an hour, it was discovered that all their exertions would not enable them
to reach the ship, if the wind stood, before the succeeding day. The drift
to leeward, or towards the beach, was seriously great, every heave of the
sea setting them bodily down before it; and by the time they were half a
mile to the southward, they were obliged to anchor, in order to keep clear
of the breakers, which by this time extended fully a mile from shore.

Decision was fortunately Captain Truck's leading quality. He foresaw the
length and severity of the struggle that was before them, and the men had
not been pulling ten minutes, before he ordered Mr. Leach, who was in the
cutter, to cast off his line and to come alongside the launch.

"Pull back to the wreck, sir," he said, "and bring off all you can lay
hands on, in the way of bread, water, and other comforts. We shall make a
night of it, I see. We will keep a look-out for you, and if any Arabs
heave in sight on the plain, a musket will be fired; if so many as to
render a hint to abscond necessary, two muskets will be fired, and the
mainsail of the launch will be furled for two minutes; more time than that
we cannot spare you."

Mr. Leach obeyed this order, and with great success. Luckily the cook had
left the coppers full of food, enough to last twenty-four hours, and this
had escaped the Arabs, who were ignorant where to look for it. In
addition, there was plenty of bread and water, and "a bull of Jamaica" had
been discovered, by the instinct of one of the hands, which served
admirably to keep the people in good humour. This timely supply had
arrived just as the launch anchored, and Mr. Truck welcomed it with all
his heart; for without it, he foresaw he should soon be obliged to abandon
his precious prize.