Chapter 15. A Ship!

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_ CHAPTER FIFTEEN. A SHIP!

THE ISLAND FLAG--EXPEDITION TO ESTABLISH A LOOK-OUT PLACE--CUTTER PROCEEDS DOWN THE HARBOUR--PIERCE ATTACK OF SEALS--TIPPO SAHIB PUT TO FLIGHT--FLAGSTAFF SET UP--LOOKOUT HUT ERECTED--NIGHT IN THE HUT--THE BOATSWAIN'S YARNS--HARRY PUTS OFF TO RETURN--BLOWING HARD--BOAT IN DANGER--RETURN TO LOOKOUT POINT--THE STORM RAGES--PETER WRAPS HIMSELF IN THE FLAG--ANXIETY ABOUT THE BOAT--HUT ON FIRE--ATTEMPTS TO SAVE HUT-- PASS NIGHT BY THE FIRE--A SHIP SEEN.

The cutter had been thoroughly repaired, and Harry resolved at once to go down the harbour and fix on a look-out place whence a signal could be made to any ship approaching the southern end of the island. A flagstaff had been constructed out of the spars of the launch, and some of the straightest trees which could be found. The boatswain had rigged it completely, so that it was ready at once to set up. Willy and Peter laughed heartily when they saw the flag which had been formed. It consisted of two boats' ensigns, increased in size by a petticoat and part of a seaman's shirt.

"If its materials can be distinguished, it will tell pretty plainly the character of our party," remarked Harry.

Harry took the boatswain, with Peter and Willy and four other seamen, one of whom was Paul Lizard, and another Tom Wall. As the excursion might prove a long one, and as in that uncertain climate they might be detained by bad weather, they carried provisions for a couple of days, hoping, should they be kept out longer, to be able to kill some seals or wild-fowl for their support. The rest of the party were to search for roots and berries, from the latter of which Mrs Rumbelow announced that she could make an excellent preserve, could sugar be manufactured. The doctor promised to exert his scientific knowledge to the best of his power for the public good.

The wind being light, Harry and his party had to keep close in-shore, to avoid the tide which was still running up the harbour. Just as they got off the bay, where Paul and Tom had the adventure with the old sea-lion, several seals were seen swimming about, apparently fishing, darting rapidly to and fro in various directions in chase of their prey. Presently there was a great commotion in the water ahead, and two huge animals appeared struggling together. "Why, they are fighting," cried Willy. "What tremendous digs they give into each other's necks with their sharp tusks."

One was a tiger and the other a black seal. Now they separated, now they dashed at each other, just like savage dogs, not uttering the slightest sound all the time. Now they sank below the surface, now rose again, tearing away at each other as before.

"I shouldn't be surprised that one of them was the big fellow you called Tippo Sahib, who attacked you the other day, Paul," said Willy.

"May be, sir," answered Lizard. "But see, there's another on the rocks. That's master Tippo, I suspect. He looks as if he was watching for us, and I shouldn't be surprised if he was to give chase."

Willy laughed at the notion; but directly afterwards the old lion plunged into the water, and his snout was seen within a few seconds rising close to the oars. Harry ordered the men to pull on, as he did not wish to expend any shot on the animal. Tippo, however, seizing the blade of Paul's oar, held it so tightly that he nearly hauled it out of his hands. Not till he had received several blows on the nose from the other oars would he let go.

"Why, he has nearly bitten my oar in two," cried Paul.

"Better that than your leg," observed Willy.

"That's Tippo; I have no doubt about him," cried Paul. "He means mischief."

The sea-lion, however, was kept at bay by the oars, while the boatswain stood up in the stern with a club, ready to give him a blow should he come nearer. After swimming round the boat for some time, he seemed to consider that he could gain nothing by a battle with the four-legged strange creature, as he doubtless considered the boat, and so leisurely swam back to the rocks he had left, up which he scrambled, and sat watching the cutter as she continued her course along the shore.

A breeze at last sprang up, and sail being set she ran down to the mouth of the harbour. On the northern shore, near the eastern entrance, was a point rising for a hundred feet or more above the water. Here the party landed, and Harry and the boatswain agreed that it was the best station on which their flagstaff could be planted. From its summit they could look over the whole of the southern island; while the flag would be visible far out at sea, beyond the western entrance of the harbour. The flagstaff was accordingly landed, and as all hands were required to set it up, and the boat could not be left alone, she was hauled up on the beach. But as they had only wooden spades to work with, some time was occupied in digging the hole in which to plant the flagstaff. It was at length got up, and stayed by four shrouds. The flag was hoisted and flew out to the breeze.

"That will show that some one is not far off," observed Mr Bollard. "But should a vessel send her boat on shore, the people may not know where to find us."

"I have been thinking of that," said Harry, "and will leave a bottle with a paper in it directing them to the settlement."

"But if another gale was to spring up, and there is every chance of that, the flag might be blown to pieces, or the flagstaff itself carried away," observed the boatswain. "If you think fit, therefore, Mr Shafto, I'll remain here with one or two of the men; and, depend on it, we will keep a bright look-out for passing vessels, so that we need only hoist our flag should one come near enough to see it."

"We can ill spare you at the camp, Bollard," said Harry; "and if you remain here you will require shelter and food. This hill is a bleak place, and if we could not get to you with a supply of provisions, you would run the risk of starving."

"As to shelter, we have our axes, and we might easily put up a hut; and for the matter of food, if we are hard-pressed, we can make our way overland to the settlement; it cannot be much more than five or six miles."

As the boatswain was so anxious to remain, Harry at last consented to his proposal.

"We must put you up a hut, however, before we return to the settlement," he observed; "and after we have had dinner we will set to work about it."

There was a wood at some little distance; and, as soon as the meal was over, all hands repaired there to cut timber for the proposed hut. They worked away very hard, Harry and the midshipmen labouring as well as the rest. As soon as several trees were felled, Harry, leaving Bollard and two of the men to cut more, with the rest of the party carried them up the hill. They had then to dig the foundation of the hut. While this was doing, Willy and Peter collected a supply of grass from the hillside.

So busily were they all employed that evening arrived before they thought the day was half spent. Dark clouds had been gathering, and the wind increasing, and they had the prospect of a stormy night. The hut, however, was roofed in, and they were able to take shelter from the torrents of rain which now came down. Fuel having been collected, they lighted a fire in the front of the hut, but the wind blew the flames about so furiously that there was a risk of the walls, and a still greater one of the roof, catching fire. No one, therefore, ventured to go to sleep; indeed, there was not room for all the party to stretch their legs.

The first hours of the night were passed, as they sat close together to keep themselves warm, watching the bending flagstaff, and listening to the howling of the wind and the roar of the surf as it broke on the rocky shore. Harry did his best to keep the party amused, and got Paul Lizard, who could sing a good song, to strike up a merry stave; and Paul, once set going, was generally loath to stop. His full manly voice trolled forth many a ditty, sounding above the whistling of the storm and the roar of the waves. Then adventures and stories were told, and yarn after yarn was spun, most of which were no novelties to the hearers. The boatswain, who seldom condescended to tell his adventures except to the other warrant officers, narrated several wonderful ones he had gone through; and Willy and Peter could not help being surprised, after encountering so many dangers and hardships, he should be still living to narrate them. He had been left alone on an iceberg in the Polar seas, when the boat in which he was chasing a whale and all the other hands had been lost. He had been stranded on the coast of Africa, and made captive by the natives; when escaping, he had been nearly torn to pieces by a lion, only managing to scramble up a tree just as the monster's claws were within a few inches of his heels. He had got on board a slaver, which had gone down while being chased by a man-of-war, and had been picked up again just as a shark was about to seize his legs. A ship he had been on board had blown up, when only he and a dozen more had escaped. On another occasion his ship had caught fire, and the crew had to take to their boats. Three times besides he had been wrecked. "And yet, you see, mates," he wound up by saying, "here I am, alive and well, and fit for duty; and if you ask me if I think we are to get out of this place, I tell you. To be sure I do. We are not half as badly off as I have been a score of times." Encouraged by their officer, the men kept up a brisk conversation till daylight dawned.

The weather appeared to have somewhat moderated, and Harry hoped, as soon as breakfast was over, to be able to launch the boat and return to the settlement. As the party were descending the hill, however, a seal was heard bellowing in the wood. As it was important to secure the supply of meat the animal might afford, they set out in chase. The cry of the creature guided them towards her; but as they advanced, it became evident that she was going away from them. They therefore increased their speed, hoping before long to come up with her.

"May be she has lost her calf; and if so, we must keep a look-out," observed Paul Lizard. "She will prove mighty savage."

"She is not likely to show fight against half-a-dozen men," said the boatswain. "Come along, lads, we have lost a great deal of time already." At last the bellowing grew louder, and the seal was seen looking about her, wondering perhaps at the unusual sounds which struck her ear.

The boatswain was the first to emerge from the cover of the wood. The creature lifted up its monstrous head, and opening wide its jaws, made a dash at the intruder. So formidable did she appear that the sturdy boatswain, though he would have faced a human foe without trembling, turned tail and ran for his life. The seal followed, but just then, Paul Lizard coming in sight, she bolted at him, moving over the ground with her flipper-like feet at a rapid rate. Paul, having learned a lesson from experience, dodged behind a tree, and when the seal nearly reached him, sprang on one side, giving her a blow with his club on the nose. It was not sufficiently well dealt, however, to bring her to the ground; and, again catching sight of the boatswain, she once more rushed at him. Imitating Paul's manoeuvre, he managed to escape her charge. She, however, had fixed her eyes on him, and continued the pursuit, the rest of the party following. Before they could get up with the animal, the boatswain had run a considerable distance in an opposite direction from the flagstaff. Matters were growing serious; for he had well-nigh lost his breath, and the seal was so close to him that he could not venture to turn round and strike at her. Willy and Peter could not help laughing, thinking the matter very good fun, a notion the boatswain in no way shared with them. At last Paul and Tom Wall so distracted her attention that she stopped short, allowing the boatswain to bring up and face about. The three then dashed at her with their clubs, and quickly ended her life.

"Well, mates, we have deserved our dinners, at all events," exclaimed Paul, as he commenced cutting up the seal. "Mr Bollard will have gained an appetite for his."

"I had rather have gained it in a more dignified way," observed the boatswain, wiping the perspiration from his brow. "I had no notion one of these brutes would show so much fight."

"You should have had Tippo Sahib at your heels, sir," said Paul. "He showed us yesterday that he was ready enough to fight, and he is twice as savage on shore."

Some time was occupied in cutting up and packing the seal's flesh, and then, each man carrying a load, they turned their steps towards the Flagstaff-hill. It was past noon before they got back, but Harry still hoped to be able to reach the settlement at nightfall. The fire had to be relighted, and as soon as some of the seal had been cooked and eaten, they hastened down to launch the boat. It took some time to do so; but at length she was got afloat; and, leaving the boatswain and two of the men at the look-out station, Harry and the rest made sail. Though the weather appeared threatening, he was unwilling to abandon his intention. The wind was contrary, and he had to stand out some way from land to fetch the mouth of the inner harbour. He had just gone about when the wind shifted, and a furious blast from the north-west blew directly in his teeth, making the boat heel over, and nearly capsizing her. The sails were lowered just in time to prevent such a catastrophe, but it soon became evident that it would be a difficult matter to reach the harbour's mouth. The sails, however, being closely reefed, Harry determined to try what could be done. The boat looked up bravely for some time to the gale, but the wind increasing still more, he saw that the attempt was hopeless. The open ocean lay broad on his beam, foaming and raging, and there was now the danger of his being blown out to sea. The only spot where he could hope to land without losing the boat was the little bay he had just before left. Keeping as close to the wind as he could, he therefore stood towards the shore. Even with the reduced canvas she carried, and all hands sitting up to windward, the boat heeled over fearfully. Harry was at the helm, looking out anxiously through the spray, which beat up in showers over the bows, for the point which formed the northern side of the little bay into which he wished to run. Sometimes the boat's head fell off, and he was afraid that he should be unable to reach it.

"I don't like the look of things," whispered Peter to Willy; "what if we don't reach the bay?"

"We may perhaps lose the boat," answered Willy, "but I trust that we may be able to scramble on shore somewhere or other."

At length they got near enough to distinguish Bollard and his companions, who had come down to the beach to assist them. A fiercer blast than before struck the boat's sail; down she heeled, till the hissing water ran over her gunwale. For a moment Harry feared she would not recover herself. As he put down the helm she once more rose, and in another minute was under the lee of the point; and he steered in towards the only spot of sandy beach which the bay afforded. The sails were hauled down, and all hands stood ready to leap out as she touched the shore. Aided by the next sea which came rolling in, she was run high upon the beach.

"This is indeed unfortunate," said Harry to the boatswain. "It is too late to get back to-night, and I am afraid our friends at the settlement will become anxious about us."

"But they will see it is blowing hard, sir, and that will fully account for the boat not being able to get up the harbour," answered the boatswain.

Perhaps Harry was thinking that the fierce gale then blowing would only increase the anxiety which some, at all events, of the inhabitants of the settlement would feel on his account.

By the time they reached the hut the day was well advanced. There was still a short time of daylight, however, and the men employed it in cutting a further supply of fuel, that they might keep up a good fire during the night. A stream had been found at the bottom of the hill, from which they replenished their water-casks. Their supper, as on the previous evening, consisted of roast seal and a few roots cooked in the ashes, washed down with tea boiled in an iron bowl which had served as a baler for the boat. The night as it advanced became even more tempestuous than the preceding one. A few bough-tops served to keep them off the damp ground, and on these as many as could find room lay down to sleep, while the rest sat up keeping watch over the fire. Peter Patch finding the flag, which had been hauled down at sunset, wrapped himself up in it--a fortunate circumstance, as it afterwards proved, although the midshipman's object was of a purely self-interested nature. No songs were sung that evening, and though a few yarns were spun, they were often wonderfully long-drawn, the drowsy listeners scarcely comprehending the drawling words which struck on their ears. The night passed slowly by. They were thankful that the boat had been drawn up on the beach, and placed, as they hoped, in safety, out of the reach of the sea.

The gale increased, thunder roared, and lightning flashed, and the whole harbour, as far as the eye could reach, was lashed into fury.

"I don't like the look of things, Mr Shafto," observed the boatswain to Harry, who had just sat up to make room for others. "If the sea was to reach the boat it would soon knock her into splinters. I cannot stand it any longer. With your leave, sir, I'll go and see if she is all safe."

Saying this, Bollard started up, Paul Lizard following him. In a short time they were heard shouting, and all the party hurried down to join them, Peter Patch, very unwilling to be roused, bringing up the rear, wrapped, to keep himself warm, in the flag which he had appropriated. They were not a moment too soon. The foaming water had already reached the stern of the boat, and was every now and then lifting her up and letting her fall again on the sandy beach. In a few minutes more she would have been carried away or knocked to pieces. By great exertion they managed to haul her up out of the reach of the surf, though every now and then the water washed up almost round her in a sheet of foam. As it was high tide, they had hopes she would remain safe during the night. Still, although drenched to the skin, they were unwilling to leave her when so much depended on her preservation. Again and again they tried to drag her further up. They were still standing round her, when Willy, looking towards the hill, exclaimed, "Why, surely our fire is blazing up brighter than before."

"Our fire!" cried Harry. "I am afraid that the hut is in flames! On, lads, we can do no more for the boat, and we may still manage to save the hut."

The whole party rushed up the hill; but already, as they drew near the top, they saw, to their dismay, that not only the walls, but the roof itself had caught fire. Fanned by the wind, the flames rapidly spread round the building which had cost them so much labour to erect; and so fiercely did the dry grass with which it was covered burn that they could not approach it. Not without difficulty, indeed, did they save the shrouds of the flagstaff, towards which the wind drove the flames.

"And all our grub is inside," cried Paul Lizard. "I'll try and save that, even though I get scorched a bit."

Paul was rushing forward. "Avast," cried Harry, seizing him by the arm. "My gun and powder flask is within, and any moment the powder may explode."

Scarcely had he spoken when a loud report was heard, and the shattered flask flew out, just passing between them, and in all probability would have struck Paul on his legs had he gone a few paces further. In a few moments the gun itself went off, but fortunately being in an upright position the shot with which it was loaded flew over their heads.

"The danger is over now, at all events," said Paul. "And though our breakfast must be pretty well cooked, we must save some of that." Saying this, he rushed up to the hut with a long stick which he had picked up, and began raking away at the ashes. Tom and another man joined him, and succeeded in scraping out a portion of the seal-flesh and some roots, though, as he observed, holding them up, "somewhat over-roasted."

"You have forgotten the axes, lads," cried the boatswain. "Try and get them out, or we shall have a hard matter to put up another hut." After making several efforts, the heads of the axes were raked out, though the handles had been so burnt and charred as to be useless.

"Never mind that," observed the boatswain. "We may manage to replace them."

The walls of the hut, from being of some thickness, continued to burn for a long time.

"Well, lads," said Harry, "as we cannot save the huts, we must now make up a rousing fire with the remains of the wood, and try and warm ourselves. The rain has fortunately ceased, and we shall get dry in time, I hope."

The seamen, caring apparently little for the accident, began to pile up the wood they had cut on the remains of their fire, which they scraped to a sufficient distance from the burning hut to enable them to sit round it, laughing and joking as they did so.

"Shouldn't be surprised but what our bonfire had been seen from the village," said Paul Lizard. "They will be thinking that a burning mountain has burst forth. Come, lads, pile on more logs. It's precious cold still, in spite of the fire."

Fortunately, more wood had been cut for the hut than was required, and this, in addition to the fuel they had collected, enabled them to keep a fire burning till daylight. As may be supposed, no one ventured to go to sleep; indeed, all hands underwent a regular roasting process, sitting now with their backs to the fire, now with one side, now with another, and then facing it, till their wet clothes were tolerably well dried. By the boatswain's advice they then stripped off their inner garments, which they dried and then put them on again, thoroughly warmed. The latter part of the night was employed in fashioning some fresh handles for the axes out of the toughest pieces of wood they could find, so that they might be ready by daylight to go to work.

"There, my axe is as good as ever," cried Paul Lizard, as he secured the handle he had just finished.

"And so is mine," said Tom Wall. "We will soon have the hut up again, and make it a little bigger the next time."

"That's the spirit I like, lads," observed the boatswain. "Never strike your flag while the ship swims. That's the motto for English seamen; and I hope, lads, you will always stick to it. Now, Paul, just; give us a stave; we have not heard your sweet voice all the night. Just see if you cannot shout as loud as the gale." Paul thereon, nothing loath, struck up, "Cease, rude Boreas, blustering railer." Paul's example was followed by others, and daylight broke on them even before they expected its appearance.

Willy was the first to spring to his feet, saying that he would take a run down the hill and up again to warm himself. Peter Patch followed him. They had got a little distance from the bright glare of the fire, when Willy turned his eyes seaward.

"Why, Peter," he exclaimed, after gazing earnestly for a few seconds, "there is a sail, and not far off the mouth of the harbour."

"A sail! a sail!" shouted the midshipmen together. All the party sprang to their feet, and every eye was turned in the direction Willy pointed to.

"She is trying to beat in; no doubt about it," exclaimed the boatswain. "She is a large ship, under jury-masts, but will find it a hard job, though." _

Read next: Chapter 16. Ensign Holt Makes Himself Useful

Read previous: Chapter 14. Foraging

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