The Voyages of the "Ranger" and "Crusader": And what befell their Passengers and Crews.Kingston, William Henry Giles
General
The Voyages of the "Ranger" and "Crusader": And what befell their Passengers and Crews.
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Seafaring life -- Juvenile fiction
"I am sure he must be somebody," observed Mrs Clagget, when she heard
of it. "I have always remarked a peculiarly aristocratic air about
him." However, as Mr Paget himself did not speak of any of his
acquaintances, the good lady began to doubt whether the report was true.
At length the "Crusader" was declared to be again ready for sea, the
steerage passengers were removed on board, and the following day the
rest again occupied their cabins. Captain Westerway had wished to
obtain another first mate in the place of Bill Windy, but he had been
unsuccessful. The second mate was a young man, and though a fair
sailor, was not as trustworthy a navigator as the captain desired; thus,
consequently, throwing more labour and responsibility on him. Once more
the sails were loosed, the anchor hove up, and the "Crusader" stood out
of Simon's Bay, the captain hoping to get a good offing before
nightfall. Sail after sail was loosed; and close-hauled, with the wind
to the westward, she glided swiftly over the blue sea. While the
passengers were on deck watching the receding shores, a shout was heard
that another ship was approaching under all sail, right ahead. Their
attention was turned towards the stranger. She was an object to be
admired, as, the sun glancing on her wide spread of canvas, she heeled
gracefully over to the breeze. The two ships rapidly neared each other,
the "Crusader" keeping to windward. Closer and closer they drew; it
seemed, indeed, as if they were about to run into each other. The
stranger, however, slightly deviated from the course on which she had
been steering, and then keeping as before, showed that she intended to
pass as near as possible to leeward of the "Crusader." The passengers
of the latter ship hurried to the side nearest her, and a number of
people were seen on board, some holding on to the shrouds, others
leaning over the bulwarks.
"Why, as I'm a live man, there's our mate, Bill Windy," exclaimed one of
the "Crusader's" seamen, "and there's Dick Hansom, and Tom Bowline, I do
believe! Yes, it's Tom himself!"
Emily and May heard these exclamations, and, eagerly gazing with beating
hearts, they saw their brother Charles in the main rigging. They looked
and looked again, scarcely trusting their eyes; but there could be no
mistake. He waved his hand; he had seen them, and Bill Windy discovered
them also.
"Heave to," cried the mate, "and we will come aboard you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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