“Bravo!” cried the mate. “They have not taken us yet. Off with you, Mr Preddle. Now, Hampton, we must either get that boat on board, or save all we can, and then she must be stove in.”
“Which would be a pity, sir,” said Bob Hampton. “She’s heavy, and we’re few, but I think if you’ll help get out all you can from her, water-breakers and sech, I can slew round the yard, and rig up tackle as ’ll do the job.”
“Right! Up with you! Now, Blane, and you, Dale, have the boat round here to the gangway, and down into her. Mr Frewen, you and I will lower tackle, and have all up we can to lighten her.”
The men cheered, and, as excited as they were, I added my shout, and the next minute we were all at work as ordered by the mate. The boat was soon brought round, made fast, and by the time Barney and I were in, the port-gangway was opened, and tackle lowered, to which we made fast one of the breakers of water, and saw it hauled up. The other followed, and then cases, biscuit-bags, everything heavy was roped together and hauled up on them, till nothing remained but small things that it would have taken too long to collect.
“Now then,” shouted Mr Brymer, “look out!” and there was a creaking and clanging sound as the iron wheel of the tackle used for loading and unloading the cargo spun round, and the falls for running up boats to the davits descended, and were hooked on bow and stern.
“Now then, up with you!” cried the mate; and we seized the rope lowered, and climbed on board.
“Are they close here, sir?” I panted.
“Don’t talk; no. Ready there at the capstan?”
“Ay, ay,” came back.
“Haul away then.”