It was a light. No, but lights, steadily advancing towards them.
They shouted now, yelled and shrieked, and flashed their light.
Was it seen? Were they heard? Yes, yes, even as God Himself hears prayer.
In less than ten minutes they were on board a strange Australian-bound ship, and telling their marvellous adventures to passengers and crew. But, it is needless to say, that one portion of their adventures they kept silent about, the discovery of the sunken treasure.
And more of sunken gold, I do believe, lies in the sea, or hidden on islands, than we are aware of.
In dim green depths rot ingot laden ships,
While gold doubloons, that from the drowned hand fell,
Lie nestled to the ocean-flowers' bell
With love's gemmed rings once kissed by now dead lips.
And round some wrought-gold cup, the sea-grass whips,
And hides lost pearls, near pearls still in their shell,
Where sea-weed forests fill each ocean dell,
And seek dim sunlight with their countless tips.
But adventures so terrible were not altogether credited by the skipper of the Wampiri, nor by his few passengers either. Else the probability is, that the former would have gone some distance out of his way to salvage a portion of the Macbeth's cargo.
He was on a passage, and bad weather had blown him considerably out of his way. It would have been folly, therefore, to have delayed.
This ship was outward bound, and had rounded the Horn, and was under all sail for Adelaide and Sidney.
Sidney, why, the very name of the place made Kep's heart jump for joy. The Breezy might be there!