In a moment more he reached her, and placed her hands upon the life-buoy, which was buoyant enough to support both of them.
“You are perfectly safe now,” said Tom, as he assured himself that she had a good hold upon the buoy.
She was too much exhausted to make any reply; and, whatever she had intended in the beginning, it was clear enough to Tom that she had no present desire to end her young life.
Capt. O’Hara had hardly entered the engine-room, when he heard the energetic cry of Tom Speers; and he realized in an instant that the worst his friend feared had come to pass.
“Man overboard! Stop her, Alexander!” he shouted to the chief engineer, who was watching the motions of the machinery.
The captain told the engineer to pass the word for Mr. Frisbone. He returned to the main deck; but Raymond, the second officer, had heard the startling cry. Already the third cutter was swung out, and all the watch on deck were in the boat. The officers and seamen had been thoroughly trained to this sort of service, and there had been no more delay than if they had been on board of the Tritonia. The crew lowered themselves into the water, as there was no difficulty in doing in a smooth sea. The falls were cast off, and the cutter shoved away from the steamer. The four oars were shipped, and the crew pulled with all their muscle.
“Pull directly astern of the vessel!” shouted O’Hara, who had gone upon the hurricane-deck, where he could see all that was done.
“Ay, ay, sir!” replied the quartermaster, who, as the highest in rank, had taken the place of the coxswain; for the boat-service of the steamer was not yet organized, and it was not the practice in the vessels of the squadron to wait for the regular officers and crew of the boats in any emergency.
“Call all hands, Mr. Raymond,” said the captain to the officer of the deck.
As there was not another seaman left on the deck of the Ville d’Angers, Raymond performed this duty himself.