“No small boat would live in such a sea as this, and besides with so much loose lumber floating around it would be doubly dangerous to try going out.”
“But what are we going to do?” demanded Hockley. “I—I don’t want to drown just yet.”
“I don’t imagine this steamer is going down, Jacob. We received a heavy blow, it is true, but she is built in a number of compartments. My whole anxiety, is for Mark and Frank. If they went overboard they must be lost.”
“Well, it was their business to take care of themselves,” grumbled the tall youth, unfeelingly.
“And it is your business to look out for yourself,” retorted Darry. “But don’t let us quarrel; this thing is far too serious,” he added.
The Bengal light had now burnt itself out and no more were lit for the reason that the storm was again coming up and the crew of each vessel had to bestow their entire attention to the question of saving the craft from going down. This was comparatively an easy matter on board of the Vendee and soon under officers were sent around to assure the passengers that there was no immediate cause for alarm, that the hole had been patched up temporarily, and that it would be thoroughly repaired as soon as the wind abated.
Captain Danvier was extremely sorry to hear that two of the boys were missing and at once did what he could toward finding them. But in such a storm, which was again increasing, his first duty was to his ship, and he said, as had Professor Strong, that to risk a small boat in such a sea would be foolhardy.
“We must wait until daylight,” he said, in French. “I can do nothing now.”
Slowly the night wore away. Nobody slept, and at the first streak of dawn all went on deck. The storm had passed, but the sky was still dark. The captain had thought best to lay to, thinking the lumber schooner might need assistance. The other craft was not far away and soon they came within hailing distance of each other. The lumber boat flew the Dutch flag and proved to be bound from Saba to Curaçao.
“I have lost a large quantity of lumber!” roared the Dutch skipper, wrathfully. “I shall hold you responsible in law for it!”