King o the Beach | Page 6

utterly unmanageable.
There was a mingling of strange sounds now, as, following the motion of the vessel as she rolled heavily, everything below that was loose dashed from side to side of the cabins; but still the doctor paid no more heed. He retrimmed the lamp from time to time, and tried to retrim the lamp of Carey Cranford's young life; but it seemed to be all in vain.
Suddenly the door opened again, and this time it was not the steward's face which appeared, but the old sailor's.
"Any better, sir?" he said, hoarsely.
"No; worse," replied the doctor.
"So it is on deck, sir," whispered the man. "Main shaft broke short off, and propeller gone. They've been trying to hyste a bit o' sail so as to get steering way on, but everything's blew to rags."
The doctor nodded shortly, and after a longing look at the young patient the man went out on tiptoe.
A couple of hours went by, with the vessel rocking horribly, and then all at once there came a heavy grinding crash, and the rolling motion ceased, the vessel for a few brief moments seemed at peace on an even keel, and the doctor uttered a sigh of relief, which had hardly passed his lips before there was a noise like thunder, the side of the steamer had received a heavy blow, and hundreds of tons of water poured down over her, sweeping the deck, and then retiring with a wild hissing noise.
Doctor Kingsmead was experienced sailor enough to know that the steamer had been carried by the hurricane upon one of the terrible coral reefs of that dangerous sea, and he could foresee, as he believed, the result--the billows would go on raising the vessel and letting her fall upon the sharp rocks till she broke up, unless the storm subsided and the breakers abated in violence so that the passengers and crew might take to the boats.
He knit his brow and sat thinking for a few minutes of the chances of life and death at such a time, but became absorbed in the condition of his patient again, for there was his duty. There were the officers to see to the preservation of life from the wreck.
Once more he had warning of the state of affairs on deck, old Bostock hurrying down.
"Got anything you want to save, sir?" he said, excitedly; "if so shove it in your pocket. They're getting the boats out. I'll come and give you word, and help you with young squire here."
"What!" said the doctor, excitedly now. "Impossible; it would mean death for the boy to be moved."
"It'll mean death, sir, if he aren't moved," said the old sailor, sternly. "You button him up in a coat, and be ready against I come."
The door banged to, and the doctor hurriedly caught up some of his patient's garments and stood frowning, as he leaned over him, felt his pulse, and then laid his hand upon the poor lad's head.
"Impossible," he said; "it would crush out the flickering flame of life. He cannot be moved."
As he spoke he threw the clothes aside and went sharply towards the door and looked out, to see that the passengers were crowding up the cabin stairs in an awful silence, the horror of their position having brought them to a state of despairing calm.
The doctor stood looking at them for a few moments, and then turned to cross to his patient's side, bending over him for a few moments, and then sinking into the seat by his side.
CHAPTER THREE.
Meanwhile, after he had ineffectually tried everything possible to bring the steamer's head to wind by means of the sails, the captain had to give up and let her drift, rolling heavily in the trough of the sea.
The storm still raged with terrific fury, and it was evident that the unmanageable vessel was being borne rapidly along.
But by slow degrees the violence of the wind began to abate, and fresh efforts were made in the semi-darkness, and with the waves thundering over the deck from time to time, to hoist something in the way of sail.
The men raised a cheer as this was at last successfully accomplished, and once more obeying her helm the great vessel ceased rolling, and rushed on for a few hundred yards at headlong speed.
But it was only to her fate, for rising high upon a huge billow she was borne on for a short distance, and then there was the sudden check. She had struck on another of the terrible coral reefs, and was fast, offering an obstacle to the seething billows, at which they rushed, broke, and then fell over, deluging the deck, and tearing at everything in their way.
There seemed nothing more to be done but strive in the darkness to save life, and captain