The foremast of the Caribbee had gone by the board, and the waves were making a clean sweep over her decks. The life-boat, which swung at the port davits of the yacht, had been cleared away, in readiness to be lowered. Finding he had good holding-ground under him, Levi ordered the men to let go the heavy anchor. Fortunately it brought her up; but the other anchor was also thrown over. The sails were lowered, and the yacht rode tolerably easy. The gale was abating, and Levi was satisfied that the two anchors would hold her.
The life-boat was manned with four men, and Levi took his place in the stern-sheets. It was no easy matter to board the wreck while the sea was making a clean breach over her. She had struck her bow upon the sharp rock, and stove in her bottom. She had filled, and her stern had settled down, and the water was over her taffrail, while her stem projected up into the air. Her hull had swung round a little, so that there was a choice of sides in approaching her. The foremast had been jammed up by the breaking of the keelson where it was set, and hung over the side. To this the life-boat was made fast, and Levi, followed by Bob Thomas, climbed on board.
Crouching under the lee of the camboose, the young skipper found Bessie, Mrs. Vincent, and the two children, while the crew were clinging to the rigging of the bowsprit to prevent being washed overboard.
"O, Levi!" cried Bessie, when she saw the manly form of her true friend.
In the blast and the spray, Levi clasped her hands, and both of them wept. It was more than three months since they had parted in the house of Mr. Watson. There was no time to think of the past, or even of the future; the present absorbed all the energies of the young seaman. With the a.s.sistance of Bob Thomas, Levi conveyed Bessie along the fallen spar, and lowered her into the life-boat. Mrs. Vincent and her two children were a.s.sisted into the boat in the same manner. Mat Mogmore and two men--all that were left of the crew--were then permitted to enter the boat, which pulled back to the yacht.
With much difficulty, and the exercise of no little skill, the life-boat was kept right side up, and the rescued party were safely placed on board of The Starry Flag, though the females had to be hoisted up in slings over the stern.
"You are safe, Bessie," said Levi, as he conducted her to the cabin.
"Thanks to our Good Father, and to you, Levi, I am!"
"I have the inexpressible happiness of greeting you again," said Mr. C.
Augustus Ebenier, as he threw open the door of her state-room.
The gale rapidly subsided, and in the afternoon, after the wreck had been boarded again, the yacht sailed for Melbourne.
CHAPTER XXV.
A HAPPY REUNION.
The sea in the Strait was comparatively smooth, and the yacht sped on her way to Melbourne. Mrs. Vincent and her children had been installed in Mr. Watson"s state-room, while Bessie occupied her own. From her Levi had obtained all the particulars of her voyage. She told him what she had suffered, what she had feared, and what she had hoped.
"Who had charge of the Caribbee?" asked Levi, when, after Bessie and Mrs. Vincent had been made comfortable, they gathered in the cabin.
"Captain Gauley," replied Bessie.
"Who was he?"
"He was a pilot on a steamer," replied Mrs. Vincent. "He and my husband became acquainted while they were on a boat near New York. I never saw him till just before we sailed from the Cape. He is a bad man."
"That is plain enough," added Levi; "but where is he now?"
"He and three other men were washed overboard when the vessel struck on the rocks."
"And three of the men were saved?"
"Yes; Mat Mogmore, the steward, and another man."
"Why did you sail without your husband, Mrs. Vincent?" asked Levi.
"I don"t know anything about this business. I hadn"t anything to do with it," replied the poor woman; and Levi and Bessie pitied her because she was the wife of such a bad man.
"I am sure she had nothing to do with carrying me off, Levi,"
interposed Bessie. "She has been very kind to me from the moment I went on board of the Caribbee, and would have a.s.sisted me to escape, if there had been any chance."
"I am very glad indeed to know that," added Levi. "I don"t see why this Captain Gauley sailed without your husband."
"Captain Vincent sent a letter to him, saying that things were going wrong with him, and ordered him to sail at once."
Levi wondered how Dock had sent the letter. When told that it was written in pencil, and that the address on the envelope was not in her husband"s hand, he was satisfied that Constable Cooke had rendered him this important service.
"My husband was to come to Australia by the steamer from England,"
added Mrs. Vincent. "Perhaps he is here now."
"I think not," replied Levi.
"Why so?"
"Because he was arrested, and committed to jail before I left the Cape.
Augustus caught him."
"I had that honor," said the steward, who was standing near the party; and the incident was fully described.
"I suppose my poor father and mother do not know what has become of me," continued Bessie, the tears starting to her eyes.
"Yes, they do. I sent two letters by a ship we spoke. If this vessel reached New York, I am sure he knows where you are. I wrote him that I should follow you round the world, if need be."
"How brave and n.o.ble you are, Levi!" she said, bestowing a glance of admiration upon him. "And this Starry Flag has rendered me a greater service than the other Starry Flag."
"She has indeed! She is the finest little craft that ever floated; and I shall love her as long as I live. In that great gale a week ago, she was under water half the time, I believe. We had to batten down everything, and lash ourselves to the deck."
"That was a fearful storm. I hope I shall never see another such. How grateful we ought to be for our preservation!"
"I trust we are grateful to G.o.d for his goodness and his mercy,"
replied Levi, devoutly.
On the following day the yacht took a pilot, and came to anchor in the harbor of Melbourne. Mat Mogmore had kept out of sight since he came on board, spending all his time in the forecastle; but when the anchor was dropped he appeared on deck.
"I think I will go on sh.o.r.e now, Levi," said he, with an a.s.sumed coolness.
"I think not," replied Levi, decidedly.
"What do you mean by that?" demanded the young villain.
"I mean that you shall not leave this vessel, unless you leave it in irons. I shall state the case to the American consul; and I think you will return to the United States as a prisoner."
"Why, what have I done?" asked Mat.
"What have you done!" exclaimed Levi, indignantly. "Besides being guilty of meanness and treachery, you have committed a crime which will send you to the state prison for the next ten years."