There was something in this scene which appeared to them strangely and
most unaccountably familiar. All had the same feeling, yet not one
of them expressed it. Each imagined that it was his own fancy; and so
disturbed had their minds been for the past few days, that they felt
unwilling now to indulge this fancy. Yet every moment the fancy grew
stronger, and brought fresh wonder with it. In this way they rowed
along, and every moment brought the boat nearer and nearer to the shore.
At length they saw a man come forth from the house before them, and
advance towards the beach. His face was turned towards them; he was
staring at them most intently. As the boat advanced, he advanced; and
thus the two parties approached. Every moment revealed more and more of
the opposite party to each.
Bart and Tom were rowing, and thus had their backs turned to the
shore and their faces towards the sea outside. Here the fog was fast
dispelling, and as it fled, there opened up mile after mile of the
coast, and the sea horizon. There, on that horizon, there came forth out
of the fog to their eyes a solitary object, that appeared to float upon
the sea. It revealed itself more and more; and first, magnified and
distorted by the mist, it seemed like a lofty table land of cloud, then
like a giant rock, but at length resolved itself into a wooded island
with precipitous sides. There it lay full before them.
As it thus revealed itself, Tom uttered a wild shout. Bart instantly
uttered another.
“Boys! Boys! Look! Look! Hurrah! Hur-ra-a-a-a-a-a-ah!
Hurra-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ah!”
But at that very instant there arose a wild outcry--a clamor worse than
theirs--from all the others in the boat. Solomon gave a yell, Captain
Corbet started up, and ceased to stroke his legs Bruce, Arthur, Phil,
and Pat, with one wild cry, started erect to their feet, regardless
of the swaying and rocking of the boat. And “Hurrah!” they cried.
“Hurra-a-a-a-a-a-a-ah!! Hurra-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ah!”
“Scott’s Bay! Ile Haute!” cried Tom and Bart.
“Scott’s Bay! Benny Grigg!” cried all the others.
“Scott’s--Grigg.”
“Benny-Haute.”
“Ile-Bay.”
“Benny-Bay.”
“Ile-Grigg.”
“Scott’s Haute.”
Such was the medley of cries that arose from all, shouting and yelling
at once. While all the time there stood on the shore the man that
had come down to meet them; who first had started and stared with
amazement,--and who then, recognizing them all, and seeing the masts of
the sunken schooner beyond, understood the whole situation, and rejoiced
over it accordingly--showing his joy, indeed, in a less noisy and
demonstrative manner than theirs, but in a way which was thoroughly
characteristic.
For Benny suddenly turned, and started off to the house on a full run.
Then he disappeared.
The boat drew nearer, Benny appeared once more.
The boat touched the beach.