“Not take her?” cried Mark, rousing himself a little at this.
“No, not take her. He must heave to and pick us up. As soon as it is day glasses will be at work in the maintop; and directly they see our plight the Nautilus will come down to us with every stitch of canvas set.”
“Hooray!” shouted the men as they heard the lieutenant’s words; and when he gave his orders, they set to with a will to drag the keel down toward them. Discipline, training, all was in their favour; but the boat was heavy, and seemed to fight against them. Turning their bodies into weights, they drew it more and more over, till it was so low that the lieutenant bade one man climb up and reach over to get hold of the side.
This was done again and again, but only for the weight to disturb the equilibrium, and send it back, the man in each case going right over with it, to be plunged in, head-first, on the other side.
Sailors are light-hearted fellows, and even in times of peril they soon forget their troubles, and are ready to join in a grin.
It was so here. A roar of laughter saluted each man who went down as soon as he rose again and swam round, taking it all good-humouredly enough, as he resumed his place to renew the struggle, till at last the lieutenant was ready to give up in despair.
“Let me try this time,” said Mark at last. “I’m lighter, and I think I could get hold of the side with the boathook as soon as I am on the keel.”
“Hear that, my lads?” shouted Dance, “and me to have handled a hitcher all these years, and never to have thought of it. Boat’s righted, messmates, now; only, by your leave, sir, if you’d let me try, I think I could do it easier than you.”
“Try then, my lad,” said the lieutenant; and, getting hold of the hook, the coxswain moved into the centre on one side as the crew seized the keel and dragged it down, while the man, boathook in hand, climbed up, finding good foothold on the clinker-built boat, steadying himself with his pole as he worked. At last he stood upright on the side of the keel, reached over and fixed his hook upon one of the rowlocks; then holding on firmly by the pole and pressing his feet against the keel, he hung right away, his body now forming so heavy a balance-weight that upon the men making a simultaneous effort to draw the boat over, she came down more and more. Then with a sudden lurch the resistance against them was overcome, and she came right over to an even keel, plunging Dance into the water, from which he rose spitting and sputtering, to begin swimming back amidst a hearty burst of cheers.