"It's all over with us now, lads!" said the captain to the men. "Get
the boat ready to launch; we shall be on the rocks in less than
half-an-hour."
The men obeyed in gloomy silence, for they felt that there was little
hope of so small a boat living in such a sea.
"Come, boys," said Jack Martin, in a grave tone, to me and Peterkin, as
we stood on the quarter-deck awaiting our fate--"come, boys; we three
shall stick together. You see it is impossible that the little boat can
reach the shore, crowded with men. It will be sure to upset, so I mean
rather to trust myself to a large oar. I see through the telescope that
the ship will strike at the tail of the reef, where the waves break
into the quiet water inside; so, if we manage to cling to the oar till
it is driven over the breakers, we may perhaps gain the shore. What say
you? will you join me?"
We gladly agreed to follow Jack, for he inspired us with confidence,
although I could perceive, by the sad tone of his voice, that he had
little hope; and, indeed, when I looked at the white waves that lashed
the reef and boiled against the rocks as if in fury, I felt that there
was but a step between us and death. My heart sank within me; but at
that moment my thoughts turned to my beloved mother, and I remembered
those words, which were among the last that she said to me: "Ralph, my
dearest child, always remember in the hour of danger to look to your
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25