All hands were watching with anxious eyes the expression on the
captain's face. He handed his glass to the mate, who carefully examined
every fragment which appeared above water. The captain looked at the
mate inquiringly; but neither said a word. The mate handed back the
glass and shook his head sorrowfully.
Again the captain looked long and earnestly; the mate looked again, and
again returned the glass:
"Poor fellows--we may as well fill away, sir!" he said sadly.
There was still considerable sea on, and the mere launching of a boat
was attended with more than ordinary danger, added to which was that to
be encountered from the broken spars and fragments of wreck drifting
about. Captain Lane thought of all these dangers, and was about to give
the order to "fill away the main-yard," when something seemed to say
to him:
"_There is some one in that boat_!"
This impression was so strong that he felt as if it would be murder to
leave the spot without making a more minute search, and he ordered the
boat to be lowered at once. Jumping into the stern sheets, four good
oars well manned soon brought him within the little field of fragments,
in the centre of which the boat was floating. No wonder none of the crew
was left,--the water literally swarmed with sharks.
Standing in the bow with a boat hook, the captain warded off pieces of
wreck and gradually made his way to the strange boat.
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