We all of us now looked with even greater eagerness than before at the approaching vessel.
“Let draw the foresail,” cried the mate.
We stood on so that we might be in the best possible position for running alongside the whaler, for such she was, as soon as she hove-to.
“We’re seen!—we’re seen!” shouted several of our crew.
We waved our hats, and shouted.
“She is the Intrepid!” cried Mr Griffiths.
Presently she came to the wind, and we, lowering our sail and getting out our oars, were soon alongside her. There stood Captain Hawkins—there the second mate, with many other faces we knew. I never saw people look so astonished as we sprang up the side, while our boat was hooked on and hoisted on board.
“Why, Griffiths!—Cockle! Where have you come from?” exclaimed Captain Hawkins. “I had given you up for lost long ago.”
They gave a brief account of our adventures, but there was not much time for talking, for we had not been aboard five minutes before all hands were employed in shortening sail, and the gale came down upon us with even greater strength than on the previous night. Had we been exposed to it in our open boat there would have been little chance of our escape. We had thus much reason to be thankful to Heaven that we had got aboard in time.
There being plenty of sea room, the Intrepid was hove-to. Even as it was, the sea broke aboard and carried away one of her boats and did other damage. She had been nearly wrecked on the reef during the gale when we were on the island; and Captain Hawkins, believing that we had been lost, stood for Guam, where he had been detained for want of proper workmen and fresh hands. Had it not been for this she would long before have been on her homeward voyage.