Part 20 (2/2)
Mrs. Cromwell and Viola were waving their hands. Then, a.s.sured they were seen, both fell back unconscious.
As for the mad sailor, he never stirred. He was dead.
It did not take the captain and Bob long to reach the women folks. They were taken on board the _Dart_, and, after Bob had kissed his mother and the captain had hugged his daughter, and both were given food, they told their story.
”When the madman struck Bob I nearly fainted,” said Mrs. Cromwell. ”When I came to he had hoisted the sail, and we were leaving the sh.o.r.e. The crazy fellow was eating some s.h.i.+p biscuit, which lay in a basket.
”When the madman had appeased his hunger he looked at us for some minutes without speaking.
”We were dreadfully frightened, but he never once came aft to annoy us.
”He placed some tinned meat and water near us, and then sat by the mast, singing loudly and rocking himself backward and forward.
”Viola and myself slept in turn; but the madman sat in the bow, looking out ahead, hour after hour.
”When the wind rose and the waves broke into the cutter he reefed the sail, and managed her wonderfully well.
”Still he never spoke.
”A shower fell, and Viola and myself collected the water and had a good drink.
”Another time snow fell.
”This also we collected and put into the barrel.
”Time after time a fresh can of meat was placed out for us.
”But we ate very sparingly.
”I think at this period the man's senses were returning to him, for soon after he spoke.
”He told us he did not know where we were, but trusted it was off the coast of Siberia, and that we had every chance of being picked up.
”He said that his name was Charlow, and that he had been mate of a brig that had been wrecked, but he had gone mad through misery, loneliness, and want.
”We had just sighted the coast, when first the smoke from your vessel came into view.
”Charlow was very weak, but he altered the direction the boat was going, and told us how to steer toward you.
”Presently the yacht came in sight, and we tried to get him to put us on board; but he was too weak, and just before Bob saw us he breathed his last.”
Such was Mrs. Cromwell's narrative, and Viola corroborated it.
A happy day was spent on board of the _Dart_. ”I trust we are never separated again,” said Bob to his mother.
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