The Cruise of the Dainty | Page 9

that we shall get a breeze before long."
Harry did not say this in a very cheerful tone. He soon afterwards
beckoned Tom Platt to him, and I saw them talking earnestly together
for some minutes. I joined them. They were discussing the probable set
of the current, which was at present sweeping us at the rate of at least
three knots an hour towards the reef.
"We might keep her off it, at all events, until a breeze springs up,"
remarked Tom.
"We'll have the boats out, then, and do our best," said my brother, and
he gave the order "Out boats."
We carried two boats on the davits, but as they were too light to be of
much service, we hoisted out the long-boat, which was stowed
amidships. We also lowered one of the gigs. The two boats were at
once made fast to the tow-line. The men gave way, and the schooner's
head was kept off from the threatening reef, against which the sea was
breaking with tremendous force. The men bent to their oars, for they
knew the danger as well as we did.
We all watched the reef with anxious eyes. Should the vessel be driven
against it, we should, in a few seconds, we well knew, be dashed to

pieces; and, though we might escape in the boats before that
catastrophe occurred, we should be left to make a long voyage before
we could reach any civilised people. All around us were islands, most
of them, we had reason to fear, inhabited by treacherous and
blood-thirsty savages.
We, of course, did not express our anxiety to the ladies, who, however,
I thought, began to suspect that the vessel was in danger, although they
said nothing. The men had been pulling fully an hour against the
current, and yet, as I looked at the reef, I could not help acknowledging
to myself that the vessel was nearer than at first. The swell, at the same
time, began to increase, and we could now hear the roar of the breakers
as they dashed against the wall of coral which interrupted their
progress.
"We'll send the other boat ahead, Platt," said my brother.
"Ay, ay, sir," answered Tom; and he and I with the two remaining men
lowered her, and, jumping in, joined our shipmates in towing, leaving
only my brother with Dick and Nat to take charge of the vessel. He now
ordered us to pull across the current, in the hopes of thus in time getting
out of it. We all pulled away with a will, making the schooner move
faster through the water than she had done for many hours.
"We must manage it somehow," shouted Tom to the other boats. "Give
way, lads--give way. We shall soon be clear of the current."
It was of little use urging the men, as they were already straining every
nerve. My brother walked the deck, stopping every now and then,
casting his eyes frequently around the horizon in the hopes of
discovering signs of a coming breeze. Then he would look towards the
reef, but there was nothing encouraging to be seen in that direction.
Still Tom shouted every now and then, "Pull away, lads--pull away!"
"We are pulling, mate, as hard as we can," answered the men from the
other boats.
If we had any doubts of it before it was now clear enough that an

unusually strong current was setting us towards the reef, even faster
than we could pull away from it. Whenever the men showed any signs
of relaxing their efforts Harry came to the bows and cheered them on,
leaving Dick to steer. It was somewhat trying work for all of us, for the
hot sun was beating down on our heads, the perspiration streaming
from every pore; but our lives depended upon our exertions, and pull
we must to the last moment. I heard some of the men talking of going
alongside the schooner and asking the captain for a glass of grog
apiece.
"Don't be thinking of that, lads," cried Tom. "It would be so much
precious time lost. We can pull well enough if we have the will. The
grog would not give you any real strength, and you'd be as thirsty as
before a few minutes afterwards. Can't one of you strike up a tune, and
see if that don't help us along."
There was no response to this appeal, so Tom himself at once began
shouting a no very melodious ditty. First one man joined in, then
another and another, until the whole of the boats' crews were singing at
the top of their voices. It appeared to me that the vessel was moving
somewhat faster than before through the water, but looking towards the
wall of foam