This was soon done; but the steward did not answer to his name—nor could he be found anywhere on board, although parties of the men hunted through every portion of the ship fore and aft for him.
“Snakes and alligators, mister,” said the American, “I guess it’s jest as I sed, and the slippery coon has skedaddled with the rest of the varmint!”
“Perhaps so,” answered Mr Meldrum; “but I think it far more probable that he has accidentally tumbled over the side!” In this belief, it may be added, the stewardess shared, bewailing her loss accordingly, although she was not quite so much overwhelmed with sorrow as might have been imagined to be proper on the loss of a helpmate by those unacquainted with the domestic relations of the pair.
In addition to securing the safety of the jolly-boat, Mr Meldrum ordered preparations to be made for constructing a large raft, upon which an additional stock of provisions, which were brought up from below to replace those taken away by the mutineers in the long-boat, were stowed; but no attempt was made as yet to leave the ship, all hoping that the sea would go down as the tide fell, besides which, they thought that when daylight came they would be able, as Captain Dinks had told them, to “see their way better.”
And so they waited in hope till morning should come.
Just before four bells, however, and when the faint light of day was beginning to streak the eastern sky, bringing out in relief the snow-white peaks of some mountains on the mainland, which were a little distance to the left of where the vessel was lying on the reef, a larger wave than any of the rollers that had yet assailed her struck the ship right amidships; and the timbers dividing under the strain, the poor old Nancy Bell broke in two. Still, the two sections of the hull did not immediately separate, the seas apparently losing their force and reserving their powers after delivering such a telling blow.
“I guess, mister,” said Mr Lathrope, who took the catastrophe as coolly as he did every other incident of his life apparently, “this air smash is a kinder sort o’ notice to quit, hey?”
But Mr Meldrum made no reply. He saw that the end was coming.