“One junk has taken the ground, sir,” I said, “and—”
“Yes, well, what?”
“Her masts and sails have fallen over the side.”
“And our boats?”
“Lying-to, sir, doing nothing.”
But that was as far as I could see, for they were doing a good deal, as we afterwards heard.
“Other junk has floated over, sir, nearly to the same place.”
“Good; burning still?”
“Oh yes, sir—very fast.”
He need not have asked; for, as Barkins told me afterwards, they could see the flames from the deck, though our boats were invisible.