CHAPTER IX
EMBARKATION--ABDUCTION EXTRAORDINARY--EFFORTS TO ESCAPE--ALTERNATE HOPESAND FEARS--DESPAIR--VESSEL IN THE DISTANCE--RENEWED HOPES ANDEFFORTS--WATER-SPOUT--FLASH OF LIGHTNING AND ITS EFFECTS--MAKING FORSHORE--GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many visions that night danced before the young sleepers--prancing deerwith bright eyes and branching horns; turkeys running, flying,fluttering; white tents, mossy beds, and all the wild scenes of woodlandlife. They were up and dressed at daybreak. The wind was fair, and theday promised to be fine. Frank's little feet were pattering over thewhole house and yard, carrying him into everybody's way, on the pretenceof rendering assistance. There was one useful suggestion which he made.He had gone to each room and corner in the house, saying "good-bye" toevery person and thing, chairs, tables, and all, when at last he came tohis father's cloak and umbrella, kept in the same corner.
"Good-bye, umbrella," said he, "but as for you, good Mr. Cloak, fatherwill want you to sleep on. Poor umbrella! are you not sorry? Don't youwant to go too? But, father!" he cried, running into the next room,"had we not better carry the umbrella? Maybe we shall need it."
"That is a good idea, Master Frank," said his father. "Do you takecharge of the umbrella, as a part of your office, and see it put intothe boat."
Frank ran back to the room he had left, and taking the umbrella from itscorner, he said, "O ho, my little fellow, father says you may go. Areyou not glad I asked for you? But you must be a good boy, and not putyourself in anybody's way. Come now, spread your wings, and let me seehow glad you look."
He opened the umbrella, and flapped it several times to make it looklively, then closed it, and set it beside the cloak where it belonged.Presently he heard the tinkle of a little silver bell, and knew that itwas the signal for family prayers. He went to the breakfast-room, andtook his seat.
Dr. Gordon's children were well versed in the Scriptures, and wereremarkably attentive during the reading of them. Perhaps one secret ofthis fact was to be found in their father's practice of stopping everyfew verses during the family reading to ask them questions on what hadbeen read, and briefly to explain what they could not otherwisecomprehend. This morning the children observed that the chapter readwas remarkably appropriate to their circumstances, and that the Doctorprayed particularly that the Lord would preserve them from all sin andharm during their excursion; that he would preside over their pleasures,and that he would make their temporary absence the means of theirknowing him better, and loving him more.
They breakfasted as the sun was rising. While at table no one couldspeak of anything but the voyage and the island, and what they expectedto see, do, and enjoy. The boat was at the wharf, which had beenerected for the brig. It was packed, and ready for departure, with theexception of a few things to be carried by hand. William hadbreakfasted at the same time with the family, and now came in, saying,"All ready, sir."
"Come, children," said Dr. Gordon, "let us go."
"Come, umbrella," said Frank, "you are to go with me."
"O, father," exclaimed Mary, as they approached the shore, "there isNanny with her sweet little kids. See how anxiously she looks at theboat, and tries to say, 'Do let me go too.' Had we not better take her?She is so tame; and then you are so fond of milk in your coffee."
"I doubt," he replied, "whether there will be room for dogs, goats, andourselves too. But we can easily determine; and as I know that all ofyou are as fond of milk as I am, I will let her go if there is room."
They took their places, Dr. Gordon at the helm, Robert and Haroldamidships, Mary and Frank next to their father, and William in the bow.Everything had been stowed so snugly away, and the boat was withal soroomy, that Nanny and her kids were invited to a place.
"Now, children, for order's sake," said Dr. Gordon, "I will assign thebow of the boat, where William is, to Nanny and her kids; Fidelle mustlie here by Frank and Mum may go with Harold. Mary, call your pet, andhave her in her place."
A word about the dogs. Fidelle was a beautiful and high-bloodedspaniel, that might have been taught anything which a dog could learn,but whose only accomplishments as yet were of a very simple character,and confined chiefly to such tricks as were a source of amusement to herlittle master. Mum was a large, ugly, rough-looking cur, whose valuewould never have been suspected from his appearance. He was brave,faithful, and sagacious; strong, swift-footed, and obedient. But hischief value consisted in his education. He came from the pine barrensof Georgia, where Dr. Gordon had first seen and purchased him, and wherehe had been trained, according to the custom of the wild woodsmen there,to hunt silently; and in following the trail of a deer or turkey to keepjust in advance of his master, and to give suitable indications of beingnear the object of pursuit. Mum was no common dog; and he proved ofinestimable service to the young adventurers in their comingdifficulties.
"Draw in the anchor, William, while I cast off at the stern," said Dr.Gordon. "But hold! let us see what that means." He pointed with hisfinger to a horseman, who turned a point on the beach, and seeing themabout to depart, waved his hat to say "stop!" The horseman rode at fullspeed, and soon was within speaking distance. He bore a note from thesurgeon at Fort Brooke, requesting the loan of a certain instrumentwhich Dr. Gordon had promised when on his visit, and for which there wasnow a sudden call.
"Keep your places, children," said the Doctor. "I shall be gone onlyfive minutes. William, do you take my place, and keep the boat steadyby holding to this frame."
He ascended the wharf, went with the soldier to the house, and wasabsent a very few minutes; but during that interval an event occurredwhich separated them for a long, long time and made them oftentimes fearthat they should never more meet in this world.
The position of the boat at the wharf was peculiar. Her stern had beenlashed to the timbers, for the purpose of keeping it steady, until allhad entered; and the bow was kept to its place by the anchor droppedinto the two and half fathoms water, which "was had" there at high tide.The fastening to the stern having been cast off, preparatory to leaving,William was now holding to the wharf, awaiting his master's return.
This was not long after sunrise, at which moment they had heard thereport of a cannon unusually loud from the fort. Scarcely had Dr.Gordon disappeared from the bluff, when the young people noticed a heavyripple of the water, between them and the fort, indicating that it wasdisturbed by a multitude of very large fish, moving with rapiditytowards the sea.
"What can they be?" was a question which all asked, with a curiosity notunmixed with fear, as they looked upon the approaching waves. Williamheld firmly to the pier head, that the boat should not be moved tooroughly by the disturbed water.
"Mas' Robert," said he, with anxious, dilating eyes, "I do believe it isa school of dem debbil-fish. Yes," and his eyes grew wild and his lipsbecame ashy, "dey making right for dis pint."[#]
[#] The following is a description of the hideous monster known in ourwaters as the Devil Fish.
It is a flat fish, belonging to the family of Rays, and usually measuressomewhere between ten and twenty feet from tip to tip of its wings. Oneach side of its mouth is a flexible arm, with which the animal graspsand feeds. It appears to be as remarkable for its stupidity as it isfor its size, strength, and ugliness, seldom letting go anything whichit once seizes with its arms. A few years since, one was discovered deadupon a mud flat near St. Mary's, Georgia, grasping even in death astrong stake of which it had taken hold during high water. The incidentrelated in the following pages is in perfect keeping with the habits ofthe fish. There are hundreds of persons now living, who recollect asimilar adventure which took place in the bay of Charleston. On everyoccasion of serious alarm the fish makes for the deep water of theocean, and sometimes so frantically as to run high and dry ashore.
Whoever wishes to read more on this subject, can do so by referring to avolume called "Carolina Sports," in which the author (Hon. WilliamElliott), sketches with livel
y and graphic pen some most adventurousscenes, in which he himself was principal actor.
The children sprang to their feet, and made a rush to the stern, in theeffort to get out of the boat, but William put his hand against them,and exclaimed piteously, "Back! Mas' Robert--Mas' Harrol! All of you!You habn't time to git out! Here dey come! Down on your seats! Formassy's sake, down! ebery body!"
They were about to obey, when there was a whirl, and then a jerk of theboat, that threw them flat on their faces. They heard William's voicecrying hoarsely, "O Lord hab----;" and when they arose and lookedaround, they saw that he was missing, and that their boat was rushingonward with a swiftness that made the water boil.
"William! William!" Robert called in bewilderment; but no answer came,and they saw him no more.
"O mercy! Brother Robert! cousin Harold!" cried Mary, "what is thematter?"
Robert looked vacantly towards the receding shore. Harold answered, "Oneof these fish has tripped our anchor, and is carrying us out to sea."
The horrid truth was evident; and it sent a chill like death throughtheir limbs and veins. Mary screamed and fell back senseless. Robertstarted up as though about to spring from the boat. Harold covered hisface with his hands, gave one groan, then with compressed lips andexpanded nostrils hastened to the bow of the boat. As for poor littleFrank, it was not for some moments that he could realize the state ofthe case; but when he did, his exhibition of distress was affecting. Hestretched his hands towards home; and as he saw his father running tothe bluff, he called out, "O, father, help us--dear father! O send aboat after us! O----!" Perceiving his father fall upon his knees andclasp his hands in prayer, he cried out, "O, yes, father, pray to God tohelp us, and he will do it--God can help us!" Then falling upon his ownknees, he began, "O God bless my father and mother, my brothers andsisters! O God help us!"
By this time the boat had passed fully half a mile from shore. Harold'smovement forward had been made with the intention of doing something, heknew not what, to relieve the boat from the deadly grasp of the devilfish. He first seized his rifle, and standing upon the forwardplatform, aimed it at the back of the monster, which could be distinctlyseen at two fathoms' distance, clutching the chain which constitutedtheir cable. Despairing of reaching him with a ball through theintervening water, he laid aside the rifle, and seizing William's ax,aimed several lusty blows at the cable chain. He struck it just on theedge of the boat where there was the greatest prospect of breaking it;but the chain was composed of links unusually short and strong, and theblows of the ax served only to sink it into the soft wood of the boat.
"Robert," said he, "look for Frank's hatchet, and come here." ButRobert, stupefied with fear, sat staring at him from beside hisprostrate sister and weeping brother, and seemed neither to understandnor to hear.
"Robert," he repeated, "get up, and be a man. Bring Frank's hatchet,and help me break this chain."
Still he did not come. "It is no use, Harold," he replied. "Do you notsee that sister is dead? William is dead too! We shall all die!"
"Robert! Robert!" he reiterated, almost with a threat, "do rouse up andbe a man. Mary is not dead, she has only fainted; she will come todirectly. Come here and help me."
As he said, "She has only fainted," Robert sprang from his seat, tookoff his cap, dipped it full of water, poured it on her face, rubbed herpalms and wrists to start the blood into circulation, then blew in herface, and fanned her with his wet cap. In the course of a minute Marybegan to breathe, and then to sigh.
"Thank God!" he exclaimed, "she _has_ only fainted! she is coming to!Frank, do you fan her now and I will help Harold."
But Harold had helped himself. Going to Frank's parcel, he had takenout the hatchet, and returned to the bows, where he was now adjustingthe ax, preparatory to his work. "There, Robert," on his coming up, "doyou hold the ax firmly under the chain, while I strike this link withthe hatchet."
He did so, and Harold struck a blow upon the chain, so heavy that itrang again. Instantly they staggered, said fell backwards in the boat.The sharp sound of the hatchet upon the links had been conveyed alongthe metal to the fish, and made it dart forward with a sudden jerk.Harold rose, and looked on a moment. "We can't help his beingfrightened, Robert. We must break the chain. Let us try again."
He struck blow after blow, though the fish seemed to be affected by eachas by an electric shock. Robert held back his arm. "Stop! stop!Harold, we are sinking!"
It was even so. The fish, frightened by the sharp repeated sounds, hadgone down so far as to sink the bow of the boat within a few inches ofthe water. But Harold was not to be stopped. With an almost franticlaugh, he looked fiercely at the slimy monster beneath, then at his palecompanions, and raised his arm for another blow. "Robert," said he, "itmust be so. We must break the chain or die." He struck again, again,and again, until the water began to ripple over the bow, and splash uponhis hand. He stopped, and tears came into his eyes.
"Look, Harold, at the staple," said Robert. "Let us see if that cannotbe started." They tried it, striking from side to side, but in vain.The boat was too well made; the staple was too large, and too firmlyimbedded in the timbers to be disturbed; and, moreover, it was guardedby an iron plate all around. Harold decided it was easier to break thechain. "Is there not a file, nor even a chisel among the tools?" heasked. They rummaged among the several boxes and parcels, but no toolsof the kind could be found; and then they sat down pale, panting, anddispirited.
By this time the boat had passed out of the bay. The persons on shore,the houses, indeed the very trees which marked the place of their abode,had faded successively from sight. They had been running through thewater at a fearful rate, for an hour and a half, and were now in thebroad open gulf, moving as madly as before. The frightened fish,alarmed at these repeated noises in the boat, and grasping still moreconvulsively the chain which was to it an object of terror, hadoutstripped its hideous companions, and after passing from the bay hadturned towards the south.
"There is Riley's Island!" said Robert, pointing sadly to a grove oftall palmettoes, which they were passing. "And yonder is a boat, nearshore, with a man in it. O, if Riley could see us, and come after us!And yet what if he did! No boat can be moved by wind or paddle as weare moving." After a few minutes he resumed: "There is one plan yetwhich we have not tried; it is to saw the chain in two with pieces ofcrockery. I have read of marble being cut with sand, and of diamondsbeing cut with horse hair. And I think that if we work long enough wecan cut the chain in two with a broken plate. Shall we try it?"
"O, yes, try anything," Harold replied, "But," looking at the flappingwings and horrible figure of the fish, and grinding his teeth, "if hewould come near enough to the surface, I should try a rifle ball in hishead."
They broke one of the plates, and commenced to saw. Harold worked forhalf an hour, then gave it to Robert, who laboured faithfully. Had theybeen able to keep the link perfectly firm, and also to work all the timeprecisely on one spot, they might possibly have succeeded. But aftertwo hours' hard work, the only result was that they had brightened oneof the links by rubbing off the rust and a little of the metal.
"O, this will never, never do!" exclaimed Harold. "It will take us tillmidnight to saw through this chain, and then we shall be upon the broadsea, without any hope of returning home. Robert, I am done! My handsare blistered! My limbs are sore! I have done what I could! And nowthe Lord have mercy upon us!"
Up to that moment Harold had been the life and soul of the exertionsmade. His courage and energy had inspired the rest with confidence.But now that his strong spirit gave way, and he sunk upon his seat, andburst into tears, it seemed that all hope was gone. Robert threw downhis piece of plate, and went to seat himself by Mary, in the hinder partof the boat. Frank had long since cried himself to sleep, and there helay sobbing in his slumbers, with his head in Mary's lap. Mary was stillpale from suffering and anxiety; having recovered by means of the waterand fanning,
she had summoned her fortitude and tried to comfort Frankwith the hope that Harold and Robert would succeed in breaking thechain, and then that they would spread their beautiful sail, and returnhome. When Robert took his seat, Frank awakened, and asked for water.
"Sister Mary," said he, "where is father? I thought he was here."
"No, buddy," she replied, her eyes filling to think that he had awakenedto so sad a reality, "father is at home."
"O, sister," said he, "I dreamed that father was with us, that he prayedto God to help us, and God made the fish let go, and we all went home.Brother Robert, have you broken that chain?"
This last appeal was too much for Robert's fortitude, tried already byrepeated disappointments. He covered his face with his cap, and hiswhole body shook with emotion.
"Brother Robert," said Mary, speaking through her own tears, "you oughtnot to give up so. The fish is obliged to let go some time or other,and then may be some ship will pass by, and take us up. Remember howlong people have floated upon broken pieces of a wreck, even withoutanything to eat, while we have plenty to eat for a month. BrotherRobert and cousin Harold, do try to be comforted."
She obtained the water for Frank, and gave him something to eat."Brother," she added, "you and cousin Harold have worked hard, and eatennothing. Will you not take something? There are some nice cakes."Both declined. "Well, here is some water. I know you must be thirsty."
Harold was so much surprised to see a girl of Mary's age and gentlespirit exercising more self-control than himself, that he was shamed outof his despair. He did not then know that trait in the femalecharacter, which fits her to comfort when the stronger spirit has beenoverwhelmed. He drank a mouthful of the water. She handed it also toRobert, but he pushed it way, saying, "No, sister, I do not wantanything now. We have done all that we could, and yet--."
"No, brother," she replied, "not at all. There is one thing more thatyou have not even tried to do; and that may help us more than anythingelse. It is to pray to God to help us."
"O, yes, brother," Frank added, "don't you recollect what father read tous out of the Bible, and talked to us about? What is it, sister?"
"When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take meup," Mary recited.
"Yes, brother," he continued, "remember that father prayed for us, whenhe saw us going off. And sister and I have been praying here, while youand cousin Harold were working yonder. Brother Robert, God _will_ takecare of us, if we pray to him."
"What Frank says is true, brother," said Mary. "He and I have beenpraying most of the time that you were working. And now see thedifference! when you two have given up everything, he and I are quietand hoping. Brother Robert, we all ought to pray."
"I do pray--I have prayed," replied Robert.
"That may be," persisted Mary, "but what I mean is, that we all ought topray together."
"I cannot pray aloud," Robert answered; "I never did it. I do not knowhow to do it. But we can all kneel down together, and pray silentlythat God will have mercy on us. Harold, will you join us in kneelingdown?"
As they were rising for this purpose, Frank called out, "Brother, whatis that yonder? Isn't it a boat coming to meet us?"
Their eyes turned in the direction of Frank's finger and it was plainthat a sail had heaved into the offing far away to the south, and almostin their course. The sun shone upon the snow-white canvas. "God bepraised!" exclaimed Robert; "that is a vessel! Who knows but we may yetmeet her, and be saved! Let us kneel down, and pray God to be mercifulto us." They did so; and when they rose from their knees the vessel wasevidently nearer.
"Let us try her with the spy glass," said Robert, and drawing it out toits proper length, he gazed steadily at her for a minute. "That is aschooner, or rather an hemaphrodite brig. I can see her sails andmasts. She is rigged like a revenue cutter, and seems also to have therake of one. She is coming this way, and if she is a cutter, she isalmost certainly bound for Tampa, and can take us home again."
How rapidly characters appear to shift with shifting circumstances!Mary and Frank, who but a minute before were the only ones calm anddisposed to speak in tones of energy and hope, now began to weep andlose all self-control; while Robert and Harold, shaking off theirdespondency, sprang to their feet, and with bright eyes and ready limbs,prepared once more for effort. Harold seized the glass, and looked longand steadily. "She is coming to us, or we are going to her very fast,"said he. "Perhaps both; and now what shall we do?"
"Rig up a signal, and load the guns," replied Robert. "Let us attracttheir attention as soon as possible. Quick, sister, get me a sheet!"
In the course of fifteen minutes they had the sheet rigged and floating;and by the time the guns were loaded, they could clearly discern notonly the hull, but the port holes of the vessel, and her long rakingmasts. There was no further doubt that she was a revenue cutter boundfor the bay. Still it became every moment more certain that withoutsome change in the course of one or the other, they must pass at aconsiderable distance. Now what should they do? The sky, which hadbeen gradually clouding over since they saw the vessel, began to berapidly and heavily overcast as they approached. Fearful that rainmight fall, and utterly obscure their signal before it was seen, theboys resolved to fire their guns, ere there was any reasonable hope thatthey could be heard. At the first discharge the fish, which hadprobably been frightened in the morning by the cannon at the fort,jerked so terribly as almost to unseat them. At the discharge of theremaining guns it seemed less and less alarmed, until finally it ceaseddarting altogether; its strength was failing. Soon afterwards they sawthe smoke of two cannon from the vessel, and then a flag run up themast. "They see us! They see us!" cried Robert and Mary.
"But can they help us?" asked Harold. "Here we are running between themand shore, faster than any vessel can sail except in a storm, and thereis scarcely wind enough to fill their sails, and what there is isagainst their coming to our aid. Robert, we must break that chain, oryet all is lost."
There was apparently some bustle on board the cutter. Many persons couldbe distinguished by the glass looking at them and at the clouds. Theywere preparing to lower a boat, yet with manifest hesitation. This wasimmediately explained by the singular appearance of the cloud betweenthe boat and the vessel. It had become exceedingly dark and angry. Aportion in the middle assumed the shape of a trumpet, and descended withthe sharp point toward the water; while a broad column ascended from thesea to meet it; and then sea and sky roared and tossed in terribleunison.
"It is a water-spout!" said Robert, "if it strikes the vessel she isgone. Look there, Harold, look!"
The cutter began to give sensible evidence of the whirling eddy. Hersails flapped and her masts reeled. Soon they heard boom! boom! the roarof two more cannon. They were for the purpose of breaking thethreatening column. They saw the descending pillar gradually ascend,and spread itself into a dark mass of cloud, which poured out such ashower of rain as entirely to hide the vessel from sight. Afterwardsthey heard another cannon. "That is for us," Robert said; "let usanswer it as well as we can."
They fired gun after gun, and heard cannon after cannon in reply, buteach fainter than before. Their last hope of being saved by the vesselwas gone. She was far away, and hidden by the rain which enveloped her.There had been no rain upon themselves, but it was very dark overhead,and threatened both rain and wind. They were far enough from home--howfar they could not conceive, and far too from the barely visible shore,upon the broad wild sea. The boys were relapsing rapidly into thatmoody despair which is so natural after strong yet fruitless exertion,when a sharp flash of lightning struck in the water about one hundredyards before them. So near was it, and so severe, that they were almostblinded by the blaze, and stunned by the report. Their boat instantlyrelaxed its speed, and was soon motionless upon the water. The boysrushed to the bow. Their cable hung perpendicularly down, and the fishwas nowhere to be seen. It had darted back from the lightning flash,a
nd the cable had slipped quietly from its grasp.
"Thank God we are loose!" burst triumphantly from Robert. Harold lookedon with strong emotion. Once more tears gathered in his eyes."Robert," said he, "I never did make pretension to being a Christian, ora praying person, but if we do not thank God all of us for this when weget ashore, we do not deserve to live."
"Amen!" said Robert; and Mary and Frank responded, "Amen!"
The shore was full seven miles away. It was probably wild and barren.It might be difficult of approach, and inhospitable after they shouldland. But gladly did they draw aboard their anchor, raise their sail,and make toward it. The sea was smooth, but there was wind enough tofill their sails, and give promise of their reaching the shore erenight. Robert took the helm, and Harold managed the sails. Mary oncemore brought out her cakes and other eatables. Frank laughed from verypleasure; and seldom, if ever, was a happier looking company to be seen,going to a strange and perhaps a hostile coast.
Far as the eye could reach, to the north and south, there was a bluff ofwhite sand, varied here and there by a hillock, higher than the rest,which the winds had blown up from the beach. Before them was an inletof some sort--whether a small bay, the mouth of a river, or an arm ofthe sea, they could not determine; it was fringed on the south with arichly coloured forest, and on the north by a growth of rank andnauseous mangroves. Into this inlet they steered, anxious only for asafe anchorage during the night. A little before sunset they reached apleasant landing-place, on the southern shore, near the forest; andhaving been confined all day to the boat, they were glad enough torelieve themselves from their wearisome inaction, by a few minutes'exercise on land. Harold first ascended the bluff, and looked in everydirection to see if there was any sign of inhabitants. No house orsmoke was visible; nothing but an apparently untouched forest to theleft, and a sandy, sterile country to the right.
"Cousins," said he, "I think we may with safety sleep on the beachtonight. With our dogs to guard, nothing can approach without ourknowledge. I am almost afraid to anchor in the stream, lest we shouldbe carried off by another devil-fish."
To this proposal they agreed. The tent was handily contrived, requiringonly a few minutes for its erection; and while Mary and Frank drove downthe tent-pins, Harold and Robert brought into it the cloaks and blanketsfor sleeping, together with their guns, and other necessaries forcomfort and safety.
As the darkness closed around them, its gloom was relieved by the ruddyblaze of a fire, which Robert and Harold had made with dried branchesfrom a fallen oak, and kindled by Frank's matches Mary soon had some teaprepared, which they found delightfully refreshing. Immediately afterit, Harold, whose countenance ever since their escape from the fish hadassumed a peculiarly thoughtful expression, remarked:
"I have no doubt we all remember what we said in the boat about beingthankful; and I have no doubt that from the bottom of our hearts we dothank God for our deliverance; but I think we ought to say so aloudtogether, and in our prayers, before we go to sleep this night."
No one answered, and he proceeded: "Robert, if you can speak for us,please say in our name what you know we ought to say."
There being still no reply, except a shake of Robert's head, Haroldcontinued:
"Then we can at least kneel down together, and I will say, 'Thanks tothe Lord for his mercies, and may we never forget them;' after which wecan unite in the Lord's Prayer."
They knelt down. Harold did not confine himself to the words justrecorded; he was much more full, and became more at ease with every wordhe uttered; and when the others united with him in repeating aloud theLord's Prayer, as they had been accustomed to unite with their father infamily worship, it was with an earnestness that they never felt before,and that was perceptible in every word and tone. That wild coast wasprobably for the first time hallowed with the voice of Christian prayer.
They made the boat secure by drawing the anchor well upon the beach.They spread their cloaks and blankets upon the dry sand, and lay down torest. Their dogs kept watch at the door of their tent; and they sleptsoundly, and without the least disturbance, during the whole of thistheir first night of exile.
The Young Marooners on the Florida Coast Page 12