Chapter 24 - Page 2

deck, I warned her to take every
precaution for herself and to be ready for any emergency.

"Thank you, doctor, I am always ready," she cheerfully replied,
and returned to her duties below. I saw Andre follow the young
girl with his eyes, and a look of melancholy interest passed over
his countenance.

Towards eight o'clock in the evening the framework for the raft.
was almost complete, and the men were lowering empty barrels,
which had first been securely bunged, and were lashing them to
the wood-work to insure its floating.

Two hours later and suddenly there arose the startling cry, "We
are sinking! we are sinking!"

Up to the poop rushed Mr. Kear, followed immediately by Falsten
and Miss Herbey, who were bearing the inanimate form of Mrs.
Keat. Curtis ran to his cabin, instantly returning with a chart;
a sextant, and a compass in his hand.

The scene that followed will ever be engraven in my memory; the
cries of distress, the general confusion, the frantic rush of the
sailors towards the raft that was not yet ready to support them,
can never be forgotten. The whole period of my life seemed to be
concentrated into that terrible moment when the planks bent below
my feet and the ocean yawned beneath me.

Some of the sailors had taken their delusive refuge in the
shrouds, and I was preparing to follow them when a hand was laid
upon my shoulder. Turning round I beheld M. Letourneur, with
tears in his eyes, pointing towards his son. "Yes, my friend," I
said, pressing his hand, "we will save him, if possible."

But Curtis had already caught hold of the young man, and was
hurrying him to the main-mast shrouds, when the "Chancellor,"
which had been scudding along rapidly with the wind, stopped
suddenly, with a violent shock, and began to settle, The sea rose
over my ancles and almost instinctively I clutched at the nearest
rope. All at once, when it seemed all over, the ship ceased to
sink, and hung motionless in mid-ocean.