Their flag blew out distinctly in the gale.
Their anxiety for the ship’s safety were at length set at rest. She weathered the outermost point of the reef, but now they began to fear that she would pass by and leave them to their fate.
Scarcely had she cleared the reef, however, than the sound of a gun gladdened their ears: their flag was seen, and the ship hauling her wind stood along the shore till she gained a shelter under the lee side of the island.
The gale had by this time considerably abated, and it was hoped that a boat might be sent on shore. They hurried across the island.
Just as the beach was reached a boat was seen leaving the ship. She soon landed with the first officer, who no sooner heard Lieutenant Castleton’s name than he greeted him with a hearty welcome. It had been feared, he said, that he and his boat’s crew had been lost, for that the Thisbe had herself been in great danger, and had with difficulty, after suffering much damage, got back to Calcutta. He added that his ship was the Montrose, homeward-bound, and that after touching at Bencoolen, she had been driven by the hurricane out of her course, when the island had been sighted in time to weather it, though no one on board was before aware of its existence.
As the wind might change, the captain was anxious to be away as soon as possible, and the whole party therefore hurried on board.
Fortunately, soon after the Montrose got into her proper course, she fell in with an outward-bound fleet, and by one of the ships Harry sent a despatch to Captain Headland, which he hoped might prevent the Thisbe from sailing in search of him and his companions. In it he also communicated the important information of his discovery of his friend’s old protector Jack Headland, and of his wonderful meeting with Mr Hastings on board the Culloden. Mr Hastings also wrote a private letter to Captain Headland, the contents of which he did not allow Harry to see.
“From the high character you give of your friend, I have spoken to him of matters in a way I should not otherwise have ventured to do, and which I do not wish to make known to any one but my son,” he observed to Harry. “That he is my son I have not the slightest doubt, and I feel confident that I can convince your father of the fact.”
The Montrose continued her homeward voyage. She was fortunately a good sailer, and a bright look-out being kept she escaped the enemy’s cruisers, and arrived safely in the Downs. Here Harry and Mr Hastings with Jack Headland and Jacob, landed and proceeded at once to London.
Harry knowing how anxious Adam and the dame would be to see their son, sent Jacob off immediately by the coach expecting that he would reach Hurlston soon after the ladies at Downside had received a letter he had written from Deal.