None too soon. Her end came with a rapidity that was extraordinary. The tarpaulin arrangement had doubtless shifted from her side, and the water rushed in.
Her whole fore part rose for a moment and trembled in the air. Next minute, she went down with a fearful sounding plunge, stern first. The frothy bubbling waters closed over her, and this was the last of the brave barque Boo-boo-boo.
CHAPTER VII
AFLOAT ON A DERELICT SHIP
How strange it all seemed! And how unreal! Only yesterday bounding along in their own good barque, their home on the ocean wave, filled with hope, and even happiness. To-day, afloat on a derelict ship! There were times when Sandie was not quite sure whether or not he was awake, whether all he saw around him was not merely the phantasm of an ugly dream.
Alas! it was all too real.
The deserted ship was, like the lost Boo-boo-boo, a barque, but not of the same dimensions by a long way.
What had been her trade or calling? Well, Captain D’Acre and his mate had not much difficulty in determining this. First and foremost, she was exceedingly light in the water—almost empty, in fact. It was evident, therefore, that she had not yet taken her cargo on board. Down below in the hold, and ’tween decks, were found large quantities of rice and many barrels of water. There was also ample provision for cooking this rice at the large galley.
“Do you begin to smell a rat, sir?” said the mate.
“I do, my friend, I do.”
“And see, sir, what we have in this corner!”