Part 19 (2/2)
remarked the captain, as he sat over his wine after midday dinner. ”We shall sight the high land to-morrow morning, if not before”
”Surely we shall come across the boat in time, captain?” remarked Bob.
”Well, we have had wonderfully fine weather,” replied the captain. ”But, after all she was but a cutter, handled by a lunatic.”
And he and Bob interchanged looks of despair as they ascended the companion ladder.
”Bok, go to the foremast-head,” ordered the captain. ”Take the gla.s.s, and have a look around.”
The sailor slung the telescope over his shoulder and nimbly mounted the rigging.
When he arrived at the topgallant-yard he pa.s.sed his arm round the skypole, and, adjusting the gla.s.s, swept the line of the horizon.
There was a long pause.
”Deck ahoy!”
”What is it?” bellowed the captain.
”Sure, there is a mist, or smoke right ahead, and above it I see what looks like the top of a mountain,” replied the Irishman.
”Nothing else?”
”There is a low, flat berg.”
”Nothing more? No sign of a boat-sail?”
”Nothing the size of a pocket handkerchief, yer honor.”
”Well, we must give up the search for the present and start for the Siberian sh.o.r.e. But I give you my word, Bob, I shall not give up this hunt for many a week.”
The wind fell light, and the _Dart_ did not make more than three knots an hour during that afternoon.
The strange misty appearance still hung over the water.
They were gradually approaching it, and it was not more than a couple of miles ahead, when, as the sun set, the captain and the two boys went to supper, leaving Leeks in charge of the deck.
They had just finished their meal when the latter shouted down the companion for them to come up.
An extraordinary scene met their gaze when they reached the deck.
The yacht was still in moderately smooth water, but a quarter of a mile before her the sea was covered with a thick mist, while it was tossed hither and thither in tumbling waves, which met and crossed one another in wild confusion.
As they looked a thick body of smoke was belched from the midst of the turmoil.
”Port! hard aport!” shouted the captain. ”Round with the yards! Flatten in the jib! Be smart, there!”
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