Adrift in the Pacific

CONTENTS PAGE THE STORM CAST ADRIFT THE FIRST DAY ASHORE THE VIE W FROM THE CAPE A SPELL OF RAIN THE RAFT THE COLONY WINTER QUARTE RS B VO B X E RA , A T R ACROSS THE LAKE THE NEW CHIEF THE SEPARATION THE INVASION ALL TOG ETHER THE ENE MY IN SIG HT DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND THE FORTUNE OF WAR AFLOAT ONCE MORE HOME ADRIFT IN THE PACIFIC, CHAPTER I THE STORM ’ Ir w as the th o f ar 1860 and ele en lo at 9 M ch, , v O c ck ni ht . The sea and sk ere as o ne and the e e co uld g y w , y i r b t ms i o t l p e ce u a few fatho nt he g o o m. Through the ra i sea o er hi c the wa es ro e i a liv id g ng , v w h v b k w th li a httl shi was ri i er al o s are oles ght , e p d v ng und m t b p . She w as s o o r u r s Her name a ch ne Of a h nd ed to n . w as the Sleuth but o u o ul a e so u it in ain , y w d h v ght v o n her s em fo r a ac i en so me so r had o rn it t , n c d t of t t a aw y . In is la i u e at the e inni ar h the th t t d , b g ng Of M c , i r r Th a oul a a o u v n ghts a e sho t . e d y w d d wn b t fi e ’ a a O clock . But wo uld the dangers th t thre tened the scho oner gro w less when the sun illumined the sky ? W as no t the frail vessel at the mercy Of the waves ? Undo ubtedly ! an d o nly the calming Of the billo w s and the lullin Of the gale co uld save her fro m that mo st g — awful Of shipwrecks fo undering in the o pen sea far rom as ic t sur i rs mi fi sa e f any co t o n wh h he v vo ght nd f ty. In the s ern the s o oner ere ree s o ne t Of ch w th boy , a u our ee the tw o o ers a o u ir een ears bo t f t n, th b t th t y Of a e ese i a oun ne ro so me el e ears Old g th , w th y g g tw v y , re at the eel and i eir uni e s ren t we wh , w th th t d t g h stro ve to check the lurches which threatened every t ess l r a si was a instant to thro w he v e b o d de o n . It diffi ul as fo r the eel s eme as ou it o ul c t t k , wh e d th gh w d urn in s i e all e o ul do and url em a ains t p t Of th y c d , h th g t us e o re mi ni su a a the bulwarks. J t b f d ght ch w v e came thundering against the stern that it w as a w onder s The s ere ro w the rudder was no t un hipped . boy w th n 8 ADRIFT IN THE PACIFIC bac ar s the s o but e re ere emsel es kw d by h ck , th y cov d th v al i m ia l most m ed te y . s s s ill Do e he t steer ? asked o ne Of them. Yes o r o n ans ere Brian w ho had o ll , G d , w d t , c o y sum his la i Do a a he re e e . ol o n n n d p c H d t ght , g , ’ o i u d a d o b rai r are o ers be n n e n a . e e c t , n d t e f d Th th si s urs l s to l o a r Youar o t ur o o ? de o e ve o k fte . e n h t M k NO assa ria a s ere the bo But we , M B nt , n w d y mus ee the a e o re the in o r w e s all be t k p y cht b f w d, h po o ped. At this moment the door Of the companio n leading to the salo o w as ro Tw o li le ea s n th wn Open . tt h d a eare a o e the le el Of the e and i em pp d b v v d ck , w th th ame u the enial a e a do salu e i a c p g f c Of g, who t d w th lou Wh ou h l w ou h l d, g h g Briant l Briant l shouted o ne Of the yo ungsters What Is the matter ? ia No thi erso o i I re urne Br n . ng, Iv n, n th ng t d t G et o n a ain i o le and lo o S ar ! d w g w th D , k h p ” We are awfufl ri e e o ere sai the y f ght n d d wn h , d o er b w h a li le r o o w as o u e . th y, tt y ng All ou ? as e Do a a Of y k d n g n . Yes all us sai l Of d Do e . ” ell t ai i ria u u e a a n sa B n . W , g b ck g , d t Sh t p ! get under the clo thes shut your eyes and no thing l r o r r wi l hu t y u. The e is no dange ! ’ o ut i o r s a o er a e L o sa o . e e o k , d M k H n th w v ’ l l is ime A vio ent b ow sho ok the yacht s stem. Th t fo r una el the a e did no t o e o n o ar fo r if the t t y w v c m b d , a er had s e o n the om a io n the a ul w t w pt d w c p n , y cht wo d a e ee s a h v b n w mped . G et ac ill ou s u e o rd n . b k , w y ho t d G o ’ do wn o r I ll come after you i o o ere sai Bri an ra er mo re en l . L k h , d t, th g t y ’ GO o ou ou u s d wn, y y ng n . The tw o ea s isa eare a d at the same moment h d d pp d , n a er a eare i the o a noth boy pp d n do rw y . Do ou an us rian ? y w t , B t ” o ax er sai Brian L t oua Cro ss an d N B . e nd , t , d t y mg STORM 9 Webb and Service and Wilco x stop with the little ” i e our a ma a e ones W f c n n g . ax er s u t e o o r ro m wi B t h t h d f thin . Yes all us o le had sai , Of , D d . But were there o nly little bo ys o n boardthis schooner us ri en e o re the s rm ? Yes nl o s 1 A th d v b f to , o y b y nd ho w man ere ere i een c un i r n y w th F ft , o t ng Go do , o e a a the e r rian n n nd n . ame e B t , D g , g o How c th y to ere a o u s all o s r l be th Th t y h kn w ho t y . W as there not a man o n the yacht Not a captain to lo ok after it No t a sailo r to give a hand in its management ? No t a hehnsman to steer in such a sto rm ? NO I Not o ne — And mo re than that t here was no t a person o n ’ bo ar who ne the s o ner 3 o si io n o th o cea d k w cho p t n e n . A d a ean The lar es o f all the Pa ifi n wh t oc g t , c c, w hich stretches fo r 6000 miles fro m Australia and New la to the o as o f o u merica Zea nd c t S th A .

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