“We must run up the flag. It will help them to find the mouth of the inner harbour, at all events,” said Harry. “Come, Patch, you must give up your cloak; you can do without it now.”
The curiously-contrived flag was quickly hoisted and flew out to the breeze.
The party stood in silence watching the ship for some time. They were too anxious about her to make many remarks. The gale continued blowing as hard as ever. Suddenly it shifted to the southwest, the ship fell off a few points, and then she was seen slowly to come about, and once more she headed up towards the harbour.
“He has made up his mind to come in. No doubt about that,” observed the boatswain.
“It is time, Mr Shafto, for us to launch the boat, to go off to her, and we may then be ready. The captain thinks if he is once inside he will be all safe, but to my mind he will be greatly mistaken.”
“I’ll follow your advice, Mr Bollard,” said Harry. “We will do our best, lads, to help the people if the ship gets on shore. I know that I can depend on you.”
“Ay, ay, sir, and never fear,” answered the men, as they followed the young officer down the the hill. They kept the ship in sight all the way, and could still see her clearly from the beach.
On she stood, and the wind holding, she was able to steer directly for the harbour. Under ordinary circumstances she would have appeared secure of entering a haven of safety; but with the wind constantly shifting, the rocky shore on either side, and deep water close up to it, there would still be great danger, even should she succeed in making the entrance.
The boat was reached, but now came the difficulty of launching her; for the wind having shifted to the south, the sea raised across the broad estuary drove directly into the bay. Could they once get her safely through the surf, however, they might obtain shelter under the western point, where a reef running out formed a natural breakwater. They ran her down the beach, but when near the water both Harry and the boatswain hesitated about attempting to launch her. Should they not succeed in getting her quickly through the surf, one of the heavy seas which were breaking on the shore might roll her over and knock her to pieces, as well as endanger all their lives. Still, if they waited till any accident happened to the ship, they might be too late to render assistance to those on board.
As the stranger stood in, the English flag was seen flying at her peak, and from her appearance the boatswain pronounced her to be a merchantman, probably an Australian emigrant ship, and that if so she would probably have numerous passengers on board.