No! I looked and found it had been an illusion of my sight, due to the flame of the flare that was burning fiercely on the main-deck.
'Are you all here?' I cried, addressing the dusky huddle of men at the bottom of the boat.
Something was said, but the gale deafened me, and I could catch no meaning, no syllables indeed, in the answer.
'They'll all be here, sir,' shouted one of my crew; 'the port-davits are empty, and some'll have left in the boat.'
A great sea swung us up at that instant flush with the level of the bulwark-rails, with a heel of the barque that disclosed her decks bare to the bright fires of the signal.
'They must be all here!' I cried; 'but look well. Is there one among you who can catch any signs of a living man on board?'
They waited for the next upheaval of sea; then rose a shout: 'They're all here, sir, you'll find.'
'Heave ahead then, my lads!' by which I meant that they should haul upon the cable to drag the boat clear of the dreadful crushing, shearing chop of the overhanging bows of the barque.
At that instant a head showed over the rail a little abaft the fore-shrouds, and the clear, piercing voice of a boy cried, with as good an English accent as I myself have, 'My father is ill and helpless in the cabin. Do not leave us!'
'No, no, we'll not leave you,' I instantly shouted in return, sending my voice fair to the lad from the height of a sea that pretty well brought his and my head on a level. 'How many are there of you?'