Las, jes as I got to de pint, I +rose my ole head, an looked straight afore me, an thar, clar ef I +didn't fine myself shut in,--reglar prison,--mind I tell you,--an +all round me a reglar cumferince ob water an rock, widout any way +ob scape. Tell you what, if dar ebber was a ole rat in a trap, I +was at dat ar casion." + +"Couldn't you have waded through it before it got too high?" + +"Waded? Not a wade; de water was rough an deep, an de bottom was +stones dat I'd slipped oba an almost broke my ole head, sides bein +drownded as dead as a herrin. Why, what you tink dis ole nigga's +made ob? I'm not a steam injine, nor a mowin machine, nor a life +boat. I'm ony a ole man, an shaky in de legs too,--mind I tell +you." + +"Well, how did you manage it?" + +"Manage! Why, I didn't manage at all." + +"How did you find that place where you were sitting?" + +"Wasn't settin. I was tied up in a knot, or rolled up into a ball. +Any way, I wasn't settin." + +"Well, how did you find the place?" + +"Wal, I jes got up dar. I stood on de sho till de water drobe me, +an I kep out ob its way till at las I found myself tied up de way +you saw me." + +"Why didn't you halloo?" + +"Hollar? Didn't I hollar like all possessed?" + +"We didn't hear you." + +"Wal, dat ar's dredful sterious. An me a hollarin an a yellin like +mad. Tell you what, I felt as ef I'd bust my ole head open, I did +yell that hard." + +"Couldn't you manage to climb up that cliff?" + +"Dat cliff? Climb up? Me? What! me climb up a cliff? an dat +cliff? Why, I couldn't no more climb up dat ar cliff dan I could +fly to de moon. No, sah. Much as I could do to keep whar I was, +out ob de water. Dat was enough." + +"Don't you know that we walked two miles up the shore?" + +"Two miles! Two! De sakes, now, chil'en! did you, railly? Ef I'd +a ony knowed you war a comin so near, wouldn't I a yelled? I bet I +would." + +"Why, you didn't think we'd have left you." + +"Lef me? Nebber. But den I didn't tink you'd magine anyting was +wrong till too late. What I wanted was help, den an dar. De +trouble was, when you did come, you all made dat ar circumbendibus, +an trabelled clean an clar away from me." + +"We thought at first you could not be so near the point." + +"But de pint was de whole difficulty. Dat's de pint." + +"Well, at any rate, you've saved the lobsters." + +"Yah! yah! yah! Yes. Bound to sabe dem dar. Loss my ole hat, an +nearly loss my ole self; but still I hung on to dem dar lobstas. +Tell you what it is now, dey come nigh onto bein de dearest lobstas +you ebber eat. I'be done a good deal in de way ob puttin myself +out to get a dinna at odd times for you, chil'en; but dis time I +almost put myself out ob dis mortial life. So when you get your +dinnas to-day, you may tink on what dat ar dinna come nigh to +costin." + +"I wonder that you held on to them so tight, when they brought you +into such danger." + +"Hole on? Why, dat ar's de berry reason why I did hole on. What, +let go ob dem arter all my trouble on dat count? No. I was bound +to hab somethin to show whenebber I got back, if I ebber did get +back; and so here I am, all alibe, an a bringin my lobstas wid me." + +"Well, Solomon," said Bart, in a kindly tone, "old man, the +lobsters have come near costing us pretty dear, and we felt bad +enough, I can tell you, when we went up there along the shore +calling for you and getting no answer." + +"What, you did car for de ole man, Mas'r Bart--did you?" said +Solomon, in a tremulous voice. Tears started to his eyes as he +said it, and all power of saying anything more seemed to depart +from him. He fell back behind the others, and walked on for the +rest of the way in silence, but at times casting upon Bart glances +that spoke volumes, and talking to himself in inaudible tones. + +In this way they soon reached the wharf where the schooner was +lying. + +The first thing that they noticed was, that the schooner was +aground. The tide had gone out too far for her to float away, and +consequently there was no hope of resuming their voyage for that +day. + +"We're in for it, captain," said Bruce + +"Yes; I felt afeard of it," said the captain. "We've got to wait +here till the next tide." + +"We'll leave to-night, of course." + +"O, yes. We must get off at the night's tide, and drop down the +bay." + +"How far had we better go?" + +"Wal, I ben a thinkin it all over, an it's my opinion that we'd +better go to St. John next. We may hear of him there, an ef he +don't turn up we can send out some more vessels, an give warnin +that he's astray on the briny biller." + +"At what time will we be able to leave?" + +"Wal, it'll not be high tide till near one o'clock, but we can git +off ef thar's a wind a leetle before midnight." + +"Do you think the wind will hold on?" + +The captain raised his head, and looked at the sky; then he looked +out to sea, and then he remained silent for a few minutes. + +"Wal," said he, at last, slowly and thoughtfully, "it'll take a man +with a head as long as a hoss to answer that thar. It mought hold +on, an then agin it moughtn't." + +"At any rate, I suppose we can drift." + +"O, yes; an of the wind doosn't come round too strong, we can git +nigh down pooty close to St. John by mornin." + +"We'll run down with the tide." + +"Percisely." + +"Well, I suppose we'll have to put the time through the best way we +can, and try to be patient. Only it seems hard to be delayed so +much. First there was the fog, which made our search useless; and +now, when there comes a bright day, when we can see where we're +going, here we are tied up in Quaco all day and all night." + +"It doos seem hard," said Captain Corbet, gravely, "terrible hard; +an ef I owned a balloon that could rise this here vessel off the +ground, an convey her through the air to her nat'ral element, I'd +hev it done in five minutes, an we'd all proceed to walk the waters +like things of life. But I don't happen to own a balloon, an so +thar you air. + +"But, boys," continued the captain, in a solemn voice, elevating +his venerable chin, and regarding them with a patriarchal smile,-- +"boys, don't begin to go on in that thar old despondent strain. +Methinks I hear some on you a repinin, an a frettin, cos we're +stuck here hard an fast. Don't do it, boys; take my advice, an +don't do it. Bear in mind the stirrin an memiorable events of this +here mornin. See what a calamity was a threatenin us. Why, I +declare to you all, thar was a time when I expected to see our aged +friend Solomon no more in the flesh. You could not tell it by my +manner, for I presarved a calm an collected dumeanour; but yet, I +tell you, underneath all that icy calm an startlin good-natur of my +attitood, I concealed a heart that bet with dark despair. At that +moment, when we in our wanderins had reached the furthest extremity +that we attained onto, I tell you my blood friz, an my har riz in +horror! Methought it were all up with Solomon; and when I see his +hat, it seemed to me jest as though I was a regardin with despairin +eye his tumestun whereon war graven by no mortial hand the solemn +an despairin epigram, 'Hic jacet!' + +"So now, my friends," continued the captain, as he brushed a tear- +drop from his eye, "let us conterrol our feelins. Let us be calm, +and hope for the best. When Solomon took his departoor, an was +among the missin, I thought that an evil fortin was a berroodin +over us, and about to consume us. But that derream air past. +Solomon is onst more among the eatables. He cooks agin the mortial +repast. He lives! So it will be with our young friend who has so +mysteriously drifted away from our midst. Cheer up, I say! Them's +my sentiment. He'll come to, an turn up, all alive--right side up-- +with care,--C. O. D.,--O. K.,--to be shaken before taken,--marked +and numbered as per margin,--jest as when shipped, in good order +an condition, on board the schooner Antelope, Corbet master, of +Grand Pre." + +These words of Captain Corbet had a very good effect upon the boys. +They had already felt very much cheered by the escape of Solomon, +and it seemed to them to be a good omen. If Solomon had escaped, +so also might Tom. And, as their anxiety on Solomon's account had +all been dispelled by his restoration, so also might they hope that +their anxiety about Tom would be dispelled. True, he had been lost +to them for a much longer time, and his absence was certainly +surrounded by a more terrible obscurity than any which had been +connected with that of Solomon. Yet this one favorable +circumstance served to show them that all might not be so dark as +they had feared. Thus, therefore, they began to be more sanguine, +and to hope that when they reached St. John, some tidings of the +lost boy might be brought to them. + +Solomon's exertions towards giving them a dinner were on this day +crowned with greater success than had been experienced for some +days past. Their exertions had given them an appetite, and they +were able to eat heartily for the first time since Tom's departure. + +The rest of the day passed very slowly with them. They retired +early, and slept until midnight. At that time they waked, and went +on deck, when they had the extreme satisfaction of seeing the +vessel get under way. A moderate breeze was blowing, which was +favorable, and though the tide was not yet in their favor, yet the +wind was sufficient to bear them out into the bay. Then the boys +all went below again, full of hope. The night passed away quietly, +and without any incident whatever. They all slept soundly, and the +dreams that came to them were pleasant rather than otherwise. + +Awaking in the morning by daylight, they all hurried up on deck, +and encountered there a new disappointment; for all around them +they saw again the hated presence of the fog. The wind also had +died away, and the vessel's sails flapped idly against her masts. + +"Where are we now?" asked Bruce, in a despondent tone. + +"Wal," said Captain Corbet, "as nigh as I can reckon, we're two or +three miles outside of St. John harbor." + +"How is the tide?" + +"Wal, it's kine o' agin us, jest now." + +"There doesn't seem to be any wind." + +"Not much." + +"Shall we get into St. John to-day?" + +"Wal, I kine o' think we'll manage it." + +"How soon?" + +"Wal, not much afore midday. You see we're driftin away jest now." + +"Don't you intend to anchor till the next rise of tide?" + +"O, yes; in about ten minutes we'd ought to be about whar I want to +anchor." + +At this disheartening condition of affairs the boys sank once more +into a state of gloom. In about ten minutes, as Captain Corbet +said, the schooner was at anchor, and there was nothing to do but +to wait. + +"We'll run in at turn o' tide," said he. + +Breakfast came, and passed. The meal was eaten in silence. Then +they went on deck again, fretting and chafing at the long delay. +Not much was said, but the boys stood in silence, trying to see +through the thick fog. + +"It was so fine when we left," said Bart, "that I thought we'd have +it all the way." + +"Wal, so we did--pooty much all; but then, you see, about four this +mornin we run straight into a fog bank." + +"Has the wind changed?" + +"Wal, thar don't seem jest now to be any wind to speak of, but it +kine o' strikes me that it's somethin like southerly weather. +Hence this here fog." + +After a few hours the vessel began to get under way again; and now, +too, there arose a light breeze, which favored them. As they went +on they heard the long, regular blast of a steam whistle, which +howled out a mournful note from time to time. Together with this, +they heard, occasionally, the blasts of fog horns from unseen +schooners in their neighborhood, and several times they could +distinguish the rush of some steamer past them, whose whistle +sounded sharply in their ears. + +As they drew nearer, these varied sounds became louder, and at +length the yell of one giant whistle sounded close beside them. + +"We're a enterin o' the harbure," said Captain Corbet. + +Hours passed away from the time the Antelope raised anchor until +she reached the wharf. In passing up the harbor, the shadowy forms +of vessels at anchor became distinguishable amid the gloom, and in +front of them, as they neared the wharf, there arose a forest of +masts belonging to schooners. It was now midday. Suddenly there +arose a fearful din all around. It was the shriek of a large +number of steam whistles, and seemed to come up from every side. + +"Is that for the fog?" asked Bruce. + +"O, no," said Bart; "those are the saw-mills whistling for twelve +o'clock." + +The boys had already completed their preparations for landing, and +had changed their eccentric clothing for apparel which was more +suited to making their appearance in society. Bart had insisted +that they should go to his house, and wait until they might decide +what to do; and the boys had accepted his hospitable invitation. + +They stepped on shore full of hope, not doubting that they would +hear news of Tom. They had persuaded themselves that he had been +picked up by some vessel which was coming down the bay, and had +probably been put ashore here; in which case they knew that he +would at once communicate with Bart's people. They even thought +that Tom would be there to receive them. + +"Of course he will be," said Bart; "if he did turn up, they'd make +him stay at the house, you know; and he'd know that we fellows +would come down here in the hope of hearing about him. So we'll +find him there all right, after all. Hurrah!" + +But, on reaching his home, Bart's joyous meeting with his family +was very much marred by the deep, dark, and bitter disappointment +that awaited him and his companions. + +They knew nothing whatever about Tom. Bart's father was shocked at +the story. He knew that no boy had been picked up adrift in the +bay during the past week. Such an event would have been known. He +felt exceedingly anxious, and at once instituted a search among the +coasting vessels. The search was a thorough one, but resulted in +nothing. There was no one who had seen anything of a drifting +boat. All reported thick fog in the bay. + +The result of this search plunged Bart and his friends into their +former gloom. + +Other searches were made. Inquiries were sent by telegraph to +different places, but without result. + +The fate of the missing boy now became a serious question + +As for Bart and his friends, they were inconsolable. + + + + + + +XVIII. + +Down the Bay.--Drifting and Anchoring.--In the Dark, morally and +physically.--Eastport, the jumping-off Place.--Grand Manan.-- +Wonderful Skill.--Navigating in the Fog.--A Plunge from Darkness +into Light, and from Light into Darkness. + + + + + +It was Saturday when Bart reached home. As much was done on that +day as possible. Bart was in the extreme of wretchedness, and so +eager was he to resume the search for his friend, that his father +gave his permission for him to start off again in the Antelope. +The other boys also were to go with him. They determined to scour +the seas till they found Tom, or had learned his fate. + +Mr. Damer also assured Bart that he would take the matter in hand +himself, and would send out two schooners to go about the bay. In +addition to this, he would telegraph to different places, so that +the most extensive search possible might be instituted. Every part +of the coast should be explored, and even the islands should be +visited. + +All this gave as much consolation to Bart and his friends as it was +possible for them to feel under the circumstances. + +As much as possible was done on Saturday, but the next day was an +idle one, as far as the search was concerned. Bart and the boys +waited with great impatience, and finally on Monday morning they +left once more in the Antelope. It was about five o'clock in the +morning, the tide was in their favor, and, though there was a head +wind, yet be fore the turn of tide they were anchored a good +distance down the bay. + +"My idee is this," said Captain Corbet. "I'll explore the hull bay +in search of that driftin boy. I'll go down this side, cross over, +and come up on t'other. We'll go down here first, an not cross +over till we get as fur as Quoddy Head. I think, while we air down +thar, I'll call at Eastport an ask a few questions. But I must say +it seems a leetle too bad to have the fog go on this way. If this +here had ony happened a fortnight ago, we'd have had clear weather +an fair winds. It's too bad, I declar." + +They took advantage of the next tide to go down still farther, and +by twelve o'clock on Monday night they were far down. Since +leaving St. John they had seen nothing whatever, but they had heard +occasionally the fog horns of wandering schooners, and once they +had listened to the yell of a steamer's whistle. + +"I've allus said," remarked Captain Corbet, "that in navigatin this +here bay, tides is more important than winds, and anchors is more +important than sails. That's odd to seafarin men that ain't +acquainted with these waters, but it air a oncontrovartible fact. +Most of the distressin casooalties that happen hereabouts occur +from a ignorance of this on the part of navigators. They WILL pile +on sail. Now, in clar weather an open sea, pile it on, I say; but +in waters like these, whar's the use? Why, it's flyin clar in the +face of Providence. Now look at me--do I pile on sail? Not me. +Catch me at it! When I can git along without, why, I git. At the +same time, I don't think you'll find it altogether for the good of +your precious health, boys, to be a movin about here in the fog at +midnight. Better go below. You can't do no good a settin or a +standin up here, squintin through a darkness that might be felt, an +that's as thick as any felt I ever saw. So take my advice, an go +below, and sleep it off." + +It was impossible to gainsay the truth of Captain Corbet's remarks, +and as it was really midnight, and the darkness almost as thick as +he said, the boys did go below, and managed to get to sleep in +about a minute and a half after their heads touched the pillows. + +Before they were awake on the following day the anchor was hoisted, +and the Antelope was on her way again. + +"Here we air, boys," said the captain, as they came on deck, "under +way--the Antelope on her windin way over the mounting wave, a +bereasting of the foamin biller like all possessed. I prophesy for +this day a good time as long as the tide lasts." + +"Do you think we'll get to Eastport harbor with this tide?" + +"Do I think so?--I know it. I feel it down to my butes. Eastport +harbure? Yea! An arter that we hev all plain-sailin." + +"Why, won't the fog last?" + +"I don't car for the fog. Arter we get to Eastport harbure we +cease goin down the bay. We then cross over an steal up the other +side. Then it's all our own. If the fog lasts, why, the wind'll +last too, an we can go up flyin, all sails set; an I'll remuve from +my mind, for the time bein, any prejudyce that I have agin wind at +sails." + +"Do you intend to go ashore at Eastport?" + +"Yes, for a short time--jest to make inquiries. It will be a +consolation, you know." + +"Of course." + +"Then I'll up sail, an away we'll go, irrewspective of tides, +across the bay." + +By midday the captain informed them that they were in Eastport +harbor. + +"See thar," said he, as he pointed to a headland with a light- +house. "That thar is the entrance. They do call this a pootyish +place; but as it's this thick, you won't hev much chance to see it. +Don't you want to go ashore an walk about?" + +"Not if we can help it. Of course we'll have to ask after poor +Tom, but we haven't any curiosity." + +"Wal, p'aps not--ony thar is people that find this a dreadful +cur'ous place. It's got, as I said, a pootyish harbure; but that +ain't the grand attraction. The grand attraction centres in a rock +that's said to be the eastest place in the neighborin republic,--in +short, as they call it, the 'jumpin-off place.' You'd better go an +see it; ony you needn't jump off, unless you like." + +Sailing up the harbor, the fog grew light enough for them to see +the shore. The town lay in rather an imposing situation, on the +side of a hill, which was crowned by a fort. A large number of +vessels lay about at the wharves and at anchor. Here they went +ashore in a boat, but on making inquiries could gain no information +about Tom; nor could they learn anything which gave them the +slightest encouragement. + +"We've got to wait here a while so as to devarsefy the time. +Suppose we go an jump off?" said the captain. + +The boys assented to this in a melancholy manner, and the captain +led the way through the town, till at last he halted at the extreme +east end. + +"Here," said he, "you behold the last extremity of a great an +mighty nation, that spreads from the Atlantic to the Pacific, an +from the Gulf of Mexiky to the very identical spot that you air now +a occypyin of. It air a celebrated spot, an this here air a +memorable momient in your youthful lives, if you did but know it!" + +There was nothing very striking about this place, except the fact +which Captain Corbet had stated. Its appearance was not very +imposing, yet, on the other hand, it was not without a certain wild +beauty. Before them spread the waters of the bay, with islands +half concealed in mist; while immediately in front, a steep, rocky +bank went sheer down for some thirty or forty feet to the beach +below. + +"I suppose," said the captain, "that bein Pilgrims, it air our +dooty to jump; but as it looks a leetle rocky down thar, I think +we'd best defer that to another opportoonity." + +Returning to the schooner, they weighed anchor, set sail, and left +the harbor. On leaving it, they did not go back the way they had +come, but passed through a narrow and very picturesque channel, +which led them by a much shorter route into the bay. On their left +were wooded hills, and on their right a little village on the slope +of a hill, upon whose crest stood a church. + +Outside the fog lay as thick as ever, and into this they plunged. +Soon the monotonous gray veil of mist closed all around them. But +now their progress was more satisfactory, for they were crossing +the bay, and the wind was abeam. + +"Are you going straight across to Nova Scotia now?" asked Bart. + +"Wal, yes; kine o' straight across," was the reply; "ony on our +way we've got to call at a certain place, an contenoo our +investergations." + +"What place is that?" + +"It's the Island of Grand Manan--a place that I allers feel the +greatest respect for. On that thar island is that celebrated fog +mill that I told you of, whar they keep grindin night an day, in +southerly weather, so as to keep up the supply of fog for old +Fundy. Whatever we'd do without Grand Manan is more'n I can say." + +"Is the island inhabited?" asked Bruce. + +"Inhabited? O, dear, yas. Thar's a heap o' people thar. It's +jest possible that a driftin boat might git ashore thar, an ef so +we'll know pooty soon." + +"How far is it?" + +"O, ony about seven or eight mile." + +"We'll be there in an hour or so, then?" + +"Wal, not so soon. You see, we've got to go round it." + +"Around it?" + +"Yes" + +"Why?" + +"Cos thar ain't any poppylation on this side, an we've got to land +on t'other." + +"Why are there no people on this side?" + +"Cos thar ain't no harbures. The cliffs air six hundred feet high, +and the hull shore runs straight on for ever so fur without a +break, except two triflin coves." + +"How is it on the other side?" + +"Wal, the east side ain't a bad place. The shore is easier, an +thar's harbures an anchorages. Thar's a place they call Whale +Cove, whar I'm goin to land, an see if I can hear anythin. The +people air ony fishers, an they ain't got much cultivation; but +it's mor'en likely that a driftin boat might touch thar somewhar." + +The Antelope pursued her course, but it was as much as three hours +before she reached her destination. They dropped anchor then, and +landed. The boys had already learned not to indulge too readily in +hope; but when they made their inquiries, and found the same answer +meeting them here which they had received in other places, they +could not avoid feeling a fresh pang of disappointment and +discouragement. + +"Wal, we didn't git much good out of this place," said Captain +Corbet. "I'm sorry that we have sech a arrand as ourn. Ef it +warn't for that we could spend to-night here, an to-morry I'd take +you all to see the fog mill; but, as it is, I rayther think I won't +linger here, but perceed on our way." + +"Where do we go next--to Nova Scotia?" + +"Wal, not jest straight across, but kine o' slantin. We head now +for Digby; that's about straight opposite to St. John, an it's as +likely a place as any to make inquiries at." + +"How long will it be before we get there?" + +"Wal, some time to-morry mornin. To-night we've got nothin at all +to do but to sweep through the deep while the stormy tempests blow +in the shape of a mild sou-wester; so don't you begin your usual +game of settin up. You ain't a mite of good to me, nor to +yourselves, a stayin here. You'd ought all to be abed, and, ef +you'll take my advice, you'll go to sleep as soon as you can, an +stay asleep as long as you can. It'll be a foggy night, an we +won't see a mite o' sunshine till we git into Digby harbure. See +now, it's already dark; so take my advice, an go to bed, like +civilized humane beings." + +It did not need much persuasion to send them off to their beds. +Night was coming on, another night of fog and thick darkness. This +time, however, they had the consolation of making some progress, if +it were any consolation when they had no definite course before +them; for, in such a cruise as this, when they were roaming about +from one place to another, without any fixed course, or fixed +time, the progress that they made was, after all, a secondary +consideration. The matter of first importance was to hear news of +Tom, and, until they did hear something, all other things were of +little moment. + +The Antelope continued on her way all that night, and on the next +morning the boys found the weather unchanged. Breakfast passed, +and two or three hours went on. The boys were scattered about the +decks, in a languid way, looking out over the water, when suddenly +a cry from Pat, who was in the bows, aroused all of them. +Immediately before them rose a lofty shore, covered in the distance +with dark trees, but terminating at the water's edge in frowning +rocks. A light-house stood here, upon which they had come so +suddenly that, before they were over their first surprise, they +were almost near enough to toss a biscuit ashore. + +"Wal, now, I call that thar pooty slick sailin," exclaimed Captain +Corbet, glancing at the lighthouse with sparkling eyes. "I tell +you what it is, boys, you don't find many men in this here day an +age that can leave Manan at dusk, when the old fog mill is hard at +work, and travel all night in the thickest fog ever seen, with tide +agin him half the time, an steer through that thar fog, an agin +that thar tide, so as to hit the light-house as slick as that. +Talk about your scientific navigation--wouldn't I like to see what +one of them thar scientific captings would do with his vessel last +night on sech a track as I run over! Wouldn't I like to run a race +with him? an ef I did, wouldn't I make a pile to leave and bequeath +to the infant when his aged parient air buried beneath the cold +ground?" + +While Captain Corbet was speaking, the schooner sailed past the +light-house, and the thick fog closed around her once more. On one +side, however, they could see the dim outline of the shore on their +right. On they sailed for about a quarter of a mile, when suddenly +the fog vanished, and, with scarce a moment's notice, there burst +upon them a blaze of sunlight, while overhead appeared the glory of +the blue sky. The suddenness of that transition forced a cry of +astonishment from all. They had shot forth so quickly from the fog +into the sunlight that it seemed like magic. + +They found themselves sailing along a strait about a mile in width, +with shores on each side that were as high as Blomidon. On the +right the heights sloped up steep, and were covered with trees of +rich dark verdure, while on the other side the slope was bolder and +wilder. Houses appeared upon the shore, and roads, and cultivated +trees. This strait was several miles in length, and led into a +broad and magnificent basin. + +Here, in this basin, appeared an enchanting view. A sheet of water +extended before their eyes about sixteen miles in length and five +in breadth. All around were lofty shores, fertile, well tilled, +covered with verdurous trees and luxuriant vegetation. The green +of the shores was dotted with white houses, while the blue of the +water was flecked with snowy sails. Immediately on the right there +appeared a circular sweep of shore, on which arose a village whose +houses were intermingled with green trees. + +Into this beautiful basin came the old French navigators more than +two centuries ago, and at its head they found a place which seemed +to them the best spot in Acadie to become the capital of the new +colony which they were going to found here. So they established +their little town, and these placid waters became the scene of +commercial activity and of warlike enterprise, till generations +passed away, and the little French town of Port Royal, after many +strange vicissitudes, with its wonderful basin, remained in the +possession of the English conqueror. + +"Now," said Captain Corbet, "boys, look round on that thar, an tell +me of you ever see a beautifuller place than this. Thar's ony one +place that can be compared with this here, an that's Grand Pre. +But for the life o' me, I never can tell which o' the two is the +pootiest. It's strange, too, how them French fellers managed to +pick out the best places in the hull province. But it shows their +taste an judgment--it doos, railly." + +It was not long before the Antelope had dropped anchor in front of +the town of Digby, and Captain Corbet landed with the boys as soon +as possible. There was as good a chance of Tom being heard of here +as anywhere; since this place lay down the bay, in one sense, and +if by any chance Tom had drifted over to the Nova Scotia shore, as +now seemed probable, he would be not unlikely to go to Digby, so as +to resume his journey, so rudely interrupted, and make his way +thence to his friends. + +Digby is a quiet little place, that was finished long ago. It was +first settled by the Tory refugees, who came here after the +revolutionary war, and received land grants from the British +government. At first it had some activity, but its business soon +languished. The first settlers had such bright hopes of its future +that they regularly laid out a town, with streets and squares. But +these have never been used to any extent, and now appear grown over +with grass. Digby, however, has so much beauty of scenery around +it, that it may yet attract a large population. On landing here, +Captain Corbet pursued the same course as at other places. He went +first to one of the principal shops, or the post office, and told +his story, and afterwards went to the schooners at the wharves. +But at Digby there was precisely the same result to their inquiries +as there had been at other places. No news had come to the place +of any one adrift, nor had any skipper of any schooner noticed +anything of the kind during his last trip. + +"What had we better do next?" + +"Wal," said Captain Corbet, "we can ony finish our cruise." + +"Shall we go on?" + +"Yes." + +"Up the bay?" + +"Yes. I'll keep on past Ile Haute, an I'll cruise around Minas. +You see these drifts may take him in a'most any direction. I don't +see why he shouldn't hev drifted up thar as well as down here." + +It was Wednesday when they reached Digby. + +On the evening of that day the Antelope weighed anchor, and sailed +out into the Bay of Fundy. + +It was bright sunshine, with a perfectly cloudless sky inside, but +outside the Antelope plunged into the midst of a dense and heavy +fog. + + + + + + +XIX. + +Tom's Devices.--Rising superior to Circumstances.--Roast Clams.-- +Baked Lobster.--Boiled Mussels.--Boiled Shrimps.--Roast Eggs.-- +Dandelions.--Ditto, with Eggs.--Roast Dulse.--Strawberries.--Pilot- +bread.--Strawberry Cordial. + + + + + +Meanwhile another day had passed away on Ile Haute. + +When we last saw Tom he had succeeded in finding some clams, which +he roasted in front of his fire, and made thus a very acceptable +relish. This not only gratified his palate for the time, but it +also stimulated him to fresh exertions, since it showed him that +his resources were much more extensive than he had supposed them to +be. If he had ever dreaded getting out of all his provisions, he +saw now that the fear was an unfounded one. Here, before his eyes, +and close beside his dwelling-place, there extended a broad field +full of food. In that mud flat there were clams enough to feed him +for all the rest of his life, if that were necessary. But what was +more, he saw by this the possibility that other articles of food +might be reckoned on, by means of which he would be able to relieve +his diet from that monotony which had thus far been its chief +characteristic. If he could find something else besides clams and +biscuit, the tedium of his existence here would be alleviated to a +still greater degree. + +He spent some time in considering this subject, and in thinking +over all the possible kinds of food which he might hope to obtain. +Sea and land might both be relied on to furnish food for his table +in the desert. The sea, he knew, ought to supply the following:-- + +1. Clams, +2. Lobsters, +3. Mussels, + +in addition to other things which he had in his mind. The land, on +the other hand, ought to furnish something. Now that his attention +was fairly directed to this important subject, he could think of +several things which would be likely to be found even on this +island, and the search for which would afford an agreeable +amusement. + +The more he thought of all this, the more astonished he was at the +number of things which he could think of as being likely to exist +here around him. It was not so much for the sake of gratifying his +appetite, as to find some occupation, that he now entered eagerly +upon putting this new project into execution. Fish, flesh, and +fowl now offered themselves to his endeavors, and these were to be +supplied by land, sea, and sky. This sudden enlargement of his +resources, and also of his sphere of operations, caused him to feel +additional satisfaction, together with a natural self-complacency. +To the ordinary mind Ile Haute appeared utterly deserted and +forlorn--a place where one might starve to death, if he had to +remain for any length of time; but Tom now determined to test to +the utmost the actual resources of the island, so as to prove, to +himself what one unaided boy could do, when thus thrown upon his +own intelligent efforts, with dire necessity to act as a stimulus +to his ingenuity. + +First of all, then, there was his box of biscuit, which he had +brought with him. + +To this must be added his first discovery on the island, namely, +the clams. Nothing could be of greater importance than this, since +it afforded not merely a relish, but also actual food. + +The next thing that he sought after was lobsters, and he went off +in search of these as soon as he could on the following day. + +He waited till the tide was low, which was at about twelve o'clock, +and then went down along the beach. At high tide, the water came +close up to the foot of the lofty cliff; but at ebb, it descended +for some distance, so that there was some sort of a beach even in +places that did not promise any. + +The beach nearest to where Tom had taken up his abode was an +expanse of mud and sand; but passing along beyond this, on the +north side, it became gravelly. About a hundred yards to the west, +on this side of the island, he came to the place where he had tied +his boat, on that eventful time when he had drifted here. Below +this, the beach extended down for a long distance, and at the +lowest point there were rocks, and sharp stones, and pebbles of +every size. Here Tom began his search, and before he had looked +five minutes, he found several lobsters of good size. A little +farther search showed him that there was a large supply of these, +so that, in fact, sufficient support might have been obtained for a +whole ship's company. By the time that he had found a half dozen +of these, and had brought them back to his hearth-stone, it had +grown too dark to search for any more. Tom's search, however, had +been so successful, that he felt quite satisfied; and though the +day had passed without any change in the weather or any lifting of +the fog, though he had listened in vain for any sound over the +waters which might tell of passers by, though his signal had not +been seen, and his bright burning fire had not been noticed, yet +the occupation of thought and of action which he had found for +himself, had been sufficient to make the time pass not unpleasantly. + +His evening repast was now a decided improvement on that of the +preceding day. First of all, he spread some clams in the hot ashes +to roast; and then, taking the dipper which had been used for +baling, he filled it with water, and placing this on the fire, it +soon began to boil. Into this he thrust the smallest lobster, and +watched it as the water bubbled around it, and its scaly covering +turned slowly from its original dark hue to a bright red color. + +His success thus far stimulated him to make some attempts at actual +cookery. Removing some of the lobster from its shell, he poured +out most of the water from the pan, and into what remained he again +put the lobster, cutting it up as fine as he could with his knife. +Into this he crumbled some biscuit, and stirred it up all together. +He then placed it over the fire till it was well baked. On +removing it and tasting it, he found it most palatable. It was +already sufficiently salt, and only needed a little pepper to make +it quite equal to any scolloped lobster that he had ever tasted. + +His repast consisted of this, followed by the roast clams, which +formed an agreeable variety. + +Tom now felt like a giant refreshed; and while sitting in front of +the evening fire, he occupied his mind with plans for the morrow, +which were all directed towards enlarging his supply of provisions. + +He awaked late on the next morning, and found the weather +unchanged. He tried to quell his impatience and disappointment, +and feeling that idleness would never do, he determined to go to +work at once, and carry out the plans of the preceding day. It was +now Thursday, the middle of the second week, and the fog had clung +pertinaciously around him almost all that time. It was indeed +disheartening, and idleness under such circumstances would have +ended in misery and despair; but Tom's perseverance, and obstinate +courage, and buoyant spirits enabled him still to rise above +circumstances, and struggle with the gloom around him. + +"O, go on, go on," he muttered, looking around upon the fog. +"Let's see who can stand it longest. And now for my foraging +expedition." + +Making a hearty repast out of the remnants of the supper of the +preceding evening, he went first to the shore, so as to complete +his search there while the tide should be low. It was going down +now, and the beach was all before him. He wandered on till he came +to where there was an immense ledge of sharp rocks, that went from +the foot of the precipice down into the bay. Over these he +clambered, looking carefully around, until at last he reached the +very lowest point. Here he soon found some articles of diet, which +were quite as valuable in their way as the clams and lobsters. +First of all, he found an immense quantity of large mussels. These +were entangled among the thick masses of sea-weed. He knew that +the flavor of mussels was much more delicate than that of clams or +lobsters, and that by many connoisseurs these, when good and fresh, +were ranked next to oysters. This discovery, therefore, gave him +great joy, and he filled his pan, which he had carried down, and +took them back to the shore. He also took an armful of sea-weed, +and, reaching his camping-place, he threw the mussels in a hollow +place in the sand, placing the sea-weed around them. In this way +he knew that they would keep fresh and sweet for any reasonable +length of time. + +Returning to the ledges of rock, he walked about among them, and +found a number of pools, some of which were of considerable size. +These had been left by the retreating water; and in these hollows +he soon saw a number of small objects moving about. Some of them +he caught without much difficulty, and saw that they were shrimps. +He had hoped to find some of these, but the discovery came to him +like some unexpected pleasure, and seemed more than he had any +right to count on. Beside the shrimps his other discoveries seemed +inferior. There was a large number, and they could be caught +without much trouble. He soon filled his pan, and brought these +also to his camping-place. These he deposited in a little pool, +which was on the surface of some rocks that lay not far from the +shore. Over these he also laid some sea-weed. + +The tide was now coming up, but Tom made a further journey to the +beach, so as to secure something which he had noticed during his +previous expedition. This was a marine plant called dulse, which, +in these waters, grows very plentifully, and is gathered and dried +by the people in large quantities. It was a substance of which Tom +was very fond, and he determined to gather some, and dry it in the +sun. Collecting an armful of this, he took it to the shore, and +spread it out over the grass, though, in that damp and foggy +atmosphere, there was not much prospect of its drying. + +It was now about three o'clock in the afternoon, and Tom's +researches along the shore were successfully terminated. He had +found all the different articles that he had thought of and his new +acquisitions were now lying about him. + +These were,-- + +Clams, +Lobsters, +Mussels, +Shrimps, +Dulse. + +As he murmured to himself the list of things, he smiled triumphantly. + +But still there was work to be done. Tom intended to keep +fashionable hours, and dine late, with only a lunch in the middle +of the day. His explorations of the afternoon were to be +important, and he hoped that they would be crowned with a portion +of that success which had attended the work of the morning. He +took, therefore, a hasty lunch of biscuit and cold lobster, washed +down with water, and then set forth. + +This time he turned away from the shore, and went to the top of the +island. He carried in his hand a bit of rope, about a dozen feet +in length, and went along the edge of the cliff as far as he could, +turning aside at times to avoid any clumps of trees or bushes that +grew too thickly. In front of him the line of cliff extended for +some distance, and he walked along, until, at last, he came to a +place where the gulls flew about in larger flocks than usual, +almost on a line with the top of the rock. He had not noticed them +particularly on his former walk along here; but now he watched them +very attentively, and finally stood still, so as to see their +actions to better advantage. + +Tom, in fact, had made up his mind to procure some gulls' eggs, +thinking that these would make an addition to his repast of great +importance; and he now watched the motions of these birds, so as to +detect the most accessible of their nests. He did not have to +watch long. A little observation showed him a place, just under +the cliff, not far away from him. Hastening forward, he bent over, +and, looking down, he saw a large number of nests. They had been +constructed on a shelf of rock immediately below the edge of the +cliff, and the eggs were within easy reach. The gulls flew about +wildly, as the intruder reached down his hands towards their nests, +and screamed and shrieked, while some of them rushed towards him, +within a few feet of his head, as though they would assail him and +beat him off. But Tom's determination did not falter. He cared no +more for the gulls than if they were so many pigeons, but secured +as many eggs as he could carry. These he took with him back to his +camp. + +But he was not yet satisfied. He was anxious to have some +vegetables; and over the open ground, among the grass, he had seen +plants which were very familiar to him. There were dandelions; and +Tom saw in them something that seemed worth more than any of his +other acquisitions. Going forth in search of these, he managed to +get his pan full of them. These he washed, and after cutting off +the roots, he put them in the pan with water, and then set them +over the fire to boil. + +While they were boiling Tom went off once more, and found some wild +strawberries. They were quite plentiful about here, and this was +the season for them. He stripped a piece of bark from a birch +tree, as the country people do, and formed from this a dish which +would hold about a quart. This he filled after a moderate search. + +He took the strawberries to his camp, and then, going back to the +woods, he procured some more birch bark, out of which he made a +half dozen dishes. It was now about five o'clock, and Tom thought +it was time for him to begin to cook his dinner. + +The dandelions were not quite cooked as yet; so Tom had to wait; +but while doing so, he heated some stones in the fire. By the time +they were heated, the dandelions were cooked; and Tom, removing the +pan, put some shrimps and mussels in it, to boil over the fire. He +then removed the stones, and placed one of the lobsters among them +in such a way, that it was surrounded on every side in a hot oven. +He then buried a few clams among the hot ashes, and did the same +with three or four of the gulls' eggs. + +One of the hot stones was reserved for another purpose. It was the +largest of them, and was red hot when he drew it from the fire, but +soon cooled down enough to resume its natural color, although it +retained an intense heat. + +Over this he spread some of the wet dulse, which soon crackled and +shrivelled up, sending forth a rich and fragrant steam. In +roasting this dulse, a large piece would shrink to very small +proportions, so that half of Tom's armful, when thus roasted, was +reduced to but a small handful. + +After finishing this, he drew the gulls' eggs from the fire, and +taking off the shells, he cut them in slices, and put them with the +dandelions. Then he took the shrimps and mussels from the fire, +and removing them from the pan, he separated them, and put them +into different bark dishes. The clams were next drawn forth, and +though rather overdone, they were, nevertheless, of tempting +appearance and appetizing odor. Finally, the lobster was removed, +and Tom contented himself with one of the claws, which he placed on +a dish, reserving the remainder for another time. + +And now the articles were all cooked, and Tom's repast was ready. +He looked with a smile of gratification upon the various dishes +which his ingenuity and industry had drawn forth from the rocks, +and cliffs, and mud, and sand of a desert island, and wondered +whether other islands, in tropical climates, could yield a more +varied or more nutritious supply. He thought of other plants which +might be found here, and determined to try some that seemed to be +nutritious. + +Here is the repast which Tom, on that occasion, spread before +himself:-- + +1. Roast clams, +2. Baked lobster, +3. Boiled mussels, +4. Boiled shrimps, +5. Roast eggs, +6. Dandelions, +7. Dandelions with eggs, +8. Roast dulse, +9. Strawberries, +10. Pilot-bread. + +In one thing only did Tom fall short of his wishes, and that was in +the way of drinks. But before that dinner was finished, even this +was remedied; for necessity, the great mother of invention, +instigated Tom to squeeze about half of his strawberries into a +little water. Out of this he formed a drink with a flavor that +seemed to him to be quite delicious. And that made what Tom +called,-- + +11. Strawberry cordial. + + + + + + +XX. + +New Discoveries.--The Boat.--A great Swell.--Meditations and +Plans.--A new, and wonderful, and before unheard-of Application of +Spruce Gum.--I'm afloat! I'm afloat! + + + + + +Tom sat there over his banquet until late. He then went down to +the beach, and brought up a vast collection of driftwood, and +throwing a plenteous supply upon the fire, he lay down beside it, +and looked out over the water, trying, as usual, to see something +through the thick mist. The flames shot up with a crackle and a +great blaze, and the bright light shone brilliantly upon the water. +The tide was now up, and the boat was full before him. Tom fixed +his eyes upon this boat, and was mournfully recalling his +unsuccessful experiment at making her sea-worthy, and was waiting +to see her sink down to her gunwales as she filled, when the +thought occurred to him that she was not filling so rapidly as she +might, but was floating much better than usual. A steady +observation served to show him that this was no fancy, but an +actual fact; and the confirmation of this first impression at once +drove away all other thoughts, and brought back all the ideas of +escape which he once had cherished. + +The boat was admitting the water, certainly, yet she certainly did +not leak quite so badly as before, but was floating far better than +she had done on the night of his trial. What was the meaning of +this? + +Now, the fact is, he had not noticed the boat particularly during +the last few days. He had given it up so completely, that it +ceased to have any interest in his eyes. Raising his signal, +building his house, and exploring the island had taken up all his +thoughts. Latterly he had thought of nothing but his dinner. But +now the change in the boat was unmistakable, and it seemed to him +that the change might have been going on gradually all this time +without his noticing it until it had become so marked. + +What was the cause of this change? That was the question which he +now sought to answer. After some thought he found a satisfactory +explanation. + +For a number of days the boat had been admitting the water till she +was full. This water had remained in for an hour or more, and this +process of filling and emptying had been repeated every tide. The +atmosphere also had been wet, and the wood, thus saturated with +water so frequently, had no chance of getting dry. Tom thought, +therefore, that the wooden framework, which he had constructed so +as to tighten the leak, had been gradually swelling from the action +of the water; and the planks of the boat had been tightening their +cracks from the same cause, so that now the opening was not nearly +so bad as it had been. Thus the boat, which once had been able to +float him for a quarter of an hour or more, ought now to be able to +float him for at least double that time. + +Tom watched the boat very attentively while the tide was up; and, +when at length it began to retreat, and leave it once more aground, +he noticed that it was not more than half full of water. If any +confirmation had been needed to the conclusions which he had drawn +from seeing the improved buoyancy of the boat, it would have been +afforded by this. Tom accepted this with delight, as an additional +circumstance in his favor; and now, having become convinced of this +much, he set his wits to work to see if some plan could not be hit +upon by means of which the boat could once more be made sea-worthy. + +Tom's indefatigable perseverance must have been noticed by this +time. To make the best of circumstances; to stand face to face +with misfortune, and shrink not; to meet the worst with equanimity, +and grasp eagerly at the slightest favorable change,--such was the +character that Tom had shown during his experience of the past. +Now, once more, he grasped at this slight circumstance that +appeared to favor his hopes, and sought to find some way by which +that half-floating boat could be made to float wholly, and bear him +away to those shores that were so near by. Too long had he been +submitting to this imprisonment; too long had he been waiting for +schooners to pass and to bring him help; too long had he been shut +in by a fog that seemed destined never to lift so long as he was +here. If he could only form some kind of a boat that would float +long enough to land him on the nearest coast, all that he wished +would be gratified. + +As he thought over this subject, he saw plainly what he had felt +very strongly before--that the boat could not be sea-worthy unless +he had some tar with which to plaster over the broken bow, and fill +in the gaping seams; but there was no tar. Still, did it follow +that there was nothing else? Might not something be found upon the +island which would serve the purpose of tar? There must be some +such substance and perhaps it might be found here. + +Tom now thought over all the substances that he could bring before +his mind. Would clay do? No; clay would not. Would putty? No, +and besides, he could not get any. What, then, would serve this +important purpose? + +Tar was produced from trees. Were there no trees here that +produced some sticky and glutinous substance like tar? There was +the resin of pine trees, but there were no pines on the island. +What then? These fir trees had a sort of sticky, balsamic juice +that exuded plentifully from them wherever they were cut. Might he +not make some use of that? Suddenly, in the midst of reflections +like these, he thought of the gum that is found on spruce trees-- +spruce gum! It was an idea that deserved to be followed up and +carried out. Thus far he had never thought of spruce gum, except +as something which he, like most boys, was fond of chewing; but now +it appeared before his mind as affording a possible solution of his +difficulty. The more he thought of it, the more did it seem that +this would be adapted to his purpose. The only question was, +whether he could obtain enough of it. He thought that he might +easily obtain enough if he only took the proper time and care. + +With this new plan in his mind, Tom retired for the night, and +awaked the next morning by the dawn of day. It was still foggy; +but he was now so resigned, and was so full of his new plan, that +it did not trouble him in the slightest degree. In fact, he was so +anxious to try this, that the sight of a boat landing on the beach, +all ready to take him off, would not have afforded him an unmixed +satisfaction. + +He took his tin dipper, and went up at once into the woods. Here +he looked around very carefully, and soon found what he wanted. He +knew perfectly well, of course, how to distinguish spruce trees +from fir, by the sharp, prickly spires of the former, and so he was +never at a loss which trees to search. No sooner had he begun, +than he was surprised at the quantities that he found. To an +ordinary observer the trunk of the spruce tree seems like any other +tree trunk--no rougher, and perhaps somewhat smoother than many; +but Tom now found that on every tree almost there were little round +excrescences, which, on being picked at with the knife, came off +readily, and proved to be gum. Vast quantities of a substance +which goes by the name of spruce gum are manufactured and sold; but +the pure gum is a very different article, having a rich, balsamic +odor, and a delicate yet delicious flavor; and Tom, as he filled +his pan, and inhaled the fragrance that was emitted by its +contents, lamented that his necessities compelled him to use it for +such a purpose as that to which this was destined. After four or +five hours' work, he found that he had gathered enough. He had +filled his pan no less than six times, and had secured a supply +which was amply sufficient to give a coating of thick gum over all +the fractured place. The tide, which had already risen, was now +falling, and, as soon as the boat was aground, and the water out of +her, Tom proceeded to raise her bows, in precisely the same manner +as he had raised the boat on a former occasion. + +The next thing was to bring the gum into a fit condition for use. +This he did by kindling the fire, and melting it in his tin pan. +This would rather interfere with the use of that article as a +cooking utensil, but now that Tom's mind was full of this new +purpose, cooking and things of that sort had lost all attractions +for him. As for food, there was no fear about that. He had his +biscuit, and the lobster and shell-fish which he had cooked on the +preceding day were but partially consumed. Enough remained to +supply many more meals. + +The gum soon melted, and then a brush was needed to apply it to the +boat. This was procured by cutting off a little strip of canvas, +about a yard long and six inches wide. By picking out some of the +threads, and rolling it up, a very serviceable brush was formed. + +Taking the gum now in its melted state, Tom dipped his brush into +it, and applied it all over the broken surface of the bow, pressing +the hot liquid in close, and allowing it to harden in the cracks. +His first coating of gum was very satisfactorily applied, and it +seemed as though a few more coatings ought to secure the boat from +the entrance of the water. The gum was tenacious, and its only bad +quality was its brittleness; but, as it would not be exposed to the +blows of any hard substances, it seemed quite able to serve Tom's +wants. + +Tom now went down to the drift-wood and brought up a fresh supply +of fuel, after which he melted a second panful of gum, and applied +this to the boat. He endeavored to secure an entrance for it into +all the cracks that did not seem to be sufficiently filled at the +first application, and now had the satisfaction of seeing all of +those deep marks filled up and effaced by the gum. + +One place still remained which had not yet been made secure against +the entrance of the water, and that was where the planks gaped open +from the blow that had crushed in the bows. Here the canvas that +was inside protruded slightly. Torn ripped up some of the canvas +that was on the tent, and taking the threads, stuffed them in the +opening, mixing them with gum as he did so, until it was filled; +and then over this he put a coating of the gum. After this another +pan, and yet another, were melted, and the hot gum each time was +applied. This gave the whole surface a smooth appearance, that +promised to be impenetrable to the water. + +The gum which he had collected was enough to fill two more pans. +This he melted as before, and applied to the bows. Each new +application clung to the one that had preceded it, in a thick and +quickly hardening layer, until at last, when the work was done, +there appeared a coating of this gum formed from six successive +layers, that was smooth, and hard, and without any crack whatever. +It seemed absolutely water-tight; and Tom, as he looked at it now, +could not imagine where the water could penetrate. Yet, in order +to make assurance doubly sure, he collected two more panfuls, and +melting this he applied it as before. After this was over, he made +a torch of birch bark, and lighting this, he held the flame against +the gum till the whole outer surface began to melt and run +together. This served to secure any crevices that his brush might +have passed by without properly filling. + +The work was now complete as far as Tom could do it; and on +examining it, he regretted that he had not thought of this before. +He felt an exultation that he had never known in his life. If he, +by his own efforts, could thus rescue himself, what a cause it +would be always after to struggle against misfortune, and rise +superior to circumstances! + +As to the voyage, Tom's plan was the same that it had been on a +former occasion. He would float the boat at high tide, and then +push off, keeping her near the shore, yet afloat until ebb tide. +Then, when the tide should turn, and the current run up the bay, he +would put off, and float along with the stream until he reached +land. + +According to his calculations it would be high tide about two hours +after dark, which would be some time after ten. He would have to +be up all night; for the tide would not turn until after four in +the morning. But that did not trouble him. He would have too much +on his mind to allow him to feel sleepy, and, besides, the hope +which lay before him would prevent him from feeling fatigue. + +One thing more remained, and that was, to bring up a fresh supply +of fuel. The night would be dark, and while floating in the boat, +he would need the light of the fire. So he brought up from the +beach an ample supply of drift-wood, and laid it with the rest. + +When Tom's work was ended, it was late in the day, and he +determined to secure some sleep before he began his long night's +work. He knew that he could waken at the right time; so he laid +himself down in his tent, and soon slept the sleep of the weary. + +By ten o'clock he was awake. He found the water already up to the +boat. There was no time to lose. He carried his box of biscuit on +board, and filled his pan with water from the brook, so as to +secure himself against thirst in case the boat should float away +farther than he anticipated. Then he took his paddle, and got into +the boat. + +The water came up higher. Most anxiously Tom watched it as it +rose. The fire was burning low, and in order to make more light, +Tom went ashore and heaped an immense quantity of wood upon it. +The flames now blazed up bright, and on going back again to the +boat, the water was plainly visible as it closed around the bows. + +Most anxiously he now awaited, with his eyes fastened upon the +bottom of the boat. He had not brought the old sail this time, but +left it over his tent, and he could see plainly. Higher came the +water, and still higher, yet none came into the boat, and Tom could +scarce believe in his good fortune. + +At last the boat floated! + +Yes, the crisis had come and passed, and the boat floated! + +There was now no longer any doubt. His work was successful; his +deliverance was sure. The way over the waters was open. Farewell +to his island prison! Welcome once more the great world! Welcome +home, and friends, and happiness! + +In that moment of joy his heart seemed almost ready to burst. It +was with difficulty that he calmed himself; and then, offering up a +prayer of thanksgiving, he pushed off from the shore. + +The boat floated! + +The tide rose, and lingered, and fell. + +The boat floated still. + +There was not the slightest sign of a leak. Every hour, as it +passed, served to give Tom a greater assurance that the boat was +sea-worthy. + +He found no difficulty in keeping her afloat, even while retaining +her near the shore, so that she might be out of the way of the +currents. + +At length, when the tide was about half way down, he found the fire +burning too low, and determined to go ashore and replenish it. A +rock jutted above the water not far off. To this he secured the +boat, and then landing, he walked up the beach. Reaching the fire, +he threw upon it all the remaining wood. Returning then to the +boat, he boarded her without difficulty. + +The tide fell lower and lower. + +And now Tom found it more and more difficult to keep the boat +afloat, without allowing her to be caught by the current. He did +not dare to keep her bows near the shore, but turned her about, so +that her stem should rest from time to time on the gravel. At last +the tide was so low that rocks appeared above the surface, and the +boat occasionally struck them in a very unpleasant manner. To stay +so near the shore any longer was not possible. A slight blow +against a rock might rub off all the brittle gum, and then his +chances would be destroyed. He determined to put out farther, and +trust himself to Providence. + +Slowly and cautiously he let his boat move out into deeper water. + +But slowness and caution were of little avail. In the deeper water +there was a strong current, which at once caught the boat and bore +her along. Tom struggled bravely against it, but without avail. +He thought for a moment of seeking the shore again, but the fear +that the boat would be ruined deterred him. + +There was a little wind blowing from the southwest, and he +determined to trust to the sail. He loosened this, and, sitting +down, waited for further developments. + +The wind filled the sail, and the boat's progress was checked +somewhat, yet still she drifted down the bay. + +She was drifting down past the north shore of the island. Tom +could see, amid the gloom, the frowning cliffs as he drifted past. +The firelight was lost to view; then he looked for some time upon +the dark form of the island. + +At last even that was lost to view. + +He was drifting down the bay, and was already below Ile Haute. + + + + + + +XXI. + +Scott's Bay and Old Bennie.--His two Theories.--Off to the desert +Island.--Landing.--A Picnic Ground.--Gloom and Despair of the +Explorers.--All over.--Sudden Summons. + + + + + +It was on Wednesday evening that the Antelope passed from the +sunshine and beauty of Digby Basin out into the fog and darkness of +the Bay of Fundy. The tide was falling, and, though the wind was +in their favor, yet their progress was somewhat slow. But the fact +that they were moving was of itself a consolation. In spite of +Captain Corbet's declared preference for tides and anchors, and +professed contempt for wind and sails, the boys looked upon these +last as of chief importance, and preferred a slow progress with the +wind to even a more rapid one by means of so unsatisfactory a +method of travel as drifting. + +At about nine on the following morning, the Antelope reached a +little place called Wilmot Landing, where they went on shore and +made the usual inquiries with the usual result. Embarking again, +they sailed on for the remainder of that day, and stopped at one or +two places along the coast. + +On the next morning (Friday) they dropped anchor in front of Hall's +Harbor--a little place whose name had become familiar to them +during their memorable excursion to Blomidon. Here they met with +the same discouraging answer to their question. + +"Wal," said Captain Corbet, "we don't seem to meet with much +success to speak of--do we?" + +"No," said Bart, gloomily. + +"I suppose your pa'll be sendin schooners over this here same +ground. 'Tain't no use, though." + +"Where shall we go next?" + +"Wal, we've ben over the hull bay mostly; but thar's one place, +yet, an that we'll go to next." + +"What place is that?" + +"Scott's Bay. + +"My idee is this," continued Captain Corbet: "We'll finish our +tower of inspection round the Bay of Fundy at Scott's Bay. Thar +won't be nothin more to do; thar won't remain one single settlement +but what we've called at, 'cept one or two triflin places of no +'count. So, after Scott's Bay, my idee is to go right straight off +to old Minas. Who knows but what he's got on thar somewhar?" + +"I don't see much chance of that." + +"Why not?" + +"Because, if he had drifted into the Straits of Minas, he'd manage +to get ashore." + +"I don't see that." + +"Why, it's so narrow." + +"Narrer? O, it's wider'n you think for; besides, ef he got stuck +into the middle of that thar curn't, how's he to get to the shore? +an him without any oars? Answer me that. No, sir; the boat +that'll drift down Petticoat Jack into the bay, without gettin +ashore, 'll drift up them straits into Minas jest the same." + +"Well, there does seem something in that. I didn't think of his +drifting down the Petitcodiac." + +"Somethin? Bless your heart! ain't that everythin?" + +"But do you think there's really a chance yet?" + +"A chance? Course thar is. While thar's life thar's hope." + +"But how could he live so long?" + +"Why shouldn't he?" + +"He might starve." + +"Not he. Didn't he carry off my box o' biscuit?" + +"Think of this fog." + +"O, fog ain't much. It's snow an cold that tries a man. He's +tough, too." + +"But he's been so exposed." + +"Exposed? What to? Not he. Didn't he go an carry off that ole +sail?" + +"I cannot help thinking that it's all over with him?" + +"Don't give him up; keep up; cheer up. Think how we got hold of +ole Solomon after givin him up. I tell you that thar was a good +sign." + +"He's been gone too long. Why, it's going on a fortnight?" + +"Wal, what o' that ef he's goin to turn up all right in the end? I +tell you he's somewhar. Ef he ain't in the Bay of Fundy, he may be +driftin off the coast o' Maine, an picked up long ago, an on his +way home now per steamer." + +Bart shook his head, and turned away in deep despondency, in which +feeling all the other boys joined him. They had but little hope +now. The time that had elapsed seemed to be too long, and their +disappointments had been too many. The sadness which they had felt +all along was now deeper than ever, and they looked forward without +a ray of hope. + +On Friday evening they landed at Scott's Bay, and, as old Bennie +Griggs's house was nearest, they went there. They found both the +old people at home, and were received with an outburst of welcome. +Captain Corbet was an old acquaintance, and made himself at home at +once. Soon his errand was announced. + +Bennie had the usual answer, and that was, that nothing whatever +had been heard of any drifting boat. But he listened with intense +interest to Captain Corbet's story, and made him tell it over and +over again, down to the smallest particular. He also questioned +all the boys very closely. + +After the questioning was over, he sat in silence for a long time. +At last he looked keenly at Captain Corbet. + +"He's not ben heard tell of for about twelve days?" + +"No." + +"An it's ben ony moderate weather?" + +"Ony moderate, but foggy." + +"O, of course. Wal, in my 'pinion, fust an foremust, he ain't +likely to hev gone down." + +"That thar's jest what I say." + +"An he had them biscuit?" + +"Yes--a hull box." + +"An the sail for shelter?" + +"Yes." + +"Wal; it's queer. He can't hev got down by the State o' Maine; +for, ef he'd got thar, he'd hev sent word home before this." + +"Course he would." + +Old Bennie thought over this for a long time again, and the boys +watched him closely, as though some result of vital importance hung +upon his final decision. + +"Wal," said Bennie at last, "s'posin that he's alive,--an it's very +likely,--thar's ony two ways to account for his onnat'ral silence. +Them air these:-- + +"Fust, he may hev got picked up by a timber ship, outward bound to +the old country. In that case he may be carried the hull way +acrost. I've knowed one or two sech cases, an hev heerd of +severial more. + +"Second. He may hev drifted onto a oninhabited island." + +"An oninhabited island?" repeated Captain Corbet. + +"Yea." + +"Wal," said Captain Corbet; after a pause, "I've knowed things +stranger than that." + +"So hev I." + +"Air thar any isle of the ocean in particular that you happen to +hev in your mind's eye now?" + +"Thar air." + +"Which?" + +"Ile Haute." + +"Wal, now, railly, I declar--ef I wan't thinkin o' that very spot +myself. An I war thinkin, as I war a comin up the bay, that that +thar isle of the ocean was about the only spot belongin to this +here bay that hadn't been heerd from. An it ain't onlikely that +them shores could a tale onfold that mought astonish some on us. +I shouldn't wonder a mite." + +"Nor me," said Bennie, gravely. + +"It's either a timber ship, or a desert island, as you say,--that's +sartin," said Captain Corbet, after further thought, speaking with +strong emphasis. "Thar ain't a mite o' doubt about it; an which o' +them it is air a very even question. For my part, I'd as soon bet +on one as t'other." + +"I've heerd tell o' several seafarin men that's got adrift, an lit +on that thar isle," said Bennie, solemnly. + +"Wal, so hev I; an though our lad went all the way from Petticoat +Jack, yet the currents in thar wandorins to an fro could +effectooate that thar pooty mighty quick, an in the course of two +or three days it could land him high an dry on them thar +sequestrated shores." + +"Do you think there is any chance of it?" asked Bruce, eagerly, +directing his question to Bennie. + +"Do I think? Why, sartin," said Bennie, regarding Bruce's anxious +face with a calm smile. "Hain't I ben a expoundin to you the +actool facts?" + +"Well, then," cried Bart, starting to his feet, "let's go at once." + +"Let's what?" asked Captain Corbet. + +"Why, hurry off at once, and get to him as soon as we can." + +"An pray, young sir, how could we get to him by leavin here jest +now?" + +"Can't we go straight to Ile Haute?" + +"Scacely. The tide'll be agin us, an the wind too, till nigh +eleven." + +Bart gave a deep sigh. + +"But don't be alarmed. We'll go thar next, an as soon as we can. +You see we've got to go on into Minas Basin. Now we want to leave +here so as to drop down with the tide, an then drop up with the +flood tide into Minas Bay. I've about concluded to wait here till +about three in the mornin. We'll drop down to the island in about +a couple of hours, and'll hev time to run ashore, look round, and +catch the flood tide." + +"Well, you know best," said Bart, sadly. + +"I think that's the only true an rational idee," said Bennie. "I +do, railly; an meantime you can all get beds here with me, an you +can hev a good bit o' sleep before startin." + +This conversation took place not long after their arrival. The +company were sitting in the big old kitchen, and Mrs. Bennie was +spreading her most generous repast on the table. + +After a bounteous supper the two old men talked over the situation +until bedtime. They told many stories about drifting boats and +rafts, compared notes about the direction of certain currents, and +argued about the best course to pursue under certain very difficult +circumstances, such, for example, as a thick snow-storm, midnight, +a heavy sea, and a strong current setting upon a lee shore, the +ship's anchor being broken also. It was generally considered that +the situation was likely to be unpleasant. + +At ten o'clock Bennie hurried his guests to their beds, where they +slept soundly in spite of their anxiety. Before three in the +morning he awaked them, and they were soon ready to reembark. + +It was dim morning twilight as they bade adieu to their hospitable +entertainers, and but little could be seen. Captain Corbet raised +his head, and peered into the sky above, and sniffed the sea air. + +"Wal, railly," said he, "I do declar ef it don't railly seem as ef +it railly is a change o' weather--it railly doos. Why, ain't this +rich? We're ben favored at last. We're agoin to hev a clar day. +Hooray!" + +The boys could not make out whether the captain's words were +justified or not by the facts, but thought that they detected in +the air rather the fragrance of the land than the savor of the salt +sea. There was no wind, however, and they could not see far enough +out on the water to know whether there was any fog or not. + +Bennie accompanied them to the boat, and urged them to come back if +they found the boys and let him rest in Scott's Bay. But the fate +of that boy was so uncertain, that they could not make any promise +about it. + +It was a little after three when the Antelope weighed anchor, and +dropped down the bay. + +There was no wind whatever. It was the tide only that carried them +down to their destination. Soon it began to grow lighter, and by +the time that they were half way, they saw before them the dark +outline of the island, as it rose from the black water with its +frowning cliffs. + +The boys looked at it in silence. It seemed, indeed, a hopeless +place to search in for signs of poor Tom. How could he ever get +ashore in such a place as this, so far out of the line of his +drift; or if he had gone ashore there, how could he have lived till +now? Such were the gloomy and despondent thoughts that filled the +minds of all, as they saw the vessel drawing nearer and still +nearer to those frowning cliffs. + +As they went on the wind grew stronger, and they found that it was +their old friend--the sou-wester. The light increased, and they +saw a fog cloud on the horizon, a little beyond Ile Haute. Captain +Corbet would not acknowledge that he had been mistaken in his +impressions about a change of weather, but assured the boys that +this was only the last gasp of the sou-wester, and that a change +was bound to take place before evening. But though the fog was +visible below Ile Haute, it did not seem to come any nearer, and at +length the schooner approached the island, and dropped anchor. + +It was about half past four in the morning, and the light of day +was beginning to be diffused around, when they reached their +destination. As it was low tide, they could not approach very +near, but kept well off the precipitous shores on the south side of +the island. In the course of her drift, while letting go the +anchor, she went off to a point about half way down, opposite the +shore. Scarce had her anchor touched bottom, than the impatient +boys were all in the boat, calling on Captain Corbet to come along. +The captain and Wade took the oars. + +It was a long pull to the shore, and, when they reached it, the +tide was so low that there remained a long walk over the beach. +They had landed about half way down the island, and, as they +directed their steps to the open ground at the east end, they had a +much greater distance to traverse than they had anticipated. As +they walked on, they did not speak a word. But already they began +to doubt whether there was any hope left. They had been bitterly +disappointed as they came near and saw no sign of life. They had +half expected to see some figure on the beach waiting to receive +them. But there was no figure and no shout of joy. + +At length, as they drew nearer to the east end, and the light grew +brighter, Bart, who was in advance, gave a shout. + +They all hurried forward. + +Bart was pointing towards something. + +It was a signal-staff, with something that looked like a flag +hoisted half mast high. + +Every heart beat faster, and at once the wildest hopes arose. They +hurried on over the rough beach as fast as possible. They +clambered over rocks, and sea-weed, and drift-wood, and at length +reached the bank. And still, as they drew nearer, the signal-staff +rose before them, and the flag at half mast became more and more +visible. + +Rushing up the bank towards this place, each trying to outstrip the +others, they hurried forward, full of hope now that some signs of +Tom might be here. At length they reached the place where Tom had +been so long, and here their steps were arrested by the scene +before them. + +On the point arose the signal-staff, with its heavy flag hanging +down. The wind was now blowing, but it needed almost a gale to +hold out that cumbrous canvas. Close by were the smouldering +remains of what had been a huge fire, and all around this were +chips and sticks. In the immediate neighborhood were some bark +dishes, in some of which were shrimps and mussels. Clams and +lobsters lay around, with shells of both. + +Not far off was a canvas tent, which looked singularly comfortable +and cosy. + +Captain Corbet looked at all this, and shook his head. + +"Bad--bad--bad," he murmured, in a doleful tone. "My last hope, +or, rayther, one of my last hopes, dies away inside of me. This is +wuss than findin' a desert place." + +"Why? Hasn't he been here? He must have been here," cried Bart. +"These are his marks. I dare say he's here now--perhaps asleep--in +the camp. I'll go--" + +"Don't go--don't--you needn't," said Captain Corbet, with a groan. +"You don't understand. It's ben no pore castaway that's come here-- +no pore driftin lad that fell upon these lone and desolate coasts. +No--never did he set foot here. All this is not the work o' +shipwracked people. It's some festive picnickers, engaged in +whilin away a few pleasant summer days. All around you may +perceive the signs of luxoorious feastin. Here you may see all the +different kind o' shellfish that the sea produces. Yonder is a +luxoorious camp. But don't mind what I say. Go an call the +occoopant, an satisfy yourselves." + +Captain Corbet walked with the boys over to the tent. His words +had thrown a fresh dejection over all. They felt the truth of what +he said. These remains spoke not of shipwreck, but of pleasure, +and of picnicking. It now only remained to rouse the slumbering +owner of the tent, and put the usual questions. + +Bart was there first, and tapped at the post. + +No answer. + +He tapped again. + +Still there was no answer. + +He raised the canvas and looked in. He saw the mossy interior, but +perceived that it was empty. All the others looked in. On +learning this they turned away puzzled. + +"Wal, I thought so," said Captain Corbet. "They jest come an go as +the fancy takes 'em. They're off on Cape d'Or to-day, an back here +to-morrer." + +As he said this he seated himself near the tent, and the boys +looked around with sad and sombre faces. + +It was now about half past five, and the day had dawned for some +time. In the east the fog had lifted, and the sun was shining +brightly. + +"I told you thar'd be a change, boys," said the captain. + +As he spoke there came a long succession of sharp, shrill blasts +from the fog horn of the Antelope, which started every one, and +made them run to the rising ground to find out the cause. + + + + + + +XXII. + +Astounding Discovery.--The whole Party of Explorers overwhelmed.-- +Meeting with the Lost.--Captain Corbet improves the Occasion.-- +Conclusion. + + + + + +At the sound from the Antelope they had all started for the rising +ground, to see what it might mean. None of them had any idea what +might be the cause, but all of them felt startled and excited at +hearing it under such peculiar circumstances. Nor was their +excitement lessened by the sight that met their eyes as they +reached the rising ground and looked towards the schooner. + +A change had taken place. When they had left, Solomon only had +remained behind. But now there were two figures on the deck. One +was amidships. The schooner was too far away for them to see +distinctly, but this one was undoubtedly Solomon; yet his gestures +were so extraordinary that it was difficult to identify him. He it +was by whom the blasts on the fog horn were produced. Standing +amidships, he held the fog horn in one hand, and in the other he +held a battered old cap which supplied the place of the old straw +hat lost at Quaco. After letting off a series of blasts from the +horn, he brandished his cap wildly in the air, and then proceeded +to dance a sort of complex double-shuffle, diversified by wild +leaps in the air, and accompanied by brandishings of his hat and +fresh blasts of the horn. But if Solomon's appearance was somewhat +bewildering, still more so was that of the other one. This one +stood astern. Suddenly as they looked they saw him hoist a flag, +and, wonder of wonders, a black flag,--no other, in short, than the +well-known flag of the "B. O. W. C." That flag had been mournfully +lowered and put away on Tom's disappearance, but now it was hoisted +once more; and as they looked, the new comer hoisted it and lowered +it, causing it to rise and fall rapidly before their eyes. + +Nor did the wonder end here. They had taken away the only boat +that the schooner possessed in order to come ashore, leaving +Solomon alone. They had noticed no boat whatever as they rowed to +land. But now they saw a boat floating astern of the Antelope, +with a small and peculiarly shaped sail, that now was flapping in +the breeze. Evidently this boat belonged to the new comer. But +who was he? How had he come there? What was the meaning of those +signals with that peculiar flag, and what could be the reason of +Solomon's joy? + +They stood dumb with astonishment, confused, and almost afraid to +think of the one cause that each one felt to be the real +explanation of all this. Too long had they searched in vain for +Tom,--too often had they sunk from hope to despair,--too confident +and sanguine had they been; and now, at this unexpected sight, in +spite of the assurance which it must have given them that this +could be no other than Tom, they scarce dared to believe in such +great happiness, and were afraid that even this might end in a +disappointment like the others. + +But, though they stood motionless and mute, the two figures on +board the Antelope were neither one nor the other. Solomon danced +more and more madly, and brandished his arms more and more +excitedly, and there came forth from his fog horn wilder and still +wilder peals, and the flag rose and fell more and more quickly, +until at last the spectators on the shore could resist no longer. + +"G-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-d ger-ra-a-a-cious!" + +This cry burst from Captain Corbet. + +It was enough. The spell was broken. A wild cry burst forth from +the boys, and with loud, long shouts of joy they rushed down the +bank, and over the beach, back to their boat. The captain was as +quick as any of them. In his enthusiasm he forgot his rheumatism. +There was a race, and though he was not even with Bruce and Bart, +he kept ahead of Pat, and Arthur, and Phil, and old Wade. + +Hurrah! + +And hurrah again! + +Yes, and hurrah over and over; and many were the hurrahs that burst +from them as they raced over the rocky beach. + +Then to tumble into the boat, one after another, to grasp the oars, +to push her off, to head her for the schooner, and to dash through +the water on their way back, was but the work of a few minutes. + +The row to the schooner was a tedious one to those impatient young +hearts. But as they drew nearer, they feasted their eyes on the +figure of the new comer, and the last particle of doubt and fear +died away. First, they recognized the dress--the familiar red +shirt. Tom had worn a coat and waistcoat ashore at Hillsborough on +that eventful day; but on reaching the schooner, he had flung them +off, and appeared now in the costume of the "B. O. W. C." This +they recognized first, and then his face was revealed--a face that +bore no particular indication of suffering or privation, which +seemed certainly more sunburnt than formerly, but no thinner. + +Soon they reached the vessel, and clambered up; and then with what +shouts and almost shrieks of joy they seized Tom! With what cries +and cheers of delight they welcomed him back again, by turns +overwhelming him with questions, and then pouring forth a torrent +of description of their own long search! + +Captain Corbet stood a little aloof. His face was not so radiant +as the faces of the boys. His features were twitching, and his +hands were clasped tight behind his back. He stood leaning against +the mainmast, his eyes fixed on Tom. It was thus that he stood +when Tom caught sight of him, and rushed up to shake hands. + +Captain Corbet grasped Tom's hand in both of his. He trembled, and +Tom felt that his hands were cold and clammy. + +"My dear boys," he faltered, "let us rejice--and--be glad--for this +my son--that was dead--is alive agin--" + +A shudder passed through him, and he stopped, and pressed Tom's +hand convulsively. + +Then he gave a great gasp, and, "Thar, thar," he murmured, "it's +too much! I'm onmanned. I've suffered--an agonized--an this-- +air--too much!" + +And with these words he burst into tears. + +Then he dropped Tom's hand, and retreated into the cabin, where he +remained for a long time, but at last reappeared, restored to +calmness, and with a smile of sweet and inexpressible peace +wreathing his venerable countenance. + +By this time the boys had told Tom all about their long search; and +when Captain Corbet reappeared, Tom had completed the story of his +adventures, and had just reached that part, in his wanderings, +where he had left the island, and found himself drifting down the +bay. As that was the point at which Tom was last lost sight of in +these pages, his story may be given here in his own words. + +"Yes," said he, "you see I found myself drifting down. There was +no help for it. The wind was slight, and the tide was strong. I +was swept down into a fog bank, and lost sight of Ile Haute +altogether. Well, it didn't matter very much, and I wasn't a bit +anxious. I knew that the tide would turn soon, and then I'd come +up, and fetch the land somewhere; so I waited patiently. At last, +after about--well, nearly an hour, the tide must have turned, and I +drifted back, and there was wind enough to give me quite a lift; +and so all of a sudden I shot out of the fog, and saw Ile Haute +before me. I was coming in such a way that my course lay on the +south side of the island, and in a short time I came in sight of +the schooner. I tell you what it is, I nearly went into fits--I +knew her at once. A little farther on, and I saw you all cutting +like mad over the beach to my camp. I was going to put after you +at first; but the fact is, I hated the island so that I couldn't +bear to touch it again, and so I concluded I'd go on board and +signal. So I came up alongside, and got on board. Solomon was +down below; so I just stepped forward, and put my head over the +hatchway, and spoke to him. I declare I thought he'd explode. He +didn't think I was a ghost at all. It wasn't fear, you know--it +was nothing but delight, and all that sort of thing, you know. +Well, you know, then we went to work signaling to you, and he took +the fog horn, and I went to the flag, and so it was." + +"I don't know how we happened not to see your boat," said Bruce. + +"O, that's easy enough to account for," said Tom. "I was hid by +the east point of the island. I didn't see the schooner till I got +round, and you must have been just getting ashore at that time." + +During all this time Solomon had been wandering about in a +mysterious manner; now diving below into the hold, and rattling the +pots and pans; again emerging upon deck, and standing to listen to +Tom and look at him. His face shone like a polished boot; there +was a grin on his face that showed every tooth in his head, and his +little twinkling black beads of eyes shone, and sparkled, and +rolled about till the winking black pupils were eclipsed by the +whites. At times he would stand still, and whisper solemnly and +mysteriously to himself, and then, without a moment's warning, he +would bring his hands down on his thighs, and burst into a loud, +long, obstreperous, and deafening peal of uncontrollable laughter. + +"Solomon," said Tom, at last, "Solomon, my son, won't you burst if +you go on so? I'm afraid you may." + +At this Solomon went off again, and dived into the hold. But in a +minute or two he was back again, and giggling, and glancing, and +whispering to himself, as before. Solomon and Captain Corbet thus +had each a different way of exhibiting the same emotion, for the +feeling that was thus variously displayed was nothing but the +purest and most unfeigned joy. + +"See yah, Mas'r Tom--and chil'n all," said Solomon, at last. "Ise +gwine to pose dat we all go an tend to sometin ob de fust portance. +Hyah's Mas'r Tom habn't had notin to eat more'n a mont; an hyah's +de res ob de blubbed breddern ob de Bee see double what been a +fastin since dey riz at free clock dis shinin and spicious morn. +Dis yah's great an shinin casium, an should be honnad by great and +strorny stivities. Now, dar ain't no stivity dat can begin to hole +a can'l to a good dinna, or suppa, or sometin in de eatin line. So +Ise gwine to pose to honna de cobbery ob de Probable Son by a rale +ole-fashioned, stunnin breakfuss. Don't be fraid dar'll be any +ficiency hyah. I got tings aboard dat I ben a savin for dis +spicious an lightful cobbery. Ben no eatin in dis vessel ebber +sence de loss chile took his parter an drifted off. Couldn't get +no pusson to tetch nuffin. Got 'em all now; an so, blubbed +breddern, let's sem'l once more, an ole Solomon'll now ficiate in +de pressive pacity ob Gran Pandledrum. An I pose dat we rect a +tent on de sho oh dis yah island, and hab de banket come off in +fust chop style." + +"The island!" cried Tom, in horror. "What! the island? Breakfast +on the island? What a horrible proposal! Look here, captain. +Can't we get away from this?" + +"Get away from this?" repeated the captain, in mild surprise. + +"Yes," said Tom. "You see, the fact is, when a fellow's gone +through what I have, he isn't over fond of the place where he's had +that to go through. And so this island is a horrible place to me, +and I can't feel comfortable till I get away out of sight of it. +Breakfast! Why, the very thought of eating is abominable as long +as that island is in sight." + +"Wal, railly, now," said Captain Corbet, "I shouldn't wonder if +thar was a good deal in that, though I didn't think of it afore. +Course it's natral you shouldn't be over fond of sech, when you've +had sech an oncommon tough time. An now, bein' as thar's no uthly +occasion for the Antelope to be a lingerin' round this here isle of +the ocean, I muve that we histe anchor an resume our vyge. It's +nigh onto a fortnight sence we fust started for Petticoat Jack, and +sence that time we've had rare and strikin vycissitoods. It may +jest happen that some on ye may be tired of the briny deep, an may +wish no more to see the billers bound and scatter their foamin +spray; some on ye likewise may be out o' sperrits about the fog. +In sech a case, all I got to say is, that this here schooner'll be +very happy to land you at the nighest port, Scott's Bay, frincense, +from which you may work your way by land to your desired haven. +Sorry would I be to part with ye, specially in this here moment of +jy; but ef ye've got tired of the Antelope, tain't no more'n's +natral. Wal, now,--what d'ye say--shall we go up to Scott's Bay, +or will ye contenoo on to Petticoat Jack, an accomplitch the +riginal vyge as per charter party?" + +The boys said nothing, but looked at Tom as though referring the +question to him. + +"As far as I am concerned," said Tom, who noticed this reference to +him, "it's a matter of indifference where we go, so long as we go +out of sight of this island. If the rest prefer landing at Scott's +Bay, I'm agreed; at the same time, I'd just as soon go on to +Petitcodiac." + +"An what do the rest o' ye say?" asked the captain, somewhat +anxiously. + +"For my part," said Bruce, "I think it's about the best thing we +can do." + +The others all expressed similar sentiments, and Captain Corbet +listened to this with evident delight. + +"All right," said he, "and hooray! Solomon, my aged friend, we +will have our breakfast on board, as we glide past them thar +historic shores. Pile on what you have, and make haste." + +In a few minutes more the anchor was up, and the Antelope was under +way. + +In about half an hour Solomon summoned them below, where he laid +before them a breakfast that cast into the shade Tom's most +elaborate meal on the island. With appetites that seemed to have +been growing during the whole period of Tom's absence, the joyous +company sat down to that repast, while Solomon moved around, his +eyes glistening, his face shining, his teeth grinning, and his hips +moving, as, after his fashion, he whispered little Solomonian +pleasantries to his own affectionate heart. At this repast the +boys began a fresh series of questions, and drew from Tom a full, +complete, and exhaustive history of his island life, more +particularly with regard to his experience in house-building, and +housekeeping; and with each one, without exception, it was a matter +of sincere regret that it had not been his lot to be Tom's +companion in the boat and on the island. + +After breakfast they came up on deck. The wind had at length +changed, as Captain Corbet had prophesied in the morning, and the +sky overhead was clear. Down the bay still might be seen the fog +banks, but near at hand all was bright. Behind them Ile Haute was +already at a respectful distance, and Cape Chignecto was near. + +"My Christian friends," said Captain Corbet, solemnly,--"my +Christian friends, an dear boys. Agin we resoom the thread of our +eventfool vyge, that was brok of a suddent in so onparld a manner. +Agin we gullide o'er the foamin biller like a arrer shot from a +cross-bow, an culleave the briny main. We have lived, an we have +suffered, but now our sufferins seem to be over. At last we have a +fair wind, with a tide to favor us, an we'll be off Hillsborough +before daybreak to-morrer. An now I ask you all, young sirs, do +you feel any regretses over the eventfool past? I answer, no. An +wan't I right? Didn't I say that that thar lad would onst more +show his shinin face amongst us, right side up, with care, in good +order an condition, as when shipped on board the Antelope, Corbet +master, from Grand Pre, an bound for Petticoat Jack? Methinks I +did. Hence the vally of a lofty sperrit in the face of +difficulties. An now, young sirs, in after life take warnin by +this here vyge. Never say die. Don't give up the ship. No +surrender. England expects every man to do his dooty. For him +that rises superior to succumstances is terewly great; an by +presarvin a magnanumous mind you'll be able to hold up your heads +and smile amid the kerrash of misfortin. Now look at me. I affum, +solemn, that all the sufferins I've suffered have ben for my good; +an so this here vyge has eventooated one of the luckiest vyges that +you've ever had. An thus," he concluded, stretching out his +venerable hands with the air of one giving a benediction,--"thus +may it be with the vyge of life. May all its storms end in calms, +an funnish matter in the footoor for balmy rettuspect. Amen!" + +It was a close approach to a sermon; and though the words were a +little incoherent, yet the tone was solemn, and the intention good. +After this the captain dropped the lofty part of a Mentor, and +mingled with the boys as an equal. + +This time the voyage passed without any accident. Before daybreak +on the following morning they reached Hillsborough, where Mrs. +Watson received them with the utmost joy. In a few days more the +boys had scattered, and Bart arrived home with the story of Tom's +rescue. + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg Etext of Lost in the Fog, by James De Mille + diff --git a/old/lstfg10.zip b/old/lstfg10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..59ddba8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/lstfg10.zip |