The Three Admirals | Page 6

I believe he meant to say Saint Elmo's fire."
While the midshipmen were gazing up, the flame descended rapidly down the mast, running first along the main topgallant yardarm, then returning, down it came, to the main-topsail yard, where it glided out to the extreme end. Here it rested for some seconds, as if it had not made up its mind what next to do. Presently back it came to the mast, and darted out to the lee yardarm. It had not yet finished its journey. Once more gliding back, it ascended the mast, when it made its way by the main-topmast stay, on to the foremast and there went gliding backwards and forwards along the yard.
"I wish it would come down on deck, and then we might have a chance of catching it," said Tom. "I have read somewhere that a man going aloft with a bucket, clapped it over the light, and brought it down a prisoner. It is a sort of gas which is driven about through the air until it finds something to rest on. Why it goes moving up and down in that curious way I don't know, nor does anybody else, I believe. I wish the doctor were on deck,--he would tell us."
"Shall I call him?" asked Archie.
"I don't think he would thank you," said Tom. "Let him rest in quiet; perhaps before he can get on his clothes the fire will have disappeared."
Tom was right. In another minute the luminous ball, gathering itself into a point, shot upwards and vanished.
"That's a good sign," they heard Green observe to the first lieutenant; "we shall have the gale breaking before long."
Before the watch was out the hurricane had sensibly decreased, showing that the master was right in his prognostication. The sea continued, however, to tumble the ship about terribly until the morning dawned, when the clouds began to disperse, and as the sun rose they appeared to fly before his burning rays. By noon the sky was perfectly clear, when, an observation having been taken, the commander determined to run under the lee of one of the Bonin Islands, which were sighted shortly afterwards. Steam had been got up, and the vessel made rapid way, though she continued to roll considerably, moved by the now glass-like swell, which still came in from the north-east, showing that, although a calm rested on the waters where she was, a storm raged in another part of the ocean.
Several islands were now seen rising out of the water on the port bow, and as the Dragon drew near trees could be distinguished on the hills, showing that they were not as barren as they appeared to be at a distance. Rounding the southern end of one of them, she went on at half speed, feeling her way with the lead until she opened a sheltered bay between two high projecting points. Running in she brought up within a quarter of a mile from the shore in perfectly still water. Everybody was glad enough to be at rest after the tumbling about they had had during the last few days. They were not allowed, however, to enjoy many minutes' quiet; all hands were speedily set to work to repair damages.
"We should be thankful that we have escaped so easily," observed Archie Gordon, who had been surveying the shore through his telescope. "Look there, Tom, at those tall trees stretched on the ground with their roots in the air; it must have taken a pretty hard blow to break them down. I can see some stumps sticking up, showing that others have been snapped off by the wind. It is a mercy that we weathered it out as well as we did."
Tom took the glass. "I should have been sorry to have been under them," he answered, "and I only hope that no poor fellows were living on shore, or they would have run great risk of being crushed. It makes me think of the old song--
"`A strong nor'-wester's blowing, Bill; Hark I don't ye hear it roar now? Lord help 'em, how I pities them Unhappy folks on shore now!'
"I hope the commander will let us take a run on shore, however, before we sail."
In the course of a couple of days the repairs were nearly finished, but as there was a good deal of painting to be done, the commander resolved to remain at anchor another day. Green and the second lieutenant had been employed during the time in surveying the island, but their surveys were not complete.
"I say, Gerald, we must get our trip some way or other," said Tom to Desmond. "You'd be the better for a run ashore, and I'm sure, if you suggested the idea to the doctor, he will say so, and get Mr Mildmay