“I know Mabel, yet I cannot help feeling as if, were we again to be driven out to sea, it would be harder to bear than our trials of the last week have been.”
“But see, Allen,” broke in Etta, “we can actually see the shore and what is on it.”
“You mean, what is not on it, don’t you?” said Allen. “I don’t see anything but a mass of reddish brown rock.”
“I must say it is not a very promising looking shore” answered Etta, “but I shall be thankful to reach it, no matter what there is on it. I have such a horror of this boat, from which my mother and sister have been snatched by death.”
Nearer, and nearer they came to the shore. At last a grating sound under the keel, was heard. They had gone as far as possible. One of the sailors sprang out, and found the water quite shallow, and waded ashore. He soon came back, and, with the help of the other sailors, carried ashore what was left of the provisions. Going on shore a second time they found that if they could move the boat from its present position, they might get it into deeper water, and by pushing it along with a pole bring them a sort of little cove.
“But where are we to get the poles from?” asked Allen.
“We will take the remains of the mast. That will do,” said Captain Gray.
Suiting the action to the word, and getting the boat free once more, they began to push her slowly up the little inlet. At last she was snugly alongside the shore, and once more all the party felt the firm earth under their feet. A feeling of thankfulness filled every heart.
CHAPTER VI.
They were all very hungry, as they had been too intently watching their approach to the island to think of eating anything since the morning, and it was now almost sunset. Going over to the place where the sailors had first landed, where the beef and biscuit had been deposited, they prepared to eat their supper. They were all heartily tired of salt beef and hard tack, but the country appeared to be very barren, and there seemed little likelihood of their finding much in the way of food on it.