Chapter XIII. "Who Will Stay?" - Page 2

to look upon him now with more favor.

At this moment Montgomery Clinton appeared at the head of the stairs. The poor fellow was pale, and disheveled, and tottered from weakness.

"What's going on?" he asked, feebly. Harry took it upon himself to explain, using as few words as possible.

"Will you go with the captain, or stay on the Nantucket?" asked Harry.

"Really, I couldn't stand sailing in a little boat, you know."

"That's settled, then!" said the captain. "Into the boats with you!"

The sailors and two passengers lowered themselves into the long boat, which was large enough to receive them all, till only Jack Pendleton and the captain remained.

"Get in, boy!" said the captain, harshly.

Jack stepped back, and said, manfully: "I will remain on board the ship, sir."

While this discussion had been going on, the boat was being stored with kegs of water and provisions, and soon after the sailors began to ply the oars.

The little band that remained looked silently and solemnly, as they saw their late companions borne farther and farther away from them on the crested waves.

"It's a question which will last longer, the ship or the boat," said Mr. Holdfast.

"We must work--I know that," said Mr. Stubbs. "Captain Holdfast, I salute you as my commander. Give us your orders."

"Are you all agreed, gentlemen?" asked Holdfast.

"We are," answered all except Montgomery Clinton, who was clinging to the side with a greenish pallor on his face.

"Then I shall set you to work at the pumps. Jack I assign you and the professor to duty first. You will work an hour; then Mr. Stubbs and Mr. Vane will relieve you. I will look out for the vessel's course."

"I am afraid I couldn't pump," said Montgomery Clinton. "I feel so awfully weak, you know, I think I'm going to die!"

Harry looked out to sea and saw the little boat containing the remnant of their company growing smaller and smaller. A sudden feeling of loneliness overcame him, and he asked himself, seriously: "Is death, then, so near?"

The sea was still rough, but the violence of the storm was past. In a few hours the surface of the sea was much less agitated. The spirits of the passengers rose, especially after learning from the mate that he had been able to stop the leak, through the experience which he acquired in his younger days as assistant to a ship carpenter.

"Then the old ship is likely to float a while longer?" said Mr. Stubbs, cheerfully.

"Not a short time, either, if the weather continues favorable."

"Captain Hill was in too much of a hurry to leave the vessel," remarked Harry.