"
It was an anxious moment, as, with the sails flattened in, the
yawl forged up nearly in the eye of the wind towards the wreck.
Her progress was slow, for she was now stemming the current.
Tom stood with a coil of line in his hand in the bow.
"You get ready to throw, Jack, if I miss."
Nearer and nearer the yacht approached the wreck, until the bowsprit
of the latter seemed to stand almost over her. Then Tom threw the
line. It fell over the bowsprit, and a cheer broke from those on
board the wreck and from the sailors of the Seabird. A stronger line
was at once fastened to that thrown, and to this a strong hawser
was attached.
"Down with the helm, Watkins. Now, lads, lower away the trysail as
fast as you can. Now, one of you, clear that hawser as they haul
on it. Now out with the anchors."
These had been got into readiness; it was not thought that they
would get any hold on the rocky bottom, still they might catch on
a projecting ledge, and at any rate their weight and that of the
chain cable would relieve the strain upon the hawser.
Two sailors had run out on the bowsprit of the wreck as soon as
the line was thrown, and the end of the hawser was now on board
the steamer.
"Thank God, there's Grantham!" Jack Harvey exclaimed; "do you see
him waving his hand?"
"I see him," Tom said, "but I don't see the ladies.
Pages:
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200