It was a grand sight. The whole aspect of sea and sky and land had
changed.
Ole, Maurice and Eric had withdrawn from the party of visitors and were
standing on an eminence, talking earnestly, and looking out to sea with
such evident anxiety, that Howard and Martin clambered up to them to
hear what was the matter.
"Well, sir, you see that ship out there, we can't make her out," said
Maurice. "We've watched her for an hour, and she hasn't shifted an inch
of sail."
"I don't see her at all," said Howard. "Do you, Martin?"
No, Martin could not, because he had not that wonderfully acute sight
which the discipline of constant experience gives to seamen.
However, with the aid of a glass he saw her clearly, and was seaman
enough to know that she was playing a dangerous game in carrying so
much canvas in such a gale.
"And what's the strangest part of all is, that she's making straight
for rocks, if she keeps the same course," said Ole.
"Can't you make out who or what she is?" asked Howard.
"I should say by her build she was a whaler," answered Maurice, taking
up the glass again and having a long look. Then he hastily passed it to
Ole and Ole to Eric.
"There's no time to be lost," said Ole, "the storm will be too heavy in
another hour for us to put off.
Pages:
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131