The crew ran to obey the orders, but it came too late. Over went the tall ship; down, down, the raging tempest pressed her.
“Axes, axes, cut, cut,” was heard from several mouths.
“Follow me, Paul, and then cling on for your life,” cried Reuben Cole, climbing through a weather port; “it’s too late to save the ship.”
Chapter Three.
“What are we to do now?” asked Paul, after he had secured his hold in the main-chains.
“Hold on, Jack, where you are, while I will go and try to help some of our shipmates,” answered Reuben. “There’s Mr Devereux, who can’t do much to help himself; and the young Mounseer, I should like to save him.”
Several men had already got to the upper side of the ship, some in the main, and others in the mizen-chains, while others were in the rigging. As the ship was light, she still floated high out of the water. Many might possibly, therefore, be alive below. Reuben had not been gone long, when he put his head through the port, singing out—
“Here, Paul, lend a hand and help up Mr Devereux.”