He alone is both able and willing to
save your body and your soul." So I felt much comforted when I thought
thereon.
The ship was now very near the rocks. The men were ready with the boat,
and the captain beside them giving orders, when a tremendous wave came
towards us. We three ran towards the bow to lay hold of our oar, and
had barely reached it when the wave fell on the deck with a crash like
thunder. At the same moment the ship struck, the foremast broke off
close to the deck and went over the side, carrying the boat and men
along with it. Our oar got entangled with the wreck, and Jack seized an
axe to cut it free, but, owing to the motion of the ship, he missed the
cordage and struck the axe deep into the oar. Another wave, however,
washed it clear of the wreck. We all seized hold of it, and the next
instant we were struggling in the wild sea. The last thing I saw was
the boat whirling in the surf, and all the sailors tossed into the
foaming waves. Then I became insensible.
On recovering from my swoon, I found myself lying on a bank of soft
grass, under shelter of an overhanging rock, with Peterkin on his knees
by my side, tenderly bathing my temples with water, and endeavouring to
stop the blood that flowed from a wound in my forehead.
Chapter III
The Coral Island--Our first cogitations after landing, and the
result of them--We conclude that the island is uninhabited.
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