“Why, — me if it don’t look as if the mean cowardly crew have been and desarted the poor thing,” exclaimed Bob with unusual vehemence, as we noticed that the figure never moved as though to direct the attention of others to our approach.
“It looks very like it,” I replied; “but we shall soon see. It will be an awkward matter to board, however, with all that wreck dangling about to leeward. Stand by to ease the jib-sheet up, as I put the helm down.”
Another minute, and we were hove-to on the ship’s lee quarter, as near as we dared approach.
The young girl (for such we now saw her to be) had by this time so far recovered her composure as to rise up once more and approach the lee-side of the deck.
Taking off my hat, and making my best bow, I hailed:
“Are you all alone on board there?”
“Yes, oh yes,” she replied, in the sweetest voice I had ever heard; “I have been quite alone for more than a week. Pray, pray do not go away and leave me again, sir. I have been nearly mad, and I shall die if I remain alone here much longer.”
“Make your mind quite easy, my dear young lady,” I replied; “we certainly will not leave you, come what may. But it will be very difficult for us to get on board, with those spars swaying about; and the attempt to do so may occupy much time. But do not suffer the slightest apprehension; we will get you off the wreck somehow, never fear. After all,” I remarked, half to her and half to Bob, “I believe the quickest way out of the difficulty will be for me to jump overboard and swim alongside; there are plenty of ropes-ends hanging over the side to help me on board.”
“Oh no, sir!” she exclaimed eagerly; “indeed you must do nothing of the kind. There is an immense shark down there,” pointing under the counter; “he has scarcely left the ship a moment since the sailors went away.”
This was awkward. There seemed no chance of being able to get on board to leeward, the whole of the ship’s starboard side being completely encumbered with wreck; and there was far too much sea to permit of our running alongside to windward.