of all their pumping!

What was to be done?

The captain and Uncle Jack deliberated together, summoning the new third
mate to assist their counsels; but, they could only arrive at one
opinion.

The ship was sinking fast, and all hands knew it as well as they
themselves; for, in addition to the damage done to the sides and
bulwarks, the heavy propeller had aided the waves in wrenching away the
rudder, which carried with it the greater portion of the stern-post.

"We must take to the boats," said Captain Lennard. "Thank God, they are
all right, and haven't been washed away in the storm!"

Leaving the useless pumps, therefore, for it was of no avail fatiguing
the men with the unnecessary exertion any longer, all the pumping in the
world being idle to save the vessel, the hands were at once set to work
clearing the boats and getting them over the side.

It was a ticklish job, the long-boat especially being very heavy, and
there being no means, now they had lost their masts, of rigging a tackle
aloft to hoist it off the chocks amidships.

Still, necessity teaches men alternatives in moments of great peril; so,
now, knocking away the under fastenings of the boat by main force, the
crew managed at last to get it free. Then, improvising rollers out of
pieces of the broken topmast, they contrived by pulling and hauling and
shoving, all working with a will together, to launch it over the side
through the hole in the bulwarks.

The jolly-boat followed suit, an easier task; and then, the two being
deemed sufficient to accommodate all on board, just sixty-one in number
including the two passengers, Captain Lennard gave the order to
provision them, telling the steward to bring out all the cabin stores
for this purpose, there being now no further use for them on board the
ship, and officers and men being entitled to share alike without
distinction.

The captain himself, while this was being done, saw to the ship's log
and other papers, taking also out of the cabin his best chronometer and
a chart or two, as well as a sextant and some mathematical instruments.

These preparations for departure, though, were abruptly cut short by a
warning cry from Bill Summers, the boatswain.

"We'd better look sharp, sir," he called out to Uncle Jack, who was
busily engaged superintending the stowage of the provisions in the two
boats. "The water is arising rapidly, and is now nearly up to the
'tween-decks!"

Uncle Jack passed on the