“Yes, madam, I really trust the worst is over now.”
“Thank Heaven!” she replied, and after a few moments’ silence, she added,
“But now, Dick, you must really take some rest; it is absolutely necessary.”
“Rest!” the boy repeated; “rest! I want no rest. I only did my duty.”
“You act like a man,” said Mrs. Weldon; “and my husband, like myself, will never forget your services. I am sure he will not refuse, that you will complete your studies, and you will become a captain.”
Tears of gratitude rose to Dick’s eyes. Mrs. Weldon assured him that he was dear as a son to her, and pressed a gentle kiss upon his forehead.
“Now, my men, I have some work for you today,” he said to the negroes when he came on deck at daybreak.
“All right, captain,” answered Hercules.
“Why didn’t you blow with your big mouth?” said little Jack. “You could have beaten the wind all to nothing.”
Dick laughed, and said, “Not a bad idea, Jack!”
“I’ll be most happy,” retorted the giant, and he inflated his huge checks.
“But now to work!” cried Dick; “we must hoist another topsail. Not an easy matter, I can tell you.”
“I dare say we’ll manage it,” replied Acteon.
“Can’t I help?” inquired Jack.
“Of course you can,” answered Dick; “run along to the wheel, and assist Bat.”
Under Dick’s directions, the negroes commenced their difficult task.
Although the clouds continued to travel all the next day with great rapidity, the “Pilgrim” was bathed in sunlight. The weather cleared.
“Upon what part of South America will we find ourselves?” asked Mrs. Weldon.
“I think somewhere hereabouts,” replied Dick.
He was pointing on the chart to the long shore-line of Chili and Peru. They both examined the chart with attention.
“Here, you see,” resumed Dick, “here is the island; we must see the land soon. The coast has plenty of harbours. From any one of them you will be able easily to get to San Francisco.”
“Ah, well; we will see all this,” Mrs. Weldon said, smiling.
It was the 5th of April. More than two months ago the “Pilgrim” quitted New Zealand. Sometimes Tom, sometimes Hercules, or one of the others were sure that a distant speck was a mountain ridge; but their delusion was dispelled.
At last, at eight o’clock one morning the horizon was clear. Dick’s voice rung out, – “Land! Land ahead!”
Every one was on deck in an instant: Mrs. Weldon, little Jack, Cousin Benedict, old Nan, and the negroes; all, with the exception of Negoro, all were on deck.
They soon distinguished the shore they were approaching. There was land not far ahead! A few miles to the east there was a long coast.
The “Pilgrim” was going rapidly towards the land. But they saw no human habitation, no harbour.
The wind remained brisk, and the schooner was driving directly towards the land. With eager eyes Dick scrutinized his situation. Straight ahead was a reef. The wind seemed brisker than before.
Dick went quickly aft and took the helm. He did not speak a word.
Dingo was trotting up and down the deck. Was it possible that the animal recognized the coast?
The howling of the dog attracted Negoro’s attention; the man emerged from his cabin. Mrs. Weldon, who was watching him, saw a flush rise to his face[23].
She did not mention it to Dick, who, at that moment, left the helm, and came and stood beside her. In a few moments he turned round to Mrs. Weldon, and said quietly, – “Mrs. Weldon, I am disappointed. I hoped to get the schooner into yonder cove; but there is no chance now. In half an hour the schooner will be upon that reef. I must run it aground. It will be utter destruction to the ship, but there is no choice. Your safety is the first and paramount consideration.”
“Do you mean that there is no other course, Dick?”
“None whatever,” said Dick decidedly.
“It must be as you will,” she said.
Dick steered the schooner right into the narrow channel; the sea was furious. There was a sudden shock. An enormous wave caught the ship. The masts fell, fortunately without injury to any one on board. But the vessel was foundering. In less than ten minutes the “Pilgrim’s” captain, crew, and passengers were all landed at the foot of the cliff.
Chapter XIV
Ashore
Thus, after a voyage of seventy-four days, the “Pilgrim” stranded. Mrs. Weldon and the other voyagers were ashore, not upon one of the solitary islands of Polynesia, but upon a solid continent!
The ship was broken. Dick Sand lost a ship, but he saved the lives of the owner’s wife and son.
But where were they? Dick imagined that it must be somewhere on the coast of Peru. So they will find their way to one of the numerous ports and villages that lie along the coast.
But the shore here was quite a desert. A narrow strip of beach was enclosed by a cliff, in which, at irregular intervals, deep funnels appeared as chasms in the rock.
About a quarter of a mile to the north was a little river. The dense forest was extending far away in undulations of verdure to the mountains.
Dick’s surprise was very great. Dingo was running backwards and forwards. Now and again the dog uttered a deep growl.
“Look at Dingo!” said Mrs. Weldon; “how strange Dingo is! And look, too, at Negoro! What is he doing? He is trying to find something on the sore!”
“As to Negoro,” said Dick, “he may do as he pleases; I have no further control over him; his service expires with the loss of the ship.”
Negoro was in fact walking to and fro, he was surveying the shore. Soon he went towards the little river, and disappeared behind the cliff.
The first necessity was to find a temporary shelter. There was no lack of provisions; the negroes collected several kegs of biscuit, and a number of cases of preserved meat, besides a variety of other supplies.
Little Jack discovered the retreat. He found one of grottoes in the rock.
“Here, look here!” cried the child; “here’s a place!”
“Well done, Jack!” answered his mother; “your lucky discovery is just what we wanted!”
The grotto was a gigantic cavern. And it was capacious enough to receive the entire party.
Shortly after one o’clock the whole party were seated upon a carpet of seaweed round a repast. Even Negoro returned and joined the group. He sat and was listening to the various plans for the future, and did not open his mouth. Dingo was outside the grotto and was their guard.
When the meal was ended, Mrs. Weldon spoke.
“My dear Dick,” she said, “let me beg you to be our guide upon land. We await your instructions.”
All eyes were turned upon Dick. Dick did not speak for some moments. After a while he said,-
“I think, Mrs. Weldon, that we are ashore upon one of the parts of the coast of Peru, and that we are near the borders of the Pampas. In that case we are at a considerable distance from any village. We can stay here altogether for the night. Tomorrow morning, two of us can start off on an expedition.”
Mrs. Weldon asked, – “And who will undertake the task of exploring?”
“Tom and I.”
“And leave us here?” suggested the lady.
“There will be Hercules, Bat, Acteon and Austin with you. Negoro, too, I presume,” said Dick, glancing towards the cook.
“Perhaps,” replied Negoro.
“We will take Dingo,” added Dick.
A short bark testified the Dog’s approval of Dick’s proposal.
Mrs. Weldon was silent. She looked sad and thoughtful. She did not like the idea of the division of the party.
“And what, Mr. Benedict, is your opinion of my proposal?” said Dick.
“I?” answered Cousin Benedict. “Oh, I am agreeable to anything. I dare say I will find some specimens. I think I will go and look at once.”
“Don’t go far away,” replied Dick.
“All right.”
“And don’t bring back a lot of mosquitoes,” said old Tom mischievously.
With his box under his arm, the naturalist left the grotto.
Negoro followed almost immediately. He went towards the river, and proceeded along its bank.
Then Dick and the negroes went to the “Pilgrim” to take some articles for future use.
Here Dick found four excellent rifles and a hundred cartridges. He also chose six cutlasses. Unexpectedly he found a pocket-compass! Dick wanted to secure all the money that was on board, but after the most diligent search he discovered just five hundred dollars. This was very strange. Mrs. Weldon had a considerably larger sum than this, and Captain Hull kept a good reserve. It was a real mystery!