"Not more than two cable-lengths distant."
"Not more! The shore is here!"
Captain Mangles leaned over the railing, gazed at the dark waves, and cried:
"The sounding-lead, Wilson!"
The skipper, who was in the forecastle, did not seem to suspect his situation. Wilson grasped the sounding-line, which lay coiled in its pail, and rushed into the port-shrouds. He cast the lead; the rope slipped between his fingers; at the third knot it stopped.
"Three fathoms!" cried Wilson.
"We are on the breakers!" shouted the sober captain to the stupefied one.
Whether the former saw Halley shrug his shoulders or not is of little consequence. At all events, he rushed towards the wheel and crowded the helm hard alee, while Wilson, letting go the line, hauled upon the top-sail yard-arms to luff the ship. The sailor who was steering, and had been forcibly pushed aside, did not at all understand this sudden attack.
"To the port-yards! let loose the sails!" cried the young captain, managing so as to escape the reefs.
For half a minute, the starboard side of the brig grazed the rocks, and, in spite of the darkness, John perceived a roaring line of breakers that foamed a few yards from the ship.