best, as beseemeth the
leader of an expedition when about to disembark upon an unfamiliar
shore. All around him had listened in silence while he spoke, but now,
at the close, some of the soldier-fellows set up a kind of cheer in
answer to his speech. It was not very much of a cheer, but it was better
than nothing in our dismal case. It served to set our bloods tingling a
little, so Lancelot and I caught it up, and kept it up too, with the
whole strength of our lungs, till the example spread, and soon we had
every man on deck huzzaing his best, while Cornelys Jensen and Hatchett
swung their caps and lifted their voices with the best. It was a strange
sound, that hearty British cheer ringing out through that lonely air; it
was a strange sight, all those stout fellows marshalled as best they
might on the sloping deck and fanning their scanty hopes into a flame
with shouting, while the ruined mast, thrust over the side, pointed
curiously enough straight in the direction of those islands whose
hospitable qualities we were soon to try.

It was soon decided, after a brief conference between Captain Amber and
Cornelys Jensen, that we should transfer our company as fast as might be
to the near island, for there was no knowing when the smooth weather
might shift again and how long our Royal Christopher would hold together
if the waves, which were now lapping against its sides, grew angrier. It
was resolved that the most pressing business was to send on shore at
once the women and children and such sick people as we had on board, for
these, as was but natural, were the most troublesome for us to deal with
in our difficulty, being timorous and noisy with their fears, and
setting a bad example.

So when it was about ten of the clock, or maybe later, for the time
slipped by rapidly, we got loose our shallop and our skiff and lowered
them into the water, and got most of the women and the children and the
sick folk into them and sent them off, poor creatures, across the waste
of waters to the islands. Barbara Hatchett went with them, for her
firmness and courage served rarely to keep them quiet and inspire them
with some little fortitude. As for Marjorie, she would by no means leave
the ship so long as Lancelot was on board, so she stayed with us, at
which I could not help in my heart being glad, in spite of the danger
that there was to everyone who stuck by the ship.

While these first boat loads were away we on board made efforts