“He is probably still afloat, unless he has been fortunate enough to be picked up by some vessel.” “There is no hope of reaching land in the Nantucket is there,” continued Mr. Stubbs. “There is considerable fear of it,” said the mate. “Why do you use the word fear?” asked Stubbs, puzzled. “What I mean is, that we are likely to run aground upon some unknown island. If the shore is rocky, it may break us to pieces, and that, of course, will be attended with danger to life or limb.” Stubbs looked thoughtful. “I should like to see land,” he said, “but I wouldn’t like to land in that way. It reminds me of an old lady who, traveling by cars for the first time, was upset in a collision. As she crawled out of the window, she asked, innocently: ‘Do you always stop this way?’” “There are dangers on land as well as on the sea,” said the mate, “as your story proves; though one is not so likely to realize them. In our present circumstances, there is one thing I earnestly hope for.” “What is that?” “That we may not have another storm. I fear, in her dismantled condition, the Nantucket would have a poor chance of outliving it, particularly as we have no one but Jack and myself to do seamen’s work.” Mr. Stubbs walked thoughtfully away. Harry, who had seen him talking with the mate, asked him what the nature of the conversation was. Mr. Stubbs told him. “The fact is, Harry,” he said, “we are in a critical condition. Whether we are ever to see old terry firmy again”--Mr. Stubbs was not a classical scholar--“seems a matter of doubt.” “And the worst of it is,” said Harry, “there seems to be nothing you or I can do to increase our chances of safety.” “No, unless we could manage to see a ship which the chief officer had overlooked. That, I take it, is not very likely.” It was toward morning of the fifth night after the captain had left the ship that all on board were startled by a mighty thumping, accompanied by a shock that threw the sleepers out of bed. Harry ran hastily on deck. The mate was there already. “What’s happened, Mr. Holdfast?” asked the boy, anxiously. “The ship has struck on a rocky ledge!” “Are we in danger?” “In great danger. Call all the passengers. We must take to the boat, for the Nantucket is doomed!” CHAPTER XIV THE WRECK OF THE NANTUCKET It was still quite dark, but it was light enough to see that the ship had struck upon a reef. Straining their eyes, the alarmed passengers could descry land. Indeed, the reef was an outlying part of it. All eyes were turned upon the captain, as Mr. Holdfast was now called. “If I had had men enough to stand watch, this would not have happened,” he said. “Is there any hope, Mr. Holdfast?” asked Montgomery Clinton, clasping his hands in terror. “Plenty of it,” answered the mate, curtly, “but we must leave the ship.”