We stopped, speechless. Was it fancy? Had we really heard guns from a strange ship? Or had the boys again fired? No! There were the lads leaping into their canoe and paddling in hot haste towards us. They, too, had heard the sound.
A tumult of feelings rushed over us—anxiety, joy, hope, doubt, each in turn took possession of our minds. Was it a European vessel close upon our shores, and were we about to be linked once more to civilized life? Or did those sounds proceed from a Malay pirate, who would rob and murder us? What was to be the result of meeting with our fellow beings; were they to be friends who would help us, enemies who would attack us, or would they prove unfortunate creatures in need of our assistance? Who could tell?
Before we could express these thoughts in words the cajack had touched the shore, and Jack and Franz were among us.
`Did you hear them? Did you hear them?' they gasped. `What shall we do?
Where shall we go?'
`Oh, Fritz,' continued my youngest son, `it must be a European ship. We shall find her. We shall see our Fatherland once more,' and, in an emotion of joy, he grasped his brother's hands.
Till then I knew not what a craving for civilized life had been aroused in the two young men by the appearance of their European sister.
All eyes were turned towards me. What would I advise?
`At present,' I said, `we can do nothing, for night is drawing on. We must make what preparation we can, and pray for guidance.' In the greatest excitement we returned to the house, all talking eagerly, and till late no one could be persuaded to retire to rest.
Few slept that night. The boys and I took it in turn to keep watch from the verandah, lest more signals might be fired, or a hostile visit might be paid us. But about midnight the wind began to rise, and before we reassembled to discuss our plans a fearful storm was raging; so terrific was the sea that I knew no boat could live, and had a broadside been fired at the entrance of the Bay we should not have heard it through the howling of the blast.
For two days and two nights the hurricane continued, but on the third day the sun again appeared, and, the wind lulling, the sea went rapidly down. Full of anxiety I readily complied with the boys' desire to put off to Shark Island and discharge the guns; for who could tell what had been the result of the gale; perhaps the vessel had been driven upon the rocky shore or, fearing such a fate, she had left the coast and weathered the storm out at sea; if so she might never return.