Hixon replied that the captain and ten men had escaped.
Although the channel between the rock and the land might be deep, with the help of a man on the latter, if a rope could be passed to him, they might all cross in safety.
They waited anxiously till daylight. The wind had gone down by that time, and the sea was much calmer. A rocky island of some height rose before them, but as the sea rushed in and out in the intervening space, even a good swimmer might have hesitated to cross.
The larger portion of their gallant ship had disappeared, but the afterpart still remained entire.
Several lengths of rope were cut from the rigging of the mainmast, which had been thrown back on the rock. They were eager to get across, for they had no food and no water on the rock. Several attempts were made to heave a rope to the man on the island, but in vain, the distance was too great. At length a short piece of a spar was fastened to the end of the signal halyards. How eagerly it was watched, as it floated now in one direction, now in another; gradually it drew out the line; it was hoped that it might be drifted by some surge towards the man, who was eagerly on the watch to catch it.
“We must not despair,” said Peter to Hixon, who had come to see how the captain was getting on. “If we pray that God will send the spar to shore He is certain to hear us, and He will do it if He thinks fit.”
“What you say is true, I know,” observed the old man; and together they knelt and prayed that a way to serve them might be found.
The captain, who had returned to consciousness, looked at them with astonishment, but said nothing. In a short time a shout came from the men who held the line on the inner side of the rock that the spar had reached the shore, and that Tom had hold of it. A stronger rope was soon hauled across, and then one which could bear the weight of two or three people at a time, if necessary. That was secured between the rock and the mainland. First one man made his way along it, then another and another, and all were going, with the exception of Emery and Bill, who, with Peter and old Hixon, stayed by the captain. The latter, seeing this, cried out, “Shame, lads; would you desert the captain when he is unable to help himself?” The men, however, did not heed him: they were eager to get hold of a cask of provisions which, with another of water, Tom told them had been thrown up on the island. The news made even Emery and Bill inclined to go.
“Go, if you wish it,” said the captain; “only come back and bring me some water, for I am fearfully thirsty.”
This made the men no longer hesitate. Peter sat still.