The Coral Island | Page 4

waves broke in fury. There was calm
water within this reef, but we could only see one narrow opening into it.
For this opening we steered, but, ere we reached it, a tremendous wave
broke on our stern, tore the rudder completely off, and left us at the
mercy of the winds and waves.
"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 quarterdeck 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. 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 the 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.
THERE is a strange and peculiar sensation experienced in recovering
from a state of insensibility, which is almost indescribable; a sort of
dreamy, confused consciousness; a half-waking half-sleeping condition,
accompanied with a feeling of weariness, which, however, is by no
means disagreeable. As I slowly recovered and heard the voice of
Peterkin inquiring whether I felt better, I thought that I must have
overslept myself, and should be sent to the mast-head for being lazy;
but before I could leap up in haste, the thought seemed to vanish
suddenly away, and I fancied that I must have been ill. Then a balmy
breeze fanned my cheek, and I thought of home, and the garden at the
back of my father's cottage, with its luxuriant flowers, and the
sweet-scented honey-suckle that my dear mother trained so carefully
upon the trellised porch. But the roaring of the surf put these delightful
thoughts to flight, and I was back again at sea, watching the dolphins
and the flying-fish, and reefing topsails off the wild and stormy Cape
Horn. Gradually the roar of the surf became louder and more distinct. I
thought of being wrecked