the ship to and rode it out
comfortably. Now we trust to the machinery, and it fails us in time of
need. I shouldn't like to say that to the engineer, for he sticks up
for his engines, and wonders how ships used to cross the ocean before
they got steam power."

Jack smiled. The master was a thorough seaman, and he was allowed
always to have his say against the "new-fangled notions of the day," as
he called them. Both Gordon and Tom agreed with the master that there
was a great probability that the _Empress_ had been lost on the rock
seen by Captain Cooper, as she had not touched at Aden nor been heard of
further to the eastward. Some of her crew might have escaped, although
it was too probable that many were lost, and if so that Adair was among
them; he certainly would not have quitted the wreck until the last--they
knew him too well to suppose that.

"The signal seen by Captain Cooper may, however, have been hoisted by
the people who escaped from some other wreck," observed Tom.

"Perhaps the _Empress_ went down during the gale in which we lost sight
of her," said the master.

"I trust that such was not the case; she was as likely to keep afloat as
we were, unless some unforeseen accident happened--"

"To the machinery," put in the master. "If the steam was shut off and
Captain Adair had trusted to his stout canvas, I should have no fear on
the subject."

"Heaven forbid that she should have foundered. If she did, we shall
never obtain proof positive of the fact," said the captain. "I am far
rather inclined to believe that she struck on some unknown reef, and
that the rock or island was reached in the boats, or that the ship
herself gained it, unless too much damaged to continue her voyage. One
thing I am determined to do as soon as our repairs are completed, to
obtain leave to go in search of her, and should any other unfortunate
persons be on the rock, we shall at all events have the satisfaction of
rescuing them."

Fortunately the weather continued fine, and the _Bellona_, without
further misadventure, reached Simon's Bay. The repairs, however, took
longer than was expected, as the damage received was far more serious
than at first supposed. However, the work was such as could be
accomplished while the ship was in Simon's Bay.

"Take care your machinery don't break down again, Mr Rivett," observed
Mr Scales, the master, who was generally known as Gunter Scale. "We've
got a ticklish part of the o