though he wondered what
would become of him if he had to struggle with waves to
which even the strongest man could hardly fail to succumb.
But come what may, his father will never forsake him, and
I myself shall not be wanting in rendering him whatever
assistance I can.
Mrs. Kear, who had been for some time in a state of
drowsy unconsciousness, was not informed of the immediate
danger; but when Miss Herbey, looking somewhat pale with
fatigue, paid one of her flying visits to the deck, I warned
her to take every precaution for herself, and to be ready for
any emergency.
"Thank you, doctor, I am always ready," she cheerfully
replied, and returned to her duties below. I saw Andre
follow the young girl with his eyes, and a look of melancholy
interest passed over his countenance.
Toward eight o'clock in the evening the framework for
the raft was almost complete, and the men were lower-
ing empty barrels, which had first been securely bunged,
and were lashing them to the woodwork to insure its
floating.
Two hours later and suddenly there arose the startling
cry, "We are sinking! we are sinking!"
Up to the poop rushed Mr. Kear, followed immediately
by Falsten and Miss Herbey, who were bearing the inan-
imate form of Mrs. Kear. Curtis ran to his cabin, instantly
returning with a chart, a sextant, and a compass in his hand.
The scene that followed will ever be engraven in my
memory; the cries of distress, the general confusion, the
frantic rush of the sailors toward the raft that was not yet
ready to support them, can never be forgotten. The whole
period of my life seemed to be concentrated into that terrible
moment when the planks bent below my feet and the ocean
yawned beneath me.
Some of the sailors had taken their delusive refuge in the
shrouds, and I was preparing to follow them when a hand
was laid upon my shoulder.. Turning round I beheld M.
Letourneur, with tears in his eyes, pointing toward his son.
"Yes, my friend," I said, pressing his hand, "we will save
him, if possible."
But Curtis had already caught hold of the young man,
and was hurrying him to the main-mast shrouds, when the
Chancellor, which had been scudding along rapidly with the
wind, stopped suddenly, with a violent shock, and began to
settle. The sea rose over my ankles, and almost instinc-
tively I clutched at the nearest rope. All at once, when it
seemed all over, the ship ceased to sink, and hung motionless
in mid-ocean.
CHAPTER XXV
WHILE THERE'S LIFE THERE'S HOPE
NIGHT of December 4. — Curtis caught young Letourneur
again in his arms, and, running with him across the flooded
deck, deposited him safely in the starboard shrouds, whither
his father and I climbed up beside him.
I now had time to look about me. The night was not
very dark, and I could see that Curtis had returned to his
post upon the poop; while in the extreme aft near the taff-
rail, which was still above water, I could distinguish the
forms of Mr. and Mrs. Kear, Miss Herbey, and Mr. Fal-
sten. The lieutenant and the boatswain were on the far end
of the forecastle; the remainder of the crew in the shrouds
and top-masts.
By the assistance of his father, who carefully guided his
feet up the rigging, Andre was hoisted into the main-top.
Mrs. Kear could not be induced to join him in his elevated
position, in spite of being told that if the wind were to
freshen she would inevitably be washed overboard by the
waves; nothing could induce her to listen to remonstrances,
and she insisted upon remaining on the poop — Miss Herbey,
of course, staying by her side.
As soon as the captain saw the Chancellor was no longer
sinking, he set to work to take down all the sails — yards and
all — and the top-gallants, in the hope that by removing
everything that could compromise the equilibrium of the
ship he might diminish the chance of her capsizing alto-
gether.
"But may she not founder at any moment?" I said to
Curtis, when I had joined him for a while upon the poop.
"Everything depends upon
would become of him if he had to struggle with waves to
which even the strongest man could hardly fail to succumb.
But come what may, his father will never forsake him, and
I myself shall not be wanting in rendering him whatever
assistance I can.
Mrs. Kear, who had been for some time in a state of
drowsy unconsciousness, was not informed of the immediate
danger; but when Miss Herbey, looking somewhat pale with
fatigue, paid one of her flying visits to the deck, I warned
her to take every precaution for herself, and to be ready for
any emergency.
"Thank you, doctor, I am always ready," she cheerfully
replied, and returned to her duties below. I saw Andre
follow the young girl with his eyes, and a look of melancholy
interest passed over his countenance.
Toward eight o'clock in the evening the framework for
the raft was almost complete, and the men were lower-
ing empty barrels, which had first been securely bunged,
and were lashing them to the woodwork to insure its
floating.
Two hours later and suddenly there arose the startling
cry, "We are sinking! we are sinking!"
Up to the poop rushed Mr. Kear, followed immediately
by Falsten and Miss Herbey, who were bearing the inan-
imate form of Mrs. Kear. Curtis ran to his cabin, instantly
returning with a chart, a sextant, and a compass in his hand.
The scene that followed will ever be engraven in my
memory; the cries of distress, the general confusion, the
frantic rush of the sailors toward the raft that was not yet
ready to support them, can never be forgotten. The whole
period of my life seemed to be concentrated into that terrible
moment when the planks bent below my feet and the ocean
yawned beneath me.
Some of the sailors had taken their delusive refuge in the
shrouds, and I was preparing to follow them when a hand
was laid upon my shoulder.. Turning round I beheld M.
Letourneur, with tears in his eyes, pointing toward his son.
"Yes, my friend," I said, pressing his hand, "we will save
him, if possible."
But Curtis had already caught hold of the young man,
and was hurrying him to the main-mast shrouds, when the
Chancellor, which had been scudding along rapidly with the
wind, stopped suddenly, with a violent shock, and began to
settle. The sea rose over my ankles, and almost instinc-
tively I clutched at the nearest rope. All at once, when it
seemed all over, the ship ceased to sink, and hung motionless
in mid-ocean.
CHAPTER XXV
WHILE THERE'S LIFE THERE'S HOPE
NIGHT of December 4. — Curtis caught young Letourneur
again in his arms, and, running with him across the flooded
deck, deposited him safely in the starboard shrouds, whither
his father and I climbed up beside him.
I now had time to look about me. The night was not
very dark, and I could see that Curtis had returned to his
post upon the poop; while in the extreme aft near the taff-
rail, which was still above water, I could distinguish the
forms of Mr. and Mrs. Kear, Miss Herbey, and Mr. Fal-
sten. The lieutenant and the boatswain were on the far end
of the forecastle; the remainder of the crew in the shrouds
and top-masts.
By the assistance of his father, who carefully guided his
feet up the rigging, Andre was hoisted into the main-top.
Mrs. Kear could not be induced to join him in his elevated
position, in spite of being told that if the wind were to
freshen she would inevitably be washed overboard by the
waves; nothing could induce her to listen to remonstrances,
and she insisted upon remaining on the poop — Miss Herbey,
of course, staying by her side.
As soon as the captain saw the Chancellor was no longer
sinking, he set to work to take down all the sails — yards and
all — and the top-gallants, in the hope that by removing
everything that could compromise the equilibrium of the
ship he might diminish the chance of her capsizing alto-
gether.
"But may she not founder at any moment?" I said to
Curtis, when I had joined him for a while upon the poop.
"Everything depends upon
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