After an anxious four days Jack Clewlin from aloft sang out, 'Land, O!'
It presently became visible from the deck, and the old man decided to run to leeward.
It was a small but lofty island, perhaps twenty miles long by about eight or ten miles across, and it seemed to be covered with thickly-growing timber and dense undergrowth. The coast-line was bold and steep, but no reefs could be seen.
Within a couple of hours the 'Alert' had drawn well abreast of a precipitous headland, and was still striving to pass it, when suddenly everything aloft was taken flat aback by baffling winds from the shore. The sudden strain thus cast on all the head stays proved more than the good old barque could resist, and in a moment large quantities of water poured into the hold.
'She's done for, sir!' Mr. Sennit shouted from the forecastle-head. 'The bow has almost caved in.'
Captain Thorne remained perfectly calm.
'All hands loose everything,' he sang out. 'Get the Chinamen at the pumps. Bear a hand! Set the stu'n's'ls for'a'd. Carpenter and steward stand by to lower quarter-boats. We'll put her hard and fast yet, Sennit.'
The men raced aloft faster than ever in their lives. The Chinamen worked the pumps for all they were worth. Every stitch of canvas was set in less than ten minutes, and passing the point the steadily settling vessel ran toward a clear and level bit of sandy beach under her lee, which, however, she never reached.
The vessel was driven direct for a spot where she might rest in safety, and she certainly did her best to reach it. When some attention could be directed shoreward it was seen that she had entered a spacious bay, about four miles across, and deep water seemed to run right up to the sandy beach. From the latter she was still some distance away, and, of course, as the hull was forced deeper in the water the more did the leakage increase. At last the chain-plates were awash, and it became a matter of doubt if the shore could be reached.
'I don't think she'll do it, lad,' Readyman observed to his young friend. 'Anyhow, my son, we may not have far to swim. You must remain close to me, and we'll see it——'