Picked up Adrift: Illustrated — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Picked up Adrift: Illustrated
John Stuart Mill · en
“O, by the way,” said Bart, “if you’re going aboard, you’d better bring
back some more biscuit. We won’t have enough.”
“I’ll go and help you,” said Bruce.
“And I too,” said Phil.
The boys now pushed off,--Arthur, and Tom, and Bruce, and Phil. In
about a quarter of an hour they reached the ship, and boarded her.
They noticed now that the change of the wind had caused a corresponding
change of position. She had swung round at her anchor, and was very much
nearer the headland before spoken of.
“It’s my opinion.” said Tom, “that she’s been dragging her anchor a
little.”
“She’s certainly a good deal nearer the shore,” said Arthur.
“She’s so deep down,” said Bruce, “that she’ll touch bottom if she drags
much longer,--and a strong breeze might do it too.”
“If it does,” said Phil, “then good by forever to her. A timber ship may
hold together as long as she keeps in deep water; but these rocks would
soon grind her to powder, if she touched them.”
“Let her grind,” say I.
“Yes. I give up my share of the salvage.”
“The best place for her will be the bottom of the sea.”
“At any rate, we’ll make one final haul, boys, and take ashore
everything that may be needed at all.”
The boys now hurried to complete their preparations, for the sun was
not more than one half hour above the horizon, and there was no time to
spare. Arthur went to secure the sails. He selected a half dozen of the
largest sheets, and flung them into the boat. They were the coarsest
and strongest which he could find. Tom found some sail needles and sail
twine in a drawer in the pantry, where he remembered having seen them
before.
They then rolled out four barrels of biscuit, and put them on board
the boat. After this they put six hams in her, and all the rest of the
potted meat, and canned vegetables, and other dainties. Phil looked with
longing eyes at the galley stove, but concluded that it was best not to
try to convey that ashore. Finally, they took all the blankets, for they
were articles that promised to be always useful.
With this cargo they returned to the shore.
Arthur then went to work at his sail, while Tom went to see about the
mast. He found that Bart had already nearly finished one that was very
suitable. In smoothing this, in fitting it into the boat, and in shaping
a pole, another hour or so was taken up. Meanwhile Arthur had found that
three of the sheets were large enough. These he stitched together, and
afterwards cut it the right shape.
It was then secured to the mast, and the little boat was all ready for
her voyage.