Part 45 (2/2)

Expressions of thankfulness escaped froour they had not hitherto shown, to assist in the repairs going forward

”Your ill do very well,” said the doctor, as he accompanied the ers will do his utrateful,” said the master ”My poor ould not take , nor touch any of ”

The doctor having now exa of the crew, returned on board to report their condition, and obtain the medicines he considered necessary

Jack liberally supplied the shi+p with such provisions as were required to take them home As he was anxious to lose as little tie, the boatswain, with ot up a fore jury-ing, and bent fresh sails, all of which had been carried away

The carpenter, having stopped the leak, set to work to patch up the bulwarks, a task the dio_ were unable to accoave a sad account of their sufferings Two men had died of fever, while three had been washed overboard during a previous gale, which had well-nigh sent her to the bottom ”By-the-by, sir,” he said to To, but there was too much sea on to allow us to board her She was under Dutch colours, bound out to Batavia She began to signalise us, but all I could make out hat seemed to be 'British officer, take hiuish the other flags, the gale canals, which probably did not concern us”

”Could you erly

”No, sir, for evening was co shi+p, high out of the water for one outward bound

However, I did not further note her, and she was soon out of sight

That very night we lost a man overboard, but it was not until some weeks later, after we had been becalale which reduced us to the wrecked state in which you found us”

”I wish you could have nal,” said Tom ”Are you certain that the first part was 'British officer'?”

”No doubt about that,” answered Captain Robson, ”and I ae,” thought Tom ”I wonder whether Desmond could have been on board If so, we may hear of him froer was bound”

To crew and their coe to England, and proposed that he should request the captain of the _Bellona_ to strengthen her crew, and assist in navigating her to Saint Helena, or back to the Cape

”No, thank you, sir,” replied the stout-hearted iven me food and water, and I will touch at Saint Helena or Ascension for more, if necessary, and hope, with God's providence, to find ht than this, and provided the leak doesn't break out again, or my men fall sick, and we don't run short of provisions and water, we shall get home in time You will come below, sir, before you leave, and let rateful for all you have done for us It is the only return we can make, under present circumstances”

Tom accepted the invitation, and found the master's wife seated on sofa, and a very ladylike person she seeh she looked dreadfully ill

”I shall be better soon, I trust, now that I have some wholesoood for us, and we must not repine You and your men, sir, have saved our lives, for we could not have held out ratitude

Our prayers will be offered for your safety wherever you go”

To performed their tasks, had returned to the shi+p, and his boat was the only one alongside He juo_ would ever reach home in safety

”Go ahead!” cried the captain, as Tom's boat was hoisted up, and the _Bellona_ soon left the unfortunate _Argo_ astern In a few hours, however, theybreeze, which they hoped would fill her sails and waft her on her way

In consequence of the expenditure of so much coal, the _Bellona_ had to touch at the Cape Jack and Tom made every possible inquiry for Lord Saint Maur, but they could gain no tidings of the Dutch shi+p

”He one on to Batavia I was in hopes that he ht have put in here,” observed Toot in, as he thought that she could have done so before hio_ So in coal and fresh water and provisions, to make up for the stores supplied to the merchant vessel He waited until the last , but still the _Empress_ did not appear, and he then had to continue his course up the Mozambique Channel, hich he and Green were so well acquainted, and onwards to Aden

Here he found numerous shi+ps of war, and several transports and store shi+ps The troops were to proceed up the Red Sea to Massowah, a port belonging to the Egyptians, at which the Foreign Office had obtained permission for the disembarkation of the forces destined to march to the rescue of the British prisoners held captive by Theodore, the tyrant King of Abyssinia Colliers also were arriving with coal to supply motive power, both for the transit of troops and also for the purpose of condensing from the sea fresh water for the use of men and animals