"If we could manage to construct such a still as our friend the American doctor formed on the sand-bank, we might obtain fresh water," observed Tom.
"I"m sure I don"t know exactly how it was done," answered Desmond, "but I remember the principle, and feel pretty sure that I could manage it if any one on board understands blacksmith"s work. Steam we can produce fast enough from the largest tea-kettle on board; the chief difficulty will be the condenser."
When, however, Tom mentioned his idea to Captain Stubbins, the skipper laughed at him, and declared that he could not do it if he tried, as there was no blacksmith on board. A breeze springing up made it less necessary for Tom to try his experiment, and the skipper a.s.serted that the water would hold out until they could get into Sydney. He was, however, all this time keeping much further to the eastward than was necessary. Tom and Desmond agreed that he was not aware how far off he was from land, though he would find out his mistake when he came to haul to the westward.
"Well, I do wish this voyage was over," exclaimed poor Billy, on whom the hard fare was beginning to tell, though he had wonderfully withstood the long journey across the country. "I shall be losing the number of my mess if this horrid brig doesn"t make better way than she has. .h.i.therto been doing."
There seemed every probability of the voyage being prolonged. Now the wind was contrary, now it again fell calm; and even with a fair wind the tub of a brig seldom made more than five or six knots an hour. The heat of the cabin was such that the midshipmen never remained below longer than they could help, and much of the night was spent on deck. The skipper, on the contrary, seemed seasoned to any amount of heat, and was constantly below.
One night, after a supper of hard, cold, salt beef, which they could only eat by cutting it into the thinnest of slices--mouldy biscuit, rum and muddy water--they went on deck, where they found Casey and Peter, who had been taking a meal of the same description. Excepting the watch, the rest of the crew were below.
"Any chance of our getting in, sir?" asked Casey of Tom. "It is pretty well time we should be there, for I"ve been trying to learn what quant.i.ty of water we have got on board. As far as I can make out, we"ve not got a gallon at the most, and that won"t keep our tongues moist for more than a couple of days."
"I doubt whether the master himself is aware of this," said Tom, "for he takes the matter very easy, and he ought to have put all hands on an allowance before this. He must do so, or we shall be dying of thirst before we drop anchor in Sydney harbour."
The brig was at this time under all sail, but the wind was light, and she was making little way. Suddenly her sails gave a loud flap against the mast.
"We are going to have another calm, I fear," said Desmond.
"I"m not quite so sure of that," said Casey. "I"ve been watching the sky, and it seems to me as if a thick gloom was spreading over it. I"ve observed a dark bank rising rapidly to the southward and eastward.
Look, sir, you cannot see a star in that quarter. If I was the mate, I"d shorten sail at once."
Tom and Desmond took a survey of the horizon in the quarter to which Casey was pointing. The bank was rising rapidly; it looked, indeed, as if a dark curtain was being drawn over the sky.
"I"ll point it out to the mate," said Tom.
On going aft, Tom found the mate seated close to the taffrail. Instead of keeping a look-out, he was fast asleep. Tom roused him up, and pointed out the appearance of the sky.
"I don"t think it"s anything," he observed, rubbing his eyes.
"It is, though," cried Tom. "Listen to that roar."
At that moment a dull rushing sound was heard, and a long streak of white was seen extending from east to south-west across the ocean.
"Turn the hands up! shorten sail!" cried Tom.
The mate repeated the order. The midshipmen sprang to the main-topsail halyards, Casey and Peter to the fore-topsail; but almost before a rope could be let go, a fierce blast struck the brig. In vain the mate tried to put the helm up. Over she heeled more and more, until the yardarms touched the water. Tom and Desmond seized hold of Billy, who had just before dropped off to sleep, and scrambled up to the weather bulwarks.
Casey and Peter had been doing the same. Another instant and the brig was on her beam ends, with the water rising up to the combings of the hatchway.
Believing that the brig was going over, the midshipmen and their companions got on to the outside of the bulwarks, holding on to the main-chains. As the lee side of the sails was already under water, there was no probability that the brig would rise again. Every moment, indeed, it seemed as if she must go down. Their position was truly a fearful one.
The mate and the man at the helm had apparently slipped off into the water, as they were nowhere visible. Of the two men forward, one only succeeded in gaining the bulwarks, the other had probably shared the fate of the mate. The condition of those below was terrible. Unable to gain the deck, they were probably drowned in their berths. Although the main hatchway was closed, the fore and companion hatches were open.
The wind howled over the doomed brig; the sea was getting up. The midshipmen believed that she must quickly founder and their fate be sealed.
"We have gone through many a danger together," said Tom, to Desmond; "but I believe our time has come at last. I wish my brother Jack could have known our fate. He will be very sorry for us, and so will those at home."
"It cannot be helped," said Desmond. "I should have liked to live longer, and we are better off than the poor fellows drowning in their berths."
"What! Do you think the brig is going down?" cried Billy. "Dear me, how dreadful; can"t we get something to float upon?"
"As the water is rushing into her fearfully fast, I don"t see what chance there is of her floating," answered Tom. "However, we will not give up all hope while she remains above water. Perhaps, when the squall is pa.s.sed over, we may manage to scramble out along the masts and cut away the topgallant yards, and get hold of some of the gratings or spare spars to form a raft."
"We must be quick about it, then," observed Desmond; "for the old craft may go down at any moment."
"While the wind is blowing as it is now, there is no use making the attempt," said Tom. "She does not appear to me to have sunk lower than she did when she first went over. She has a light cargo, and will float longer than a vessel heavily laden."
The midshipmen, however, could not talk much, for it was a difficult matter to make each other hear, what with the sound of the wind, and the sea dashing against the hull of the brig, while showers of spray fell over them. They could distinguish the figures of Casey and Peter, with another man holding on to the fore-rigging, but as yet they had been unable to exchange words with them, and were afraid to let go their hold, lest they should be washed off by the sea. The gale continued to blow furiously, and for two hours a perfect hurricane raged. It suddenly ceased, and the sea--though not so rapidly--began to go down.
On this their hopes revived. Tom was anxious to ascertain Casey"s opinion, and made his way to the fore-rigging.
"I"d stick to the hull, sir," answered Pat. "The brig has floated so long; she may float longer, and we had better wait until daylight before we attempt to make a raft. We may chance to slip off into the sea, or one of those savage sharks may be watching a chance to get hold of us."
Tom followed Casey"s advice, and without much difficulty regained his former position. Never had a night appeared so long to any of the party. Notwithstanding their position, however, Billy was constantly dropping off to sleep, and Tom and Desmond had to hold him on, or he would to a certainty have fallen into the water. As the morning approached, the sea became perfectly calm. They would have been thankful for the breeze, which might bring some vessel to their succour.
What hope could they have of surviving many hours on the bottom of the brig? The sun rose. Almost exhausted, the midshipmen could with difficulty hold on. As they turned their weary eyes in all directions, not an object was in sight.
"No land to be seen?" asked poor Billy.
"That may be a couple of hundred miles away, I fear," answered Tom.
"Any vessel coming to our help?" again inquired Billy, who, stretched on the rigging, could not lift his head.
"Without a breath of air, there is no chance of that," said Desmond; "but cheer up, Billy, perhaps a steamer will be coming this way."
"There are not many likely to be cruising in this direction," observed Tom. "However, as I have said all along, we will hope for the best."
"Oh! I"m so hungry; so thirsty," moaned the younger midshipman. "Can"t you get me something to eat?"
"If we were to go into the cabin, we should find nothing," said Desmond.
"The last cask of water was on the starboard side, with the hung out, and must be full of salt water by this time."
The midshipmen again relapsed into silence.
The sun rose higher and higher, its beams striking down with fury on their heads; even Tom, who was the strongest, felt that they could not hold out much longer. Hour after hour went by; still, if they were not to perish, something must be done. He asked Casey and the other men whether they had by chance any fish-hooks in their pockets? They searched, but in vain, and as to going below to look for them, they all declared that it would be impossible. The brig, however, continued to float; that was something, but Tom could not help acknowledging that they would be unable to hold out another night. Even he, as he felt the pangs of hunger and his mouth parched with thirst, began to despair.
Desmond and Billy were already far gone. He gazed at the countenances of his two messmates. "They"ll never see another sun rise, and shall I?" Tom began seriously to consider how best to prepare himself for his inevitable fate.
Just then Casey sang out, "A breeze! a breeze! I felt it on my cheek, a moment ago!" He endeavoured to wet his finger with his parched tongue, but could hardly do so. He held up his hand. "It"s from the southward, and if we can manage to build a raft, we may yet reach the land, or get into the line of vessels running between Sydney and the northern ports."
These exclamations aroused Tom; even Desmond looked up.
"A breeze! Yes, indeed, there is, and a sail too. She is standing towards us!" He pointed to the southward. A patch of white canvas, on which the sun was shining brightly, appeared on the blue ocean. Casey, at at the same time, caught sight of it.
"Hurrah! hurrah! we are saved; she cannot fail to see us."
The cheer was taken up by his companions in misfortune. Even Billy lifted up his head.
"Is it true, Rogers, that you see a sail?" he asked.
"As true as that we are here, but we must not make too sure of being discovered," replied Tom.