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PUBLISHERS, Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, Bv LEE AND SIIEPARD, In the Oftice of the Librarian of Congress, at Washing, on- t t CONTENTS. I. PAGE Old Acquaintances gather around old Scenes.- Antelope akoyl-Uou, are you, Solomon? - Roundabout Plan of a roundabout Voyage. _ ne Doaor u,arns, rebukes and remonstrates, but, alas / in ,ain. - /, „,„,, ,, ^„„; - J^'^a'm.ngof a kiyhlyevcnt/ul Voyage. . . . „ 11. rirstSig,t of a Place destined to be better kno.n. - A Fog Mill. - Navigation without Wind. - Fishing. ~ Board, ^ng. ~ Under Arrest. - Captain Corbet defiant. - The ^«'«« OJicials frowned down. - Corbet triun.phant. . n III. Solon^on surpasses Mu,seV. - A i'eriod of Joy ,, ,,„„.„„, followed by a Time of Sorrow. - aioon.y Forebodings. - r,u Legend of Petticoat Jack. - Captain Corbet dis- courses of the JJaugers of the Beep, andputs in Practice "<"« and original Mode of Navigation. ... 44 . ,11*1 i.iwii|iwj«;i>i!!nn, 6 CONTENTS. IV. In Clouds and Darkness. — A terrible Warning. — Nearly run down. — A lively Place. — Bart encounters an old Acquaintance. — Launched into the Deep. — Through the Country. — The swift Tide. — The lost Boy. . . 58 V. A Cry of Horror. — What shall we do ? — Hard and fast. — Bart and Bruce. — Gloomy Intelligence. — The Prom- ontory. — The Bore of the Peiitcodiac. — A Night of Misery. — A mournful Waking. — Taking Counsel. . 73 VI. Tom adrift. — The receding Shores. — The Paddle. — The Roar of Surf. — The Fog Horn. — The Thunder of the unseen Breakers. — A Horror of great Darkness. — Adrift in Fog and Night 88 VII. Lost in the Fog. — The Shoal and its Rocks. — Is it a Reef? — The Truth. — Hoisting Sail. — A forlorn Hope. — Wild Steering. — Where am I ? — Land, ho ! . . . 101 VIII. Off in Search. — Eager Outlook. — Nothing but Fog, — Speaking a Schooner. — Pleasant Anecdotes. — Cheer up. — The Heart of Corbet. 115 CONTENTS. IX. Awake once more Where are we ? — The giant Cliff. — Out to Sea. — Anchoring and Drifting. — The Harbor. — The Search. — No Answer. — Where's Solomon * . 129 X. Torn ashore. — Storm at Night. — Up in the Morning. — The Cliffs and the Beach. — A startling Discovery. — A desert Island. — A desperate Effort. — Afloat again. . 144 XI. Afloat again. — The rushing Water. — Down to the Bot- tom. —Desperate Circumstances. —Can they he remedied ? — New Hopes and Plans. 258 XII. Waiting for high Water. — A Trial. — A new Discovery. — Total Failure. — Down again. — Overboard. — A Struggle for Life Uj XIII. Where's Solomon? — An anxious Search. — The Beach. — The cavernous Cliffs, — Up the Precipice. — Along the Shore. — Back for Boats 184 xiy. Back again. — Calls and Cries. — Captain Corbet's Yell. — A significant Sign. — The old llat. — The return Cry. — The Boat rounds the Point. ..... 197 ^^ 8 CONTENTS. XV. Exploring Juan Fernandez. — The Cliffs. — The tangled Underbrush. — The Fog Bank. — Is it coming or going ? — The Steamer. — Vain Appeals. — New Flans. . .211 XVI. A Sign for the outer World. — A Shelter for the Outcast's Head. — Tom's Camp and Camp-bed. — A Search after Something to vary a too monotonous Diet. — Brilliant Success. 224 XVII. Solomon's solemn Tale. — A costly Lobster. — Off again. — Steam Whistles of all Sizes. — A noisy Harbor. — Ar- rival Home. — No News 237 XVIII. Dow.v the Bay. — Drifting and Anchoring. — In the Dark, morally and physically. — Eastport, the jumping-off Place. — Grand Manan. — Wonderful Skill. — Navigat- ing in the Fog. — A Plunge from Darkness into Light, and from Light into Darkness. 250 XIX. Tom's Devijes. — Rising superior to Circumstances. — Roast Clams. — Baked Lobster. — Boiled' Mussels. — Boiled Shrimps. — Roast Eggs. — Dandelions. — Ditto, with Eggs. — Roast Dulse. — Strawberries. — Pilot- bread. — Strawberry Cordial. 264 CONTENTS. 9 XX. New Discoveries. - The Boat. ~ A great Swell. ~ Medita- tions and Plans. - A new, and wonderful, and before unheard-of Application of Spruce Gum. - Pm afloat ! I'm afloat ! . 277 XXI. ScotVs Bay and Old Bennie. - His two Theories. - Off to the desert Island. - Landing. _ A Picnic Ground. _ Gloom and Despair of the Explorers. - All over. - Sud- den Summons. 200 XXII. .istounding Discovery. - The whole Party of Explorers overwhelmed. - Meeting with the Lost - Captain Corbet improves the Occasion. ~ Conclusion 304 •■■■f '\-i L 1 f w LOST IN THE FOG. ■■'. ''si 1-3 ^ «i^. 3>«C I. Old Acquaintances gather around old Scenes. — An- telope, ahoy ! — Jfoiu are you, Solomon ? — Hound- ahout Plan of a round about Voyage. — IVie Doctor ivarns, rebukes, and remonstrates, but, alas ! in vain. — It must be done. — Beginning of a highly eventful Voyage, 5PT was a beautiful morning, in the month of J* '^^^b'j ^^''icn a crowd of boys assembled on tlio wharf of Grand Pre. Tlie tide was high, tlie turbid waters of Mud Creek flowed around, a fresh breeze blew, and if any craft was going to Hca she could not have found a better time. The crowd consisted chiefly of boys, though a few men were mingled with them. ' These boys were from Grand Pre School, and are all old acquaintances. There was the stalwart frame of Bruce, the Roman (11) 12 LOST IN THE B'OG. face of Arthur, tlie bright eyes of Bart, the slender frame of Pliil, and the earnest glance of Tom. There, too, was Pat's merry smile, and the stolid look of Bogud, and the meditative solenniity of Jiggins, not to speak of others whose names need not be mentioned. Amid the crowd the face of Ci4)taiii Corbet v/as conspicuous, and the dark vis- age of Solomon, while that of the mate was distin- guishable in the distance. To all these the good schooner Antelope formed the centre of attraction, and also of action. It was on board of her that the chief bustle took place, and towards her that all eves were turned. The good schooner Antelope had made several voyages during the past few months, and now pi'c- sented herself to the eye of the spectator not much changed from her former self. A fine fresh coat of coal tar had but recently ornaiuented her fair exterior, while a coat of whitewash inside the hold had done nuicli to <\y\\o away the odor of the fra- grant potato. Rigging and sails had been repaired as well as circumstances would permit, and in the opinion of her gallant captain she was eminently seawortliy. On the present occasion things bore the appear- ance of a voyage. Trunks were passed on board and put below, together with coats, cloaks, bedding, and baskets of provisions. Tiie deck was strewn about with the nudtifarious reipiisites of a ship's comjiany. The Antelope, at that time, seemed in t m. J \V ANTELOPE, ahoy! 13 the n cr WU ip's in part an emigrant vessel, with a dash of the yacht and tlie coasting schooner. In the midst of all this, two gentlemen worked their way through the crowd to the edge of the wliarf. " Well, boys," said one, '^ well, captain, what's the moaning of all this ? " Captain Corbet started at this, and looked np irom a desperate ellbrt to secure the end of one of the sails. " Why, Dr. Porter ! " said ho ; " why, doctor 1 — liow d'ye do ? — and Mr. Long, too ! — why, railly ! " The boys also stopped their work, and looked towards their teachers with a little uneasiness. "What's all this?" said Dr. Porter, looking around with a smile ; " are you getting up another expedition ? " " Wal, no," said Captain Corbet, " not 'xactly ; fact is, we're kine o' goin to take a vyge deoun the bay." '' Down the bay ? " " Yea. You see the boys kino o' want to go home by water, rayther than l)y land." " By water I Home by water ! " repeated Mr. Long, doubtfully. " Yes," said Captain Corbet ; " an bein as the schewner was in good repair, an corked, an coal- tarred, an whitewashed up fust rate, T kine o^ thought it would redound to our mootooil benefit "^T- 14 LOST IN THE FOG. if WG went off on sich a excursion, — bein pleas- antcr, cheaper, conifortabler, an every way prefer- able to a land tower." '' Hem," said Dr. Porter, looking uneasily about. '' T don't altogether like it. Boys, what does it all mean ? " Thus appealed to, Bart became spokesman for the boys. " Why, sir," said he, " wo tlionght we'd like to go home by water — that's all." " Go home by water ! " repeated the doctor once more, with a curious smile. " Yes, sir." " What? by the Bay of Fundy ? " " Yes, sir." "Who are going ? " '' Well, sir, there are only a few of ua. Bruce, and Arthur, and Tom, and Phil, and Pat, besides myself." " Bruce and Arthur ? " said the doctor ; " are they going homo by the Bay of Fundy ? " " Yes, sir," said Bart, with a smile. '' T don't see how they can got to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Prince Edward's Island from the Bay of Fundy," said tlie doi^tor, '' witliout going round Nova Scotia, and that will be a journey of many hundred miles." " O, no, sir," said Bruce ; " we are going first to Moncton." "0, is that the idea?" A ROUNDABOUT VOYA(JE. Ifj ICS it " Yes, sir." " And where will you go from Monctoii ? " " To Shediac, a.nd then home." " And are you going to Newfoundland by that route, Tom ? " asked the doctor. " Yes, sir," said Tom, gravely. " From Shediac ? " " Yes, sir." " I never knew before that there were vessels going from Shediac to Newfoundland." '* 0, I'm going to Prince Edward's Island first, sir, with Bruce and Arthur," said Tom. " I'll find my way home from there." The doctor smiled. " I'm afraid you'll find it a long journey before you reach home. Won't your friends be anx- ious ? " " 0, no, sir. I wrote that I wanted to visit Bruce and Arthur, and they gave me leave." " And you, Phil, are you going home by the Antelope ? " " Yes, sir." " You are going exactly in a straight line away from it." "Am I, sir?" '^ Of course you are. This isn't the way to Cliester." " Well, sir, you see I'm going to visit Bart at St. John." " 0, 1 understand. And that is your plan, then ? " 16 LOST IN THE POG. ii OS, sir, V , ^.., said Bart. *' Pat is going too." " Where are you going first ? " " First, sir, we will sail to the Petitcodiac River, and go up io as far as Moncton, where Bruce, and Arthur, and Tom will leave us." " And then ? " " Then we will go to St. John, where Phil, and Pat, and I will leave her. Solomon, too, will leave her there." " Solomon ! " cried the doctor. " What ! Solo- mon ! Is Solomon going ? Why, what can I do without Solomon ? Here ! — Hallo ! — Solomon ! What in the world's the meaning of all this ? " Thus summoned, Solomon came forth from the cabin, into w^hich he had dived at the first appear- ance of the doctor. His eyes were downcast, his face was demure, his attitude and manner were a,bject. " Solomon," said the doctor, " what's this I hear? Are you going to St. John ? " " Ony temp'ly, sah — jist a leetle visit, sah," said Solomon, very humbly, stealing looks at the boys from his downcast eyes. " But what makes you go off this way without asking, or letting me know ? " " Did I, sah ? " said Solomon, rolling his eyes up as though horrified at his own wickedness ; " the sakes now ! Declar, T clean forgot it." " What are you going away for?" " Why, sail, fur de good ob my helf. Docta vises .K- HOW ARE YOU, SOLOMON? 17 said boys Lhout ;s up l«the visea sea vyge ; sides, 1 got Irens in St. John, an busi- ness dar, what muss be tended to." " Well, well," said the doctor, " I suppose if you want to go you'll find reasons enough ; but at the same time you ouglit to have let me knowii before." " Darsn't, sah," said Solomon. ^ '' Why not ? " " Fraid you'd not let me go," said Solomon, with a broad grin, that instantly was suppressed by a demure cough. " Nonsense," said the doctor ; and then turning awiiy, he spoke a few words apart with Mr. Long. '' Well, boys," said the doctor, at last, " this pro- ject of yours doesn't seem to me to be altogether safe, and I don't like to trust you in this way with- out anybody as a responsible guardian." Bart smiled. '' O, sir," said he, " you need not be at all uneasy. All of us are accustomed to take care of ourselves ; and besides, if you wanted a responsible guardian for us, what better one could bo found than Cap- tain Corbet ? " Tiie docte)r and Mr. Long both shook their heads. Kvidontly neither of them attached any great im- [lortance to Captain Corbet's guardianship. " Did you tell your father how you were going?" asked the doctor, after a few further words with Mr. Long. " 0, yes, sir ; and he told me I might go. What's niore, he promised to charter a schooner for me to 4 X. / •^J 18 V OST IN THE FOG. V qrp^He ,ii%iiit with Phil and Pat after I arrived "IranTe?'' " And we got permission, too/' said Bruce. " Indeed ! " said tlie doctor. " That clianges the appearance of things. I was ai'raid tliat it was a wliim of your own. And now, one thing more, — how are you off for provisions ? " '^ Wal, sir," said Captain Corbet, " Pvo made my calculations, an I think Pve got enough. What I might fail in, the boys and Solomon have made up." " ITow is it, Solomon ? " asked the doctor. Solomon grinned. " You sleep in the hold, I see," continued the doctor, " Yes, sir," said Bruce. " It's whitewashed, and quite sweet now. We'll only be on board two or three days at the farthest, and so it really doesn't much matter how we go." " Well, boys, I have no more to say ; only take care of yoursalves." With these words the doctor and Mr. Long bade them good by, and then walked away. The other boys, however, stood on the wharf, waiting to see the vessel off. They themselves were all going to start for home in a few minutes, and were only waiting for the departure of the Antelope. This could not now be long delayed. The tide was high. The wind fresh and fair. The luggage, and provisions, and stores were all on board. Cap- W' \ ^^ BEOTNNTXG OF THE VOYAGE. 19 larf, Ives ites, ithe tide ige, taiii Corbet was at the helm. All was ready. At length the word was given, the lines were cast off, and the Antelope moved slowly round, and left the wharf amid the cheers of the bovs. Farther and farther it moved away, then down the tortuous chiuniel of Mud Creek, until at last the broad ex- piinse of Minas Basin received them. For this voyage the prepai-ations had been com- plete. It had first been thought of several weeks before, and then the plan and the details had been slowly elaborated. Tt was thought to be an excel- lent idea, and one which was in every respect worthy of the " B. 0. W. C." Captain Corbet em- braced the proposal with enthusiasm. Letters home, requesting permission, received favorable answers. Solomon at first resisted, but finally, on being solemnly appealed to as Grand Panjandrum, ho found himself unable to withstand, and thus every- thing was gradually prei)ared. Other details were satisfactoril}" arranged, though not without much serious and earnest debate. The question of cos- tume received very careful attention, and it was decided to adopt and wear the weather-beaten uniforms that had done service amidst mud and water on a former occasion. Solomon's presence was folt to be a security against any menacing famine ; and that assurance was made d(uibly sure by the presence of a cooking stove, which Captain Corbet, mindful of former hardships, had thought- lully procured and set up in the hold. Finally, it ■""* 20 LOST IN THE FOG. was decided that tlie flag which liad formerly flaunted the breeze should again wave over them ; and so it was, that as the Antelope moved through Mud Creek, like a thing of life, the black flag of the " B. 0. W. C." floated on high, witli its blazonry of a skull, which now, worn by time, looked more than ever like the face of some mild, venerable, and ])aternal monitor. Some time was taken up in arranging the hold. Considerable confusion was manifest in that impor- tant locality. Tin pans were intermingled with bedding, provisions with wearing apparel, books with knives and forks, while amid the scene the cooking stove towered aloft prominent. To tell the truth, the scene was rather free and easy than elegant ; nor could an unprejudiced observer have called it altogether comfortable. In fact, to one who looked at it with a philosophic mind, an air of scpialor might possibly have been detected. Yet what of that? The philosophic mind just alluded to would have overlooked the squalor, and regarded rather the health, the buoyant animal spirits, and the determined habit of enjoyment, which all tlie ship's company evinced, without exception. The first thing which they did in the way of prepara- tion for the voyage was to doff the garments of civilized life, and to don the costume of the " B. 0. W. C." Those red shirts, decorated with a huge white cross on the back, had been washed and mended, and completely reconstructed, so that the 1 ARRANCJEMKNTS ON BOARD. it rents and patclies wliiclj were liero and tliorc visi- ble on their fair exteriors, served as mementos of former exploits, and ealled up associations of the past witliout at all deteriorating frcjm the striking ed'ect of the present. Glengary bonnets adorned their heads, and served to complete the costume. The labor of dressing was followed by a hurried arrangement of the trunks and bedding; after which tiiey all emerged from the hold, and ascend- ing to the deck, looked around ui)()n the scene. Above, the sky was blue and cloudless, and be- tween them and the blue sky floated the flag, from whose folds the face looked benignantly down. The tide was now on the ebb, and as the wind was fair, both wind and tide united to bear them rapidly onward. Before them was Blomidon, while all around was the circling sweep of the shores of Minas Bay. A better day for a start could not have been found, and everything promised a rapid and pleasant run. " I must say," remarked Captain Corbet, who had for some time been standing buried in his own meditations at the helm, — "I must say, boys, that I don't altogether regret bein once more on the briny deep. There was a time," he contiiuied, medita- tively, " when I kinc o' anticipated givin up this here occypation, an stayin to hum a nourishin of the infant. But man proposes, an woman disposes, as the sayin is, — an y^u see what Pm druv to. It's a great thing for a man to have a companion 90 LOST IN THE FOG. of sperrit, same as I have, that keeps a drivin an a drivin at him, and makes liim be up an doin. An now, I declar, if I ain't gittin to be a confiiiiied wanderer agin, same as I was in tlie days of my halcyon an sliinin youtli. Besides, 1 have a kine o' feelin as if I'd be a contincwin this here the rest of all my born days." " 1 hope you won't feel homesick," remarked Bart, sympathetically. " Homesick," repeated the captain. " Wal, you see thar's a good deal to be said about it. In my hum thar's a attraction, but thar's also a repulsion. The infant drors me hum, the wife of my buzzwm drives me away, an so thar it is, an I've got to knock under to the strongest power. An that's the identical individool thing that makes the aged Corbet a foogitive an a vagabond on the face of the mighty deep. Still I have my consolations." The captain paused for a few Inoments, and then resumed. " Yes," he continued, " I have my consolations. Surroundins like these here air a consolation. I like j'^our young faces, an gay an airy ways, boys. I like to see you enjoy life. So, go in. Pitch in. Go ahead. Sing. Shout. Go on like mad. Carry on like all possessed, an you'll find the aged Corbet smilin amid the din, an a flutterin of his venerable locks triumphant amid the ragin an riotin ele- ments." " It's a comfort to know that, at any rate," said I REFLECTIOiNS OF CAPTAIN COUBET. 23 Tom. '' We'll give yon enough of that before we leave, especially as we know it don't annoy you." '' I don't know how it is," said the captain, sol- emnly, " but I begin to feel a sort of somethin towards you youngsters that's very absorbin. It's a kine o' anxious fondness, witli a mixtoor of indul- g(uit tenderness. How ever I got to contract sech a feolin beats me. I s'pose it's boin deprived of my babby, an exiled from home, an so my vacant buzzom craves to be filled. I've got a dreadful talent for doin the pariential, an what's more, not only for doin the pariential, but for feelin of it. So you boys, ef ever you see me a doin of the pariential towards youns, please remember that when I act like an anxious an too indulgent parient towards youns, it's because I feel like one." For some hours the}^ traversed the waters, carried swiftly on by the united forces of the wind and tide. At last they found ^emselves close by Blomidon, and under his mighty shadow they sailed for some time. Then they doubled the cape, and there, be- fore them, lay a long channel — the Straits of Mi- nas, through which the waters pour at every ebb and flood. Their course now lay through this to the Bay of Fundy outside ; and as it was within two hours of the low tide, the current ran swiftly, hurrying them rapidly i)ast the land. Here the scene was grand and impressive in the extreme. On one side arose a lofty, precipitous cliff, which extended for miles, its sides scarred and tempest- '■!• 24 LOST IN THE FOG. torn, its crest fringed with trees, tuwering over- head many Imndreds of feet, black, and menacing, and formidable. At its base was a steep beach, disclosed by the retreating tide, which had been formed by the accumulated masses of rock that had fallen in past ages from the cliffs above. These now, from the margin of the water up to high-water mark, were covered with a vast growth of sea-weed, which luxuriated here, and ran parallel to the line of vegetation on the summit of the clilf. On the oth- er side of the strait the scene was different. Here the shores were more varied ; in one place, rising high on steep precipices, in others, thrusting forth black, rocky promontories into the deep channel ; in others again, retreating far back, and forming bays, round whose sloping shores appeared places fit for human habitation, and in whose still waters the storm-tossed bark might find a secure haven. As they drifted on, borne along by the impetu- ous tide, the shores on either side changed, and new vistas opened before them. At last they reached the termination of the strait, the outer portal of this long avenue, which here was marked by the mighty hand of Nature in conspicuous characters. For here was the termination of that long extent of precipitous cliff which forms the outline of Blomidon ; and this termination, abrupt, and stern, and black, shows, in a concentrated form, the pow- er of wind and wave. The cliff ends abrupt, bro- ken off short, and beyond this arise from the water I K'lf ■*•»>« PROGRESS OF THE VOYA(JE. or: several giant fVagUionts of rook, the first of vvliicii, shaped like an irregular pyramid, rivals the elifl* itself in height, and is siirroiuided by other rocky fragments, all of which form a colossal group, whoso aggregated effect never fails to overawe the mind of the spectator. Such is Cape Split, the terminus of Cape Blomidon, on the side of the Bay of Fundy. Over its shaggy summits now fluttered hundreds of sea-gulls; round its black base the waves foamed and thundered, while the swift tide poured be- tween the niterstices of the rugged rocks. " Behind that thar rock," said Captain Corbet, pointing to Cape Split, ^' is a place they call Scott's Bay. Perhaps some of you have heard tell of it." " I have a faint recollection of such a place," said Bart. " Scott's Bay, do you call it ? Yes, that must be the place that I've heard of; and is it behind this cape ? " " It's a bay that runs up thar," said the captain. " We'll see it soon arter we get further down. It's a fishin and ship-buildin place. They catch a dread- ful lot of shad thar sometimes." Swiftly the Antelope passed on, hurried on by the tide, and no longer feeling much of the wind ; swiftly she passed by the cliffs, and by the cape, and onward by the sloping shores, till at length the broad bosom of the Bay of Fundy extended before their eyes. Here the wind ceased altogether, the water was smooth and calm, but the tide still swept them along, and the shores on each side receded. • 3» 26 LOST IN THE FOG. until fit length they were fairly in the bay. Here, on one side, the co.ast of Nova Scotia spread away, until it faded from view in the distance, wliile on tlie otlicr side the coast of New Brunswick extend- ed. Between the schooner and this latter coast a long cape projected, while immediately in front arose a lofty island of rock, whose summit was crowned wnth trees. " What island is that? " asked Tom. '' That," said Captain Cor])et, " is Isle o' Holt." '^ I think I've heard it called He Haute," said Bart. *' All the same," said Captain Corbet, " ony I be- lieve it was named after the man that diskivered it lust, an his name was Holt." '' But it's a French name," said Tom ; " Ho Hauto means high island." " Wal, mebbe he was a Frenchman," said Cap- tain Corbet. '•' I won't argufy — I dare sa}^ he was. Tliere us^jd to be a heap o' Frenchmen about these parts, afore we got red of 'em." " It's a black, gloomy, dismal, and wretched-look- ing place," said Tom, after some minutes of silent survey. f li^ VIEW OF ILE HAUTE. 27 II. Flrfit Slijlit of a Place destined to be tictter known. — A Foij Mill. — Navigation icilhoid Wind. — Finh- i)i(j. — Boarding. — Under AiireM. — Ca2)tain Cor/jet dejiant. — The Revemce OJicials frowned down. — Corbet triuniphant. lii TIE Antelope had left the wharf at ahout seven in the morning. It was now one o'clock. For the last tv j or three hours there had been but little wind, and it was the tide which had carried her along. Drifting on in this way, they had come to within a mile of He Haute, and had an opportunity t)f inspecting the place which Tom had declared to be so gloomy. In truth, Tom's judgment was not undeserved. He Haute arose like a solid, unbroken rock out of the deep waters of the Bay of Fundy, its sides precipitous, and scarred by tempest, and shattered by frost. On its summit were trees, at its base lay masses of rock that had fallen. The low tide disclosed here, as at the base of Blomidon, a vast growth of blacjk Hoa-woed, which covered }dl that rocky shore. The upper end of the island, which was nearest them, uaES.i 28 LOST IN THE FOG. was lower, liowevcr, Jiiid went duwii slupiug to tlio shore, tunning- a place wliero a landing could easily be ellected. From this shore mud Hats extended into the water. " This end looks as though it had been cleared," said Bart. " 1 believe it was," said tlie captain. ^' Does anybody live here ? " '' No." " Did any one ever live here?" " Yes, once, some one tried it, I believe, but gave it up." " Does it belong to anybody, or is it public prop- erty ? " "• 0, I dare say it belongs to somebody, if you could only get him to claim it." *• I say, captain," said Bruce, '' how much longer are we going to drift? " " 0, not much longer. Tiie tide's about on the turn, and we'll liave a leetle change." '' What! will we drift l)ack again?" " 0, I sliouldn't wonder if we had a leetle wind afore long." " But if we don't, will we drift back again into the Basin of Minas ? " '^ 0, dear, no. Wo can anchor hereabouts some- wliar." " You won't anclior by this island, — will you?" " (), dear, no. We'll have a leetle driftin first." As thc! ca[)tain spoke, he looked earnestly out upon the water. '^■■f t I ■I SAILING ALONG SHORE. 29 lO y (i jj •' Thar slic comes," ho cried at last, pointing over the water. The boys looked, and saw the surface of the bay all rippled over. They knew the signs of wind, and waited for the result. Soon a faint pulT came up the hay, which filled the lan- guid sails, and another pulF came up more strongly, and yet another, until at lengtli a moderate breeze was blowing. The tide no longer dragged them on. It was on the turn; and as the vessel caught the wind, it yielded to the impetus, and moved througli the v/ater, heading am'oss the bay towai'ds the New IJrunswick shore, in such a line as to pass near to that cape which has already been spoken of. " If the wind holds out,'' said Ca])tain Corbet, " so as to carry ns past Cape d'Or, we can drift up with this tide." " Where's Cape d'Or?" " That there," said Captain Corbet, pointing to the long cape which stretched between them and the New Hrunswick shore. " An if it goes down, an wo can't get by the cape, we'll be able, at any rate, to drop anchor there, an hold on till the next tide." The returning tide, and the fresh l)reeze that blow now, bore them onward rapidly, and they soon npproached Cape d'Or. They saw that it t(>rminat(Ml in a rocky clift', with rocky edges jut- ting forth, and that all the country adjoining was wild and rugged. But the wiiK^ ving done this nuich for thoin, now Ix^gan to so. :.ired of favor- ing them, and once more f(3il dff. I i 30 LOST IN THE FOC. "I clon't like tliis," said Captain Corbet, looking j| around. | " What ? " ^ " All this here," said he, pointing to the shore. ,* f rt was about a mile away, and the schooner, l>()rne along now by the tide, was slowly drifting on to an unpleasant proximity to the rcx^ky shore. " I guess we've got to anchor," sai^l Captain Corbet; " there's no help for it," "To anchor?" said Bruce, in a tone of disap- pointment. " Yes, anchor ; we've got to do it," repeated the captain, in a decided tone. T'le boys saw that there was no help for it, for the vessel was every moment drawing in closer to the rocks ; and though it would not have been very dangerous for her to run ashore in that calm water, yet it would not have been pleasant. So tliey suppressed their dis- appointment, and in a few minutes the anchor was down, and the schocmer's progress was stopped. " Thar's one secret," said the captain, " of navi- gatin in these here waters, an that is, to use your anchor. My last anchor T used for nigh on thirty year, till it got cracked. 1 mayn't be much on land, but put mo anywhars on old Fundy, an I'm to hum. 1 know every current on these here wa- ters, an can foller my nose through the thickest fog that thoy ever ground out at old Manan." ■rt,j» "What's that?" asked P>art. ^' What did you siiy about grinding out fog? " t»- A POG MILL. 31 I " 0, notliin, ony tliar's an island down the bay, you know, called Grand Manan, an seafarin men say that they've got a fog mill down thar, whar they grind out all the fog for the Bay of Fundy. I can't say as ever I've seen that thar mill, but I've alius found the fog so mighty thick down thar that 1 think thar's a good deal in the story." " I suppose we'll lose this tide," said Phil. '' Yes, Pm afeard so," said the captain, looking around over the water. " This here wind ain't much, any way ; you never can reckon on winds in this bay. 1 don't care much about them. Pd a most just as soon go about the bay without sails as with them. What I brag on is the tides, an a jodgmatical use of the anchor." " You're not in earnest?" " Course I am." " Could you get to St. John from Grand Pr^ without sails?" " Course I could." " I don't see how you could manage to do it." " Do it? Easy enough," said the captain. '' You see Pd leave with the ebb tide, and get out into the bay. Then Pd anchor an wait till the next ebb, an so on. Bless your hearts, Pve often done it." '' But you couldn't get across the bay by drift- ing." "Course I could. Pd work my way by short drifts over as far as this, an thou Pd gradually move along till I kine o' canted over to the Now ^0 LOST IN THE FOO. Brunswick shore. It takes time to do it, course it docs ; but what 1 mean to say is this — it can be done." " Well, I wouldn't like to be on board while you were trying to do it." " Mebbc npt. I ain't invitin you to do it, either. All I was sayin is, it can be done. Sails air very good in their way, course they air, an who's ob- jectin to 'em ? I'm only sayin that in this hero bay thar's things that's more important than sails, by a hmg chalk — such as tides, an anchors in par- ticular. Give me them thar, an I don't care a hooter what wind thar is." Lying thus at anchor, under the hot sun, was soon found to be rather dull, and the boys sought In vain for some way of passing the time. Differ- ent amusements were invented for the occasion. The first amusement consisted in paper boats, with which they ran races, and the drift of these frail vessels over the water affbrded some excitement. 1'hon they made wooden boats with huge paper sails. In tliis last Bart showed a superiority to the others; for, by means of a piece of iron hoop, which he inserted as a keel, he produced a boat which was able to cany an immense press of sail, and in the faint and scarce perceptible breeze, easily distanced the others. This accomplishment Bart owed to his training in a seaport town. At length one of them proposed that they should try to catch fish. Captain Corbet, in answer to I tS-r i FISHING. 33 "I ' ' their eager inquiries, informed them that there were fish everywhere about the bay ; on learning which they became eager to try their skill. Some herring w^ere on board, forming part of the stores, and these were taken for bait. Among the miscel- laneous contents of the cabin a few hooks were found, which were somewhat rusty, it Is true, yet still good enough for the purpose before them. Lines, of course, were easily procured, and soon a half dozen baited hooks were down in the water, while a half dozen boys, eager with suspense, watched the surface of the water. For a half hour they held their lines suspended without any result ; but at the end of that time, a cry from Phil roused them, and on looking round they saw him clinging with all his might to his line, which was tugged at tightly by something in the water. Bruce ran to help him, and soon their united efforts succeeded in landing on the deck of the vessel a codfish of very respectable size. The sight of this was g''eeted with cheers by the others, and served to stimulate them to their work. After this others were caught, and before half an hour more some twenty codfish, of various sizes, lay about the deck, as trophies of their piscatory skill. They were now more excited than ever, and all had their hooks in the water, and were waiting eagerly for a bite, when an exolamrttion from Cap- tain Corbet roused them. On turning their heads, and looking in the direc- :-v 34 LOST IN THE FOG. tion where he was pointing, they saw a steamboat approaching them. It was coming from the iiead of tiie bay on tlio No\v Brunswick side, and had iiitherto been concealed by the projecting cape. '' Whiit's tliat? '' said Bart. " Is it the St. J(yhn steamer ? '' " No, .siV," said tlie captain. Slic's a man-o'-war steamer — the revcnoo cutter, I do believe." '' flow d(^ you know?" " Why, by her shape." " She seems to be coming this way." " Yes, bound to Minas Bay, I s'pose. Wal, wal, wal! strange too, — how singoolarly calm an onti3n-ified I feel in'ardly. Why, boys, I've seen the time when the sight of a approachin revenoo ves- sel would make me shiver an shake from stem to starn. I>ut now how changed ! Such, my friends, is the mootability of human life!" The boys looked at the steamer for a few mo- ments, but at length went back to their fishing. The ap[)roaching steamer had nothing in it to ex- cite curiosity : such an object was too familiar to withdraw their tliouii'hts from tiie excitement of their lines and hooks, and the hope which each had of sur})assing the other in the number of catch- es animated tluMu to new trials. So they soon for- got all about the iip[)roaching steamer. But Captain Corbet liad nothing else to do, and so, whether it was on account of his lack of employ- ment, or because of the sake of old associations, 'it 'I HBffi .|i»w*TO«n»p5i^ww A (3UN FTRED. 35 i •t^- -> lie kept his eyes fixed on- the steamer. Time passed on, and in the space of anotlior lialf hour slie liad drawn very near to the Antelope. Suddenly Captain Corbet slapped his hand n.gainst his thigh. " Declar, if they ain't a goin to overhaul us ! " he cried. At this the boys all turned again to look at the steamer. " Declar, if that fellow in the gold hat ain't a squintin at us through his spy-glass ! " cried the captain. As the boys looked, they saw that the Antelope had become an object of singular attcuition and in- terest to those on board of the steamer. ^len were on the forecastle, others on the main deck, the ollicers were on the (piarter-deck, and all were earnestly scrutinizing the Antelope. One of them was looking at her through his glass. The Ante- lope, as she lay at anchor, was now turned with her stern towards the steamer, and her sails flap- ping idly against the masts. In a few moments the paddles of the steamer stopped, iind at the same instant a gun was fired. " Highly honored, kind sir," siiid Captain Corbet, with a grin. " What's the matter ? " asked Bart. " Matter ? Why that thar steamer feels kino o' in- terested in us, an that thar gun means, Heave to,''^ "Are you going to heave to? " 3G LOST IN THE FOG. " Niiry heave." "Why not?" " Can't come it no how ; cos why, I'm hove to, with tlio ancliur liard and fast ony tlioy can't see tliat we're ancliorcd." Suddenly a cry came over the water from a man on the quarter-deck. " Sliip aho-o-o-o-o-oy I " '^ Ilel-lo-o-o-o-o ! " Sucli was tlie informal reply of Captain Corbet. " Ifoave to-o-o-o, till I send a boat aboard." " ]Ioo-r-a-a-a-a-ay ! " Such was again Captain Corbet's cheerful and informal answer. " Wal ! wal ! wal ! " he exclaimed, '' it does beat my grandmother — they're goin to send a boat aboard." ''What for?" Capt;un Corbet grinned, and shook his head, and cIiucUI'mI very vehemently, but said nothing. He appeared to be excessively amused with his own thoughts. The boys looked at the steamer, and then at Captain Corbet, in some wonder ; but as he said nothing, they Avcre silent, and waited to see Avhat was going to happen. Meanwhile Solomon, roused from some mysterious culinary duties by the report of the gun, had scrambled ujion the deck, and stood with the others looking out over the water at the steamer. ' "^1 In a few moments the steamer's boat was launclied, • *"•' ■''^' BOARDING. 3f aiul a luilf dozen sailors got in, followed by an officer. Then they put oil', and rowed with vigorous strokes towards the schooner. Captain Corbet watched the boat for some time in silence. '' Cur'ouser an cur'ouser," ho said, at length. " I've knowed the time, boys, when sech an inci- dent as this, on the briny deep, would have fairly keeled nie over, an made me moot, an riz every har o' my head ; but look at me now. Do I trem- ble? do 1 shake? Here, feel my pulse." Phil, who stood nearest, put his finger on the outstretched wrist of the captain. "Does it beat?" - No," said Phil. " Course it beats ; but then it ony beats nateral. You ain't feeliii the right spot — the humane pulse not bein sitooated on the hack of the hand," he added mildly, '' but here ; " and he removed Phil's inexperienced finger to the place where the pulse lies. " Thar, now," he added, " as that pulse beats now, even so it beat a half hour ago, before that thar steamer hev in sight. Why, boys, I've knowed the time when this humane pulse bet like all pos- sessed. You see, I've lived a life of adventoor, in spite of my meek and quiet natoor, an hev dabbled at odd times in the smugglin business. But they don't catch me this time — I've retired from that thar, an the Antelope lets the revenoo rest in peace." 1 i 38 LOST IN THE FOG. Tlie bout drew nearer and nearer, and tlie ol- ficer at the stern looked senitinizingly at the An- tehjpe. There was an air oi" perplexity about his face, which was very visible to those on board, and the perplexity deepened and intensified as his eyes rested on the flag of the '' B. O. W. C." h " Leave him to me," said Captain Corbet. " Leave that thar young man to me. I enjy h.ivin to do witli a revenoo officer jest now; so don't go an put in your oars, but jest leave him to me." '' All right, captain ; we won't say a word," said Bruce. " We'll go on with our fishing quietly. Come, boys — look sharp, and down with your lines." The interest which they had felt in these new proceedings had caused the boys to pull up their hooks ; but now, at Bruce's word, they put them in the water once more, and resumed their fishing, only casting sidelong glances at the approaching boat. In a few minutes the boai: was alongside, and the officer leaped on board. He looked all around, at the fish lying about the deck, at the boys en- gaged in fishing, at Captain Corbet, at Solomon, at the mysterious flag aloft, and finally at the boys. These all took no notice of him, but appeared to be intent on their task. "What schooner is this? " he asked, abruptly. "The schooner Antelope, Corbet master," replied the captain. \w * Uli less you, bless you, my friend," murmured Bruce, in the intervals of eating ; *•' if there is any contrast between this })rescnt voyage and former ones, it is all due to our unequalled caterer." " TIow^ did you get the trout, Solomon?" said Pliil " De trout? 0, T picked 'em u]) last night down in le village," said Solomon. "Met little boy from Gaspcreaux, an got 'em from him." "What's this?" cried Tom, opening a dish — "not lobster !" " Lobster ! " exclaimed Phil. . ''So it is." " Why, Solomon, where did you get lobster?" 4G LOST IN THE FOG. " Is this the season fur them ? " " Think of the words of the poet, boys/' said Bart, warningly, — " In the montlis without the R, Clams and lobsters pison are." Solomon meanwhile stood apart, grinning from ear to ear, with his little black beads of eyes twinkling with merriment. " Ilallo, Solomon ! What do you say to lobstersi in July ? " Solomon's head wagged up and down, as though he were indulging in some quiet, unobtrusive laughter, and it was some time before he re})licd. " 0, neber you fear, chil'en," he said ; " ef you're only goin to get sick from lobsters, you'll live a long day. You may go in for clams, an lobsters, an oysters any time ob de yeah you like, — ony dey mus be cooked up proper." " I'm gratified to hear that," said Bruce, gravely, '' but at the same time puzzled. For Mrs. Pratt says the exact opposite ; and so here we have two great authorities in direct opposition. So what arc we to think?" " O, there's no difhculty," said Arthur, " for the doctors are not of ecpud authority. Mrs. Pratt is a quack, but Solomon is a professional — a regu- lar, natural, artistic, and scientific cook, which at sea is the same as doctor." The dinner was prolonged to an extent commen- I * JOY FOLLOWED BY SORROW. 47 I surato with its own inherent excellence and the capacity of the boys to appreciate it ; but at length, like all things mortal, it came to a termination, and the company went up once more to the deck. On looking round it was evident to all that a cliange ■;_ had taken place. I Four miles away lay He Haute, and eight or ten I miles beyond this lay the long line of Nova Scotia. t It was now about four o'clock, and the tide liad I been rising for three hours, and was flowing up % rapidly, and in a full, strong current. As yet there I was no wind, and the broad surfiico of the bay was I quite smooth and unruffled. In the distance and far down the bay, where its waters joined the hori- zon, there was a kind of haze, tliat rendered the line of se])aration between sea and sky very indis- tinct. The coast of Nova Scotia was at once en- largiid and obscured. It seemed now elevated to nn unusual height above the sea line, as though it had been suddenly brought several miles nonrer, and yet, instead of being more distinct, was actually more obscure. Even He Haute, though so near, did not escape. Four miles of distance were not suflicient to give it tliat grand indistinctness which wiis now Hung over the Nova Scotia coast; yet much of the mysterious effect of the haze had gatliered about the island ; its lofty clilfs seemed to tower on high more majestically, and to lean over more frowningly ; its fringe of black sea-weed below seemed blacker, while the general hue ol" 48 LOST IN THE FOG. the island had clianged from a reddish color to one of a dull slaty blue. " I don't like this," said Captain Corbet, looking down the bay and twisting up his face as he looked. " Why not ? " Cai)tain Corbet shook his head. " What's the matter ? " " Bad, bad, bad ! " said the captain. " Is there going to be a storm ? " '' Wuss ! " " Worse ? What ? " " Fog." u Fog ? " "■ Yes, hot an heavy, thick as puddin, an no mis- take. I tell you what it is, boys : judgin from what 1 see, they've got a bran-new steam injine into that tliar fog mill at Grand Manan ; an the way they're goin to grind out the fog this here night is a caution to mariners." Saying this, he took oif his hat, and holding it in one hand, he scratched his venerable head long and thouglitfully with the other. '' But I don't see any fog as yet," said Bart. " Don't see it? Wal, what d'ye call all that?" said the captain, giving a grand comprehensive sweep with his arm, so as to take in the entire fe. scene. " Why, it's clear enough." " Clear ? Then let me tell you that when you i GLOOMY FOREBODINGS. 49 sec a atmospliero like tliis here, tlicn you may ex- pect to see it any moment changed into deep, tliick fog. Any moment — five minutes '11 he enough to snatch everything from sight, and hury us all in the middle of a uny^ersal fog hank.'' " What '11 we do ? " '' Dew ? That's jest the question." " Can we go on ? " " Wid — without wind — I don't exactly see how. Tn a fog a wind is not without its advantages. That's one of the times when the old Antelope likes to have her sails up ; but as we hain't got no wind, I don't think we'll do much." '^Will you stay here at anchor?" " At anchor ? Course not. No, sir. Moment the tide falls again, I'll drift down so as to clear that I'int there, — Cape Chignocto, — then anchor ; then hold on till tide rises ; and then drift up. Mehhe l)efore that the wind '11 spring up, an give ns a lift somehow up the bay." '' How long before the tide will turn?" " Wal, it'll be high tide at about a quarter to eight this evenin, I calc'late." " You'll (b'ift in the night, I suppose." " Why not ? " " 0, I di(hi't know but what the fog and the night together might be too much for you." "Too much? Not a bit of it. Fog, and night, and snow-storms, an tide dead agin me, an a lee shore, are circumstances that the Antelope has met T-^ 50 LOST IN THE FOG. over an over, an fit down. As to foggy nights, when it's as calm as this, why, they're not wuth considerin." Captain Corbet's prognostication as to the fog proved to be correct. It was only for a short time that tliey were allowed to stare at the magnified pi'oportions of the Nova Scotia coast and lie ITaute. Tlion a change took place which attniuted all their attention. The ch .go was first perceptible down the bay. It was first made manifest by the rapid appearance of a thin gray cloud (dong the horizon, which seemed to take in both sea and sky, and absorbed into itself the outlines of both. At the same time, the coast of Nova S otia grew more obscure, though it lost none of its magnified proportions, while the slaty blue of He Haute changed to a grayer shade. This change was rapid, and was followed by other changes. The thin gray cloud, along the south-west horizon, down the bay, gradually en- larged itself, till it grew to larger and loftier pro- portions. In a ipiarter of an hour it had risen to the dimensions of the Nova Scotia coast. In a half an hour it was towering to double that height. In an hour its lofty crest had ascended far up into the sky. " It's a comin," said Captain Corbet. " I knowed it. Grind away, you old fog mill ! Pile on the steam, you Grand Mananers ! " ""sr" -Tl IPI ■ II ajHI ,:i FOr. WTTTIOUT WIND. $i .J^f^ ■-^y e fog tl le " Is there any wind down there ? " '' Not a hooter." . " Is tlie fog coming np without any wind ? " " Course it is. What does the fog want of wind?" '^ T tliouglit it was the wind that brought it along." " r>loss your h(^^rt, the fog takes care of itself TIk^ wind isn't a bit necessary. It kino o' pervades the hull atmosphere, an rolls itself oi m on till all creation is overspread. Why, I've seen everything changed from bright sunshint; to the thickest kind of fog in fifteen minutes, — yea, more, — and in five minutes." Even while they were speaking the fog ndled on, the vast accumulation of mist rose higher and yet higher, and ap[)e!ired to draw nearer with im- mense ra])idity. It seemed as though the whole atmosphere was gradually l)ecoming condensed, and pHM^ipitating its invisible watery vapor so as to make it visible in far-extending fog banks. It was not wind, therefore, that brought on the clouds, f )r the surface of the water was smooth and un- rutllcd, but it was tlie character of the atmosphere itself from which this change was wrought. And still, as they looked at the approaching mist, the sky overhead was blue, and tlie sun shone bright. But the gathering clouds seemed now to have gained a greater headway, and came on more ra[)idly. In a few minutes the whole outline of the Nova Scotia ■&- '%■..■ M 52 LOST IN THE FOO. I i coast failed from view, and in its place there ap- peared a lofty wall of dim gray cloud, which rose liigh in the air, fading away into the faintest out- line. Overhead, the blue sky became rapidly more obscured; He Haute changed again from its grayish blue to a lighter shade, and then became blended with the impenetrable fog that was liist enclosing all things; and finally the clouds grow nearer, till the land nearest them was snatched from view, and all around was alike shrouded un- der the universal veil ; nothing whatever was visi- ble. For a hundred yards, or so, around them, they could see the surface of the water ; but be- y(^nd this narrow circle, nothing more could be discerned. " It's a very pooty fog," said Captain Corbet, " an 1 only wonder that there ain't any wind. If it should come, it'll be all right." " You intend, then, to go on just the same." " Jest the same as ef the sky was clear. 1 will up anchor as the tide begins to fall, an git a good piece down, so as to dodge tC^ape Chegnecto, an there wait for tlic rising tide, an jest tlie same as ef the sun was shinin. Tint we can't start till eidit o'clock this evonin. Anyhow, you needn't trouble yourselves a mite. You may all go to sleep, an dream that the silver moon is guidin the traveller on the briny deep." The scene now was too monotonous to attract attention, and the boys once more sought ibr some 4 'i-r '■ n' LEGKND OF PETTICOAT JACK. 53 mode of passing- the time. Notliing appeared so eutieiiig as their lurjiier oecupatioii of lisliiii!;-, and to this they again turned tlieir attention. In this emi)loyment the time passed away rapidly until the summons was given for ten. Around the fes- tive board, vvliieli was again prepared by Soh)m()n witli his usual suecess, they lingered long, and at lejigth, when they arose, the tide was higli. It was now about eigiit o'cloek in the evening, and Captain Corbet was all ready to start. As the tide was now beginning to turn, and was on the ebb, the anehor was raised, and the sehooner, yielding to the pressure of the current, nujved away from her anchorage grouud. It was still thick, aud darkness also was coming on. Not a thing could be discerned, and by looking at the water, which moved with the schooner, it did not seem as though any motion was made. " That's all your blindness," said the captain, as they mentioned it to him. *' You can't see any- thing but the water, an as it is movin with us, it doesn't seem as though we were movin. But we air, notwitlistandin, an pooty quick too. I'll take two liours' drift before stoppin, so as to make sure. 1 calc'late about that time to get' to a place whar I can hit the current that'll take me, with the risin tide, up to old Petticoat Jack. '' ]]y the way, captain,-' said Phil, " what do you seafaring men believe about the origin of that name — Petitcodiae ? Is it Indian or French ? " 54 LOST IN THE FOG. \ " 'Tiiin't neither," said CapUiiu Corbet, decidedly. *^ It's good English ; it's ' Petticoat Jack ; ' an I've hearn tell a hundred times about its original dery- vation. You see, in the old French war, there was an English spy among the French, that dressed his- self up as a woman, an was familiarly known, among the British generals an others that emplyM him, as ' Petticoat Jack.' He did much to contriboot to the defeat of the French ; an arter they were licked, the first settlers that went up thar called the place, in honor of their benefacture, ' Petticoat Jack ; ' an it's bore that name ever sence. An people that think it's French, or Injinc, or Greek, or Hebrew, or any other outlandish tongue, don't know what they're talk in about. Now, / Joioio, an I assure you what I've ben a sayin's the gosi)el terewth, for I had it of an old seafarin man that's sailed this bay for more'n forty year, an if he ain't good authority, then I'd like to know who is — that's all." At tliis explanation of the etymology of the dis- puted term, the boys were silent, and exchanged glances of admiration. It was some minutes after eight when they left their anchorage, and began to drift once more. There was no moon, and the night would have been dark in any case, but now the fog rendered all things still more obscure. It had also grown much thicker than it had been. At first it was composed of light vapors, which surroundc*! them -I DRIFTING IN THE FOG. 55 ly. IKS- l.g 11. on all side>s, it is true, but yet did nut have that dampness wliicli niiglit have been expected. It was a light, dry fug, and fur twu or three huurs the deck, and rigging, and the clothes uf those on board remained (|uite dry. But now, as the dark- ness increased, the fug became denser, and Avas mure surcharged with heavy vapurs. Soun tlie deck louked as thuugh it had received a shower oi' rain, and the cluthes of those on board began to be penetrated with the chill damp. " It's very dark, captain," said Bruce, at last, as the boys stoud near the stern. '' Dradful dark," said the captain, thoughtfully. '' Have you really a good idea of where wo are r . ? " " An .idee ? Why, if I had a chart, — which I haven't, cos I've got it all mapped out in my head, — but if I had one, I could take my linger an j)int tlie exact spot wdiere we are a driftin this blessed minute." " You're going straight down the bay, I sup- pose." '' Riglit — yea, I am; I'm guin straight duwn ; but I hope an trust, an wliat's mure, I believe, I am taking a kine o' cant ever niglier the New Bruns- wick shure." '' How long will wo drift? " " Wal, for about two hours — darsn't drift longer ; an besides, don't want to." " Wliy not?" 56 LOST IN THE FOG. 4 " Darsn't. Tliar's a place down tliar that every vessel on this here bay steers clear of, an every navigator feels dreadful sliy of." "What place is tirit?" " Quaco Ledge," saia Captain Corbet, in a solemn tone. " We'll get as near it as is safe this night, an p'aps a leetie nearer; but, tlien, the water's so calm and still, that it won't make any dilfercnce — in fact, it wouldn't matter a great deal if we came up close to it." " Quaco Ledge ? " said Bruce. " I've heard of that." "Heard of it? I should rayther hope you had. Who hasn't? It's the one great, gen'ral, an stand- in terror of this dangerous and iron-bound bay. There's no jokin, no nonsense about Quaco Ledge ; mind I tell you." " Where does it lie ? " asked Phil, after a pause. " Wal, do you know wliar Quaco settlement is?" "Yes." " Wal, Quaco Ledge is nigli about half way be- tween Quaco settlement and He Haute, bein a'most in the middle of the bay, an in a terrible danger- ous place for coasters, especially in a fog, or in a snow-storm. Many's the vessel that's gone an never heard of, that Quaco Ledge could tell all about, if it could speak. You take a good snow- storm in this Bay of Fundy, an let a schooner get lost in it, an not know whar she is, an if Quaco Ledge don't bring her up all standin, then I'm a Injine." QUACO LEDGE. 67' " Is it a large place ? " i ,: " Considerably tuo large for comfort," said the captain. " They've sounded it, an found the whole ; slioal al)out three an a half mile long, an a half a mile broad. It's all kivered over with water at high tide, l)ut at half tide it begins to s1k)\v its nose, an at low tide you see as pooty a shoal for shi|)\vrecking as you may want; rayther low with pleasant jagged rocks at the nothe-east side, an about a hundred yards or so in extent. IVo been nigli on to it in clear weather, but don't want to bo within five miles of it in a fog or in a storm. In a thick night like this, I'll pull up before I get close." " You've never met with any accident there, I suppose." " Me ? No, not me. I always calc'late to give Quaco Ledge the widest kine o' berth. An I hope- you'll never know anythin more about that sauio })lace than what I'm tellin you now. The knowl- 4^: ege which one has about that place, an places gin- rally of that kine, comes better by hearsay than from actool observation." Time passed on, and they still drifted, and at .■^\ length ten o'clock came ; but before that time the boys had gone below, and retired for the night. Shortly after, the rattle of the chains waked them all, and informed them that the Antelope had an- chored onco more. After this they all fell asleep. .j£I-_ 58 LOST IN THE FOG. IV. In Clouds and Darkness. — A terrible Warning. — Nearly run doivn. — A livel// Plaee. — Bart encounters an old Acquaiidance. — Launehed into the Deej). — Tkrowjh the Country. — IVic swift Tide. — The lost Boy. ^IIE boys liad not been asleep for more than two liours, wlioii tliey were awakened by aii ii})roar on deek, and rouriing themselves from sleep, they heard the rattle of the cliains and the clank of the windlass. As their niglit attire was singularly sinii)le, and consisted largely of the dress wliich they wore by day, being the same, in fact, with the exception of the hat, it was not long be- fore they were up on deck, and making iniiuirics as to the unusual noise. That the anchor was being hoisted they already knew, but why it was they did not. " Wal," said Captain Corbet, '' thar's a good sou- wester started up, an as I Iiad a few winks o' sleep, I jest thought I'd try to push on up the bay, an get as far as J. could. If I'd bcii in any otlior place than this, I wouldn't liev minded, but IM hev ■ ^«" j>«.^ .>"iim>. CLOUDS AND DARKNESS. 59 taken iny snooze out ; but I'm too uear Quaco Ledge by a good sigbt, an would rayther get i'urther off. The aou-wester'U take us up a considerable dis- tance, an if it holds on till arter the tide turns, I ask no more." Soon the anchor was up, and the Antelope spread her sails, and catching the sou-wester, dashed through the water like a thing of life. ^' We'i'o going along at a great rate, captain," said Bart. '' Beggin your pardon, young sir, we're nut doin much. The tide here runs fuur knots agin us — dead, an the wind can't take us more'n six, which leaves a balance to our favor of two knots an hour, an that is our present rate of progression. You sec, at that rate we won't gain more'n four or five nu"I ;s before the turn o' tide. After that, we'll go faster without any wind than we do now with a wind. 0, there's nothin like navigatin the Bay o' Fundy to make a man feel contempt for the wind. Give me tides an anchors, I say, an I'll push along." ^Phe wind was blowing fresh, and the sea was rising, yet the fog seemed thicker than ever. The boys thought that the wind might blow the fog away, and hinted this to the captain. Ilis only response was a long and emphatic whistle. " Whe-e-e-ow ! what ! Blow the fog away ? This wind? Why, this wind brings the fog. The sou- wester is the one wind that seafarin men dread in ''.'% A 60 LOST IN THE FOG. tlic Biiy oi' Fiindy. Al)oiit tlic wiist kinc ol' a st(»nn is that tliur very idciiticul wind bluwiii in these here very identical waters." Captain Corbet's words were confirmed l)y the appearance of sea and sky. Outside was the very blackness of darkness. Notliing whatever was visible. Sea and sky were alike hidden fi-oin view. The waves were rising, and though they were not yet of any size, still they made noise enongli to suggest the idea of a considerable storm, and the wind, as it wdn'stled through the rigging, carried in its sound a menace which would have been alto- getlier wanting in a briglit night. The boys all felt convinced that a storm was rising, and looked forward to a dismal experience of the i)angs of sea- sickness. To fight this off now became tlieir chief aim, and with this intention they all hurried be- low once more to their beds. But the water was not rough, the motion of the schooner was gentle, and though there was much noise above, yet they did not notice any approach of the dreaded sea-sickness, iXnd so in a short time they all fell asleep once more. But they were destined to have further inter- ruptions. The interruption came this time in a loud cry from Solomon, whicli waked them all at once. " Get up, chil'en ! get up ! It's all over ! " "What, what!" cried the boys; " what's the matter?" and springing iip in the first moment of alarm, they stood listening. i L_. A TERRTRLE WARNING. • Gl ^ ' . .;■*■ As tlicy stood^ there came to tliclr ears the roar- ing- of the wind througli the riggings the (Japping ot the sails, the dashing and roai-ing of the waters, in the midst of wliicli there came also a shrill, pene- trating sound, which seemed almost overhead — tlie sound of some steam whistle. " Dar, dar ! " cried Solomon, in a tone of deadly fear. '• It's a comin ! I knowcd it. We're all lost an g(»no. It's a steamer. We're all run down an drownded." Without a word of response, the boys once more clambered on deck. All was as dark as before, the fog as thick, the scene around as impenetra- ble, tlie wind as strong. From a distance there came over the water, as they listened, the rapid l>eat of a steamboat's paddles, and soon there arose again the long, shrill yell of the steam whistle. Th(^y looked all around, but saw no sign of any steamer; nor could they tell exactly in which di- rection the sound arose. One thought it came from one side, another thought it came from the opposite ([uarter, while the others diiTered from these. As for Captain Corbet, he said nothing, while the boys were expressing their opinions loudly and confidently. At last Bart appealed to Captain Corbet. " Where is the steamer? " ** Down thar," said the captain, waving In's hnnd over the stern. " What steamer is it? the revenue steamer?" ^ " Not her. That revenoo steamer is up to Wind- 62 LOST IN THE FoG. sor by this time. No ; this is tlie St. John steamer coming up the bay, an I ony wish she'd take us an give us a tow up." " She seems to be close by." " She is close by." " Isn't there some clanger that we'll be run down ? " As tliose words were spoken, another yell, loud- er, shriller, and nearer than before, burst upon tlieir ears. It seemed to be close astern. The beat of the paddles was also near them. " Pooty close ! " said the captain. '' Isn't there some danger that we'll be run down ? " To tliis question, thus anxiously repeated, the captain answered slowly, — " Wal, thar may be, an then again tliar mayn't. Efaman tries to dodge every possible danger in life, he'll have a precious hard time of it. Why, men air killed in walkin the streets, or knocked over by sun-strokes, as well as run down at sea. So what air we to do? Do? Why, I jest do what I've alius ben a dgin ; I jest keep right straight on my own course, and mind my own biz. Ten chances to one they'll never come nigh us. I've heard steamers howlin round me like all possessed, but I've never ben run down yet, an I ain't goin to be at my time o' life. I don't blieve you'll see a sign o' that thar isteamer. You'll only hear her yellin — that's all." . , ( VAiV 1 %- NEARLY RUN DOWN. 53 run 'm As ho spoke another yell sounded. " She's a passin us, over thar," said the captain, waving his hand over the side. " Her whistlo'll contenoo fainter till it stops. So you better go below and take your sleep out." The boys waited a little longer, and hearing the next whistle sounding fainter, as Captain Corbet said, they followed his advice, and were soon asleep, as before. This time there was no further interruption, and they did not wake till about eight in the moining, when they were summoned to breakfast by Solo- mon. ^ On reaching the deck and looking around, a cry of joy went forth from all. The fog was no longer to be seen, no longer did there extend around them the wall of gloomy gray, shutting out all things with its misty folds. No longer was the broad bay visible. They found themselves now in a wide river, Whose muddy waters bore them slowly along. On one side was a shore, close by them, well wooded in some places, and in others well culti- vated, while on the other side was another shore, equally fertile, extending far along. " Here we air," cried Captain Corbet. " That wind served us well. We've had a fust-rate run. I calc'lated we'd be three or four davs, but instead ol' that we've walked over in twenty -four hours, (lood agin ! " • " Will we be able to land at Moncton soon ? " LOST IN THE FOG. " Wal, no ; not till the next tide." "Why not?" " Wal, this tide won't last long enough to carry us up thar, an so we'll have to wait here. This is the best place thar is." "What place is this?" " Hillsborough." "Hillsborough?" "Yes. Do you see that thar pint?" and Cap- tain Corbet waved his arm towards a high, well- wooded promontory that jutted out into the river. "Yes." • " Wal, I'm goin in behind that, and I'll wait thar till the tide turns. We'll get up to Moncton some time before evenin." In a few minutes the Antelope was heading to- wards the promontory ; and soon she passed it, and advanced towards the shore. On passing the prom- ontory a sight appeared wln'ch at once attracted the whole attention of the boys. Immediately in front of them, in the sheltered place which was formed by the promontory, was a little settlement, and on the bank of the river was a ship-yard. Here there. arose the stately outline of a large ship. Her lower masts were in, she was decorated with flags and streamers, and a large crowd was assembled in the yard around her. " There's going to be a launch ! " cried Bart, to whom a scene like this was familiar. " A launch ! " cried Bruce. " Hurrah ! We'll be SOLOMON ANNOUNCES BREAKFAST. 65 able to see it. I've never seen one in my life. Now's the time." " Can't we get ashore ? " said Arthur. " Of course," said Phil ; '' and perhaps they'll let us go on board and be launched in her." The very mention of such a thing increased the general excitement. Captain Corbet was at once appealed to. " O, thar's lots of time," said he. " 'Tain't quite high tide yet. You'll have time to get ashore be- fore she moves. Hullo, Wade ! Whar's that oar ? " The boys were all full of the wildest excitement, in the midst of which Solomon appeared with the '^; announcement that breakfast was waiting. To which Bart replied, — " 0, bother breakfast ! " •' I don't want any," said Bruce. " I have no appetite," said Arthur. " Nor I," said Pat. " I want to be on board that ship," said Phil. " We can easily eat breakfast afterwards," said Tom. At this manifest neglect of his cooking, poor * dL ^t)lomon looked quite heart-broken ; but Captain Corbet told him that he might bring the things ashore, and this in some measure assuaged his grief It did not take long to get ready. The oar was flung on board the boat, which had thus far been floating behind the schooner ; and though the boat 5 M :^ ^* ^ GG LOST IN THE FOG. liad a little too much water on board to be comfort- fible, yet no complaints were made, and in a few minutes they were landed. " How much time have we yet ? " asked Bart, '' before high tide ? " " (), you've got fifteen or twenty minutes," said Captain (/orbet. " IFurraii, boys ! Come along," said Bart ; and leading the way, he went straight to the oflice. As ho approached it he uttered suddenly a cry of Joy. " Wliat's the matter, Bart ? " Bart said nothing, but hurried forward, and the astonished boys saw him shaking hands very vigor- ously with a gentleman who seemed like the chief man on the place. He was an old acquaintance, evi- dently. In a few minutes all was explained. As the boys came up, Bart introduced them as his friends, and they were all warmly greeted ; after which the gentleman said, — " Wliy, what a crowd of you there is ! Follow me, now. There's plenty of room for you, I im- agine, in a ship of fifteen hundred tons ; and you've just come in time." Wit) I these words he hurried off, followed by all the boys. He led tlie way up an inclined plane which ran up" to the bows of the ship, and on reach- ing this place they went along a staging, and finally, coming to a ladder, they clambered up, and found themselves on the deck of the ship. THE LAUNCH. 07 fort- few Bart, said ; and -/• a cry id the vigor- chief e, cvi- 1. As as his after Follow I im- yoii've by all plane i reach- finally, 1 found S! " I must leave you now, Bart, my boy," said the gentleman ; " you go to the quarter-deck and take care of yourselves. I nnist go down again." " Wlio in the world is he, Bart ? " asked the boys, ; ; they all stood on the quarter-deck. "Was there ever sueli hick!" cried Bart, joy- ously. " Tliis is the sliip Sylph, and tliat is JMr. Watson, and he has bniU this ship for my fiilh(M'. Isn't it odd that we should come to this })Imco at this particular time ? " " Why, it's as good as a play." *' Of course it is. I've known Mr. Watson all my life, and he's one of the best men I over met witl). lie was as glad to see me as 1 was to see hhn." But wow the boys stopped talking, for the scone around them began to grow exciting. In front ol' them was tlie settlement, and in the yard below was a crowd wlio had assembled to see the launch. Behind them was the broad expanse of the Petit- codiac River, beyond which lay the oj)posite shore, which went back till it terminated in wooded hills. Overhead arose the masts, adorned with a hundred flags and streamers. Tlio deck showed a steep slope from bow to stern. But the scone around was nothing, compared with the excitement of suspense and ex})e('tation. In a few minutes the hannners were to sound. In a few minutes the mighty fidu-ic on which they were standing would move, ami tnke its plunge into the water. t ' 08 LOST IN THE FOG. The suspense made them huld theip Ijreath, and wait in perfect silence. Around them were a few men, wlio were talking in a commonplace way. Tiicy were accustomed to launclies, and an incident like this was as noth- ing in their lives, though to the bi^ys it was suf- ficient to make their hearts throb violently, and deprive them of the power of speech. A few minutes passed. " We ought to start soon," said Bart, in a whis- per; for there was something in the scene which made them feel Q-ravc and solemn. The other l)oys nodded in silence. A few minutes more passed. Then there arose a cry. And tliim suddenly there came to their excited ears the rattle of a hundred hammers. Stroke ni'Uw stroke, in quick snccession, was dealt upon the wedges, which thus raised the vast structure from her resting-i)lace. For a moment she stood motionless, and then — Then with a slow motion, at first scarce percep- tible, but which every instant grew quicker, sho moved down her ways, and plunged like lightning into the water. The stern sank deep, then rose, and then the shij) darted through the water across the river. Then siuldenly tiie anchor was let go, and with the loud, shaip raltle of chains, rushed to the bed of the river. ^Vith a slight jerk the ship stopped. %*■ MR. Watson's hospitality. CO The lauiicli wiiri over. A bout now Clinic from the .sliorc, bringing the buihlcr, Mi'. Watson ; and at the «anic time a steamer appeared, rounding a point up the river, and ap- proaidiing them. '' Do you want to go to St. Jolin, Bart?" '' Not just yet, sir," said Hart. " ]>ccause if you do you can go down in tlie ship. Tiie steamer is going to take her in tow at once. I>iit if you don't want to go, you may go ashore in the boat. I'm soriy I can't stay here to sliow you tlie country, my boy ; but 1 liave to go down in the sliij», and at once, for we can't He here in tlie river, unless we want to be left high and dry at low tide. I^o iiood bv. Go to the house. Mrs. Watson'll make you comfortable as long as you like ; and if you want to lake a drive you may consider my liorses your own." With these words he shook hands v,'itli all the boys for good by, and after seeing them safely on board the boat, he waited lor the steamer which was to tow the Syljdi down the bay. The boys thou were rowed ashore. !>)' the time they lauded, the steamer had reached the ship, a stout cable was passed on board and secured, her anchor was Weighed, and then, borne on by steam, and by the tide, too, which had already turned, the Hyll)h, in towof tho steamer, passed down the river, and was soon out o^' sight. Bart thou went to see Mrs. Watson, with all tlio n LOST IN THE FOG. hoys. That lady, like lior husband, was an ohl ac- quaintance, and in the true spirit uf huspitaHty insisted on every one of them taking up their abode vvitli her for an indefinite jicriod. Finduig that they could not do this, she prepared for them a bounteous breakfast, and then persuaded them to go oir for a drive through the country. Tiiis invi- tation they eagerly accepted. Before starting, they encountered Captain Cor- bet. " Don't hurry back, boys," said he, " unless you very pertikTry wish to go up to Moncton by the arternoon tide. Don't mind me. I got several things to occoopy me here." " What time could we start up river ? " " Not before four." " 0, we'll be back by that time." '* W al. Ony don't hurry back unless you like. 1 got to buy some ship-bread, an 1 got to fix some things about the boat. It'll take some time; so jest do as you like." Joeing thus left to their own devices, and feel- ing (piite unlimited with regard to time, the boys started off in two wagons, and took a long drive through the country. The time passed (piickly» and they enjoyed themselves so much that they did not get back until dusk. " It's too late now, boys, to go up," said the cap- tain, as ho met them on their return. " We've got to wait till next tide. It's nearly high tide now." ■lis -I n ;'.«. SUPPLIES FOR TUlO SCHOONER. 71 is " All right, capttiiii ; it'll do just as well to go up river to-niglit." " Amen," said tlie captain. But now Mrs. Watson insisted on their staying to tea, and so it happened that it was after nine o'clock before they were ready to go on board the Antelope. Going down to the shore, they found the boat ready, with some articles which Captain Corbet had procured. '* I've been fixing the gunwales," said he ; " au here's a box of pilot-bread. We were gettin out of provisions, an I've got in a sup})ly, an I've bought a bit of an old sail that'll do for a jib. I'm afeard tliar won't be room for all of us. Some of you better stay ashore, an I'll come back." " I'll wait," said Bart, taking his seat on a stick of timber. " An I'll wait, too," said Bruce. The other boys objected in a friendly way, but Bart and liruce insisted on waiti'ig, and so the boat at length started, leaving them behind. In a short time it reached the schooner. Ca})tain Corbet secured the boat's painter to tlio stem, and threw the oar on board. " Now, boys, one of you stay in the boat, an pass up them things to me — will you ? " " All right," said Tom. " I'll pass them up." On this Captain Corbet got on board the schooner, followed by Arthur, and Phil, and Pat. Tom wait- ed in the boat. *. 72 LOST IN THE FOG. " Now," said Captain Corbet, '' lift up that tlmr box of pilot-broad fust. 'Tain't heavy. We'll get these things out afore wo go ashore for the others." " All right," said Tom. He stooped, and took the box of bJicuit in his arms. At that time the tide was running down very fast, and the boat, caught by the tide, was forced out from the schooner with such a pressure that the rope was stiffened out straight. Tom made one step forward. The next instant he fell down in the bottom of the boat, and those on board of the schooner who were looking at him saw, to their horror, that the boat was sweeping away with the tide, far down the river. 'f». WHAT CAN WE DO? 73 V. ,f A Cry of Horror. — What shall we do ? — Ilard and fast. — Bart and Brace. — Gloomy Intelli- gence. — The Promontory. — The Bore cf the Pet'itcodiac. — A Night of Misery. — A mourn- ful Waking. — Taking Counsel. CRY of horror escaped those on board, and for some time they stood silent in utter dis- may. '' The rope wasn't tied," groaned Arthur. " Yes, it was," said Captain Corbet ; " it bruk ; catch me not tyin it. It bruk ; see hero ! '■ and ho held up in the dim hght the end of the rope wliich still was fastened to the schooner. " I didn't know it was rotten," he moaned ; " 'tain't over ten year old, that bit o' rope, an I've had it an used it a thousand times without its ever thinkin o' break- in. n " What can wo do? " cried Arthur. "Wo must do something to save him." Captain Corbet shook his head. " We've got no boat," said he. " Boat I Who wants 'a boat ? " «i > 74 LOST IN THE FOG. " What ctui WG do without a b-^at ? " " Why, up anchor, and go after him with the schooner." " The schooner's hard and fast," said Captain Corbet, mournfully. '^ Hard and fast ? " ''Yes; don't you notice how she leans? It's only a little, but that's a sign that her keel's in the mud." '* I don't believe it ! I won't believe it ! " cried Arthur. " Come, boys, up with the anchor."^ As the boys rushed to the windlass, Captain Corbet went there, too, followed by the mate, and they worked at it for some time, until at last the anchor rose to the surface. But the Antelope did not move. On the con- trary, a still greater list to one side, which was now unmistakable, showed that the captain was right, and that she was actually, as he said, hard and fast. This fact had to be recognized, but Arthur would not be satisfied until he had actually seen the an- chor, and then ho knew that the vessel was really aground. " Do you mean to say," he cried at last, " that there is nothing to be done ? " " I don't see," said Captain Corbet, " what thar is to be done till the schewner muvQs." ''When will that be?" " Not till to-morrow mornin." "How early?" HARD AND FAST. 76 '* ■^ :>»• •'.:'*'*)" "• Not before eight o'clock." '* Eight o'clock ! " cried Arthur, in horror. " Yes, eight o'clock. You see we had to come in i)ooty nigh to the shore, im it'll be eight o'clock bel'ore we're floated." ^' And what'll become of poor Tom?" groaned Artiiur. " Wal," said the captain, " don't look on the wust. He may get ashore." " lie has no oar. The oar was thrown aboard of the schooner." " Still he may be carried ashore." *' Is there any chance ? " " Wal, not much, to tell the truth. Thar's no use uf buo-oyin of ourselves up with false hopes ; not a mite. Thar's a better chance of his bein l)icked up. That thar's likely now, an not un- natooral. Let's all don't give up. If thar's no fog outside, I'd say his chances air good." '' Ihit it may be foggy." " Tiien, in that case, he'll have to drift a while — sure." '' Tiien there's no hope." *' Hope? Who's a sayin thar's no hope? Why, hM)k here; he's got provisions on board, an needn't starve ; so if ho does float for a day or two, whar's the harm? lie's sure to be picked up eventoo- ally." At this moment their ctmversation was inter- rupt(;d by a loud call from the promontory. It was the voice of Bruce. n LOST IN THE FOG. / ' While those events had been taking [)laee on buard the sehooner, Bruee and Bart liad been asliure. At first they liad waited patiently I'ur the return of the boat, but finally they wondered at her delay. They had called, but the schooner was too far olF to hear them. Then they waited lor what seemed to them an unreasonably long time, wondering what kept the boat, until at length Bruce determined to try and get nearer. J]art was to stay behind in case tlie boat should come ashore in his absence. With this in view he had walked down the promontory until he had reached the extreme point, and there he found himself within easy hail of the Antelope. '' Schooner ahoy ! " he cried. " A-ho-o-o-o-y ! " cried Captain Corbet. " Why don't you come and take us off? '' ho cried. After this there was silence for some time. At last Captain Corl)et shouted out, — " The boat's lost." *' What ! " " The boat's adrift." Captain Corbet said nothing about Tom, from a desire to spare him for the present. So Bruce thought that the empty boat had drifted off, and as ho had been prepared to hear of some accident, ho was not nmch sur{)rised. But ho was not to remain long in ignorance. In a few moments ho heard Arthur's voice. % 4 t ■ *4 -V GLOOMY INTELLIGENCE. 77 '' Bruce ! " '^ Hallo ! " '' The boat's gone." " All right." " Tom's (ulrift i)i hcvl^^ '' Whiit!" shouted Jlruce. " ToiiiH atlr'ift in her.-' At this appalling intelligence Bruce's heart seemed to stop beating. '^ How long?" he cried, after a pause. "Half an hour/' cried Arthur. '^ Why don't you go after him?" cried Bruce {iirain. " We're aground/' cried Arthur. 'i'lie whole situation was now explained, .and Bruce was lilled with his own share of that dis- may wliich prevaihid on board of the schooner ; for a long time nothing more was said. At length Arthur's voice sounded again. " Bruce ! " "Hallo!" " (fct a boat, and come aboard as soon as you can after the tide turns." " All right, [low early will the tide suit? " " Eight o'clock." "Not before?" " No." After this nothing more was said. Bruce could see for himself that the tide was falling, and that lie would have to wait for the returninii- tide before % ^ i% LOST IN TIIK F0(;. a boat could be launched, lie waited for some time, full of despair, and hesitating to return to Bart with his mournful intelligence. At length he turned, and walked slowly Ijack to Iiis friend. " Well, Bruce ? " asked Bart, who by this time was sure that some accident had happened. " Tlie boat's adrift." " Tlie boat ! " " Yes ; and what's worse^ poor Tom ! " " Tom ! " cried Bart, in a horror of apprehensi-on. " Yes, Tom's adrift in her." At this Bart said not a word, but stood for some time staring at Bruce in utter dismay. A few wprds served to explain to Bart the situa- tion of the schooner, and the need of getting a boat. " Well," said Bart, " we'd bettor see about it at once. It's eleven o'clock, but we'll find some peo- ple up; if not, we'll knock them up." And with these words the two lads walked up from the river bank. On reaching the houses attached to the ship- yard, they found that most of the people were up. There was a good deal of singing and laughter going on, which the boys interpreted to arise from a desire to celebrate the launching of the ship. They went first to Mrs. Watson's house, where tliey found that good lady up. She listened to th<;ir story with undisguised uneasiness, and after- wards called in a number of men, to whom she TOM ADIITFT. 70 told the sad news. These men listened to it with very serious faees. " It's no joke," said one, shaking his head. The others said nothing, but their faces spoke volumes. " What had we ])etter do?" asked Bruce. " Of course ye'U be off as soon as ye can get off," said one. " The lad might have a chance," said another. " The return tide may drift him back, but he may be carried too far down for that." "He'll be carried below Capo Chignecto unless he gets to the land," said another. "Isn't there a chance that he'll be picked up?" askccl Bart. Tlio man to whom he spoke shook his head. " There's a deal of fog in the bay this night," said ho. "Fog? Why, it's clear encmgli here." " So it is ; but this i)lace and the J)ay ol' Fundy are two dilferent things." " A regular sou-wester out there," said another man. " An a pooty heavy sea by this time," said an- other. And in this way they all contributed to increase the anxiety of the two boys, until at last scarce a ray of hope was left. * " You'd better prepare yourselves for the worst," said one of the men. " If he had an oar he would m 80 Tiu)rescent gleam, and as it api)eared the roar grew louder, and rounder, and more all- pervading. Ofi it came, carrying with it the hoarse cadence of some vast surf flung ashore from the workings of a distant storm, or the thunder of some mighty cataract tumbling over a rocky })reci- pice. And now, as they looked, the white, phospho- rescent glow grew briglit(5r, and tlieii whiter, like w \ M- ■■^ A mr.UT OF MISERY. 83 I snow; every minnto ii jipprojicliod nearer, until at last, full before them and beneath them, there rolled a giant wave, extendinii^ aeross the bed of the river, crescent-shaped, with its convex side ad- vancint^ forwards, and its ends following!; after within short distance from the shore. The i!:reat wav(^ rolled on, one mass of snow-white foam, be- hind which gleamed a broad line of phosi)horescent Instr(! (Vom the agitated waters, which, in the j,'lo()m of niirht, had a certain baleful radiance. As it passed on its path, the roar camc^ up n)ore majesticMlly from the foremost wave ; and behind that came the roar of other billows that lollowed in its wake. l>y daylight tlu^ scene wo>dd have IxM'ii grand and impressive ; but now, amid the gloom, the grand(Mir became indest-ribabh^ The force of those iniiihtv waters seemed indeed resist- less, and it^i^is with a feeling of relief that the boys reflected that the schooner was out of the reach of its sweep. Its i)assag(3 was swift, and soon it had ])asscd beyond them; and afar up the river, long aHer it had ])assed from night, they licai'd th(! distant thunder of its miruce, " w(^ must g(et some rest, or \\y\ won't be W(»rth anvlhin-^ to-inorrow. What . lid' lace was pale, her manner was agitated, and her vi)ice trembled as she spoke to them, and asked tiiem where they had been. IJart expressed sorrow at having been the cause of so much trouble, and assured her he thought that she had gtme to bed. " No," said she ; '^ I've been too excited and agi- tated about your friend and about you. Jiut I'm glad that you've been found ; and as it's too late to talk now, you had better go to bed, and try to slee[)." Witli these words she gently urged them to their bedroom ; and the boys, utterly W(jru out, did not attempt to withstand her. Tliey went to bed, and scarcely had their heads touched the pillows be- fore they were fast asleep. >b'aiiwhile the boys on board the Antelope had been no less anxious ; and, unable to sleep, they had talketl soltMunly with cacu other over the possil)lo fiite oi' ]toor Tom. Chafing'" from their forced inac- tion, they looked impatiently upon the (d)bing wa- ter, wiiich was leaving them aground, wlieu tliey I ■•3i"' 86 LOST TN THK FOk^. wore longing to bo (loating on its boson » af'tor tbeir friend, and could scarcely endure the tliouglil ol' the suspense to which they would be condenuied while waiting lor the following morning. Captain Corbet also was no less anxious, though inucli less agitated. He acknowledged, with pain, j ,| that it was all his liiult, but appealed to all the boys, one by one, asking them how he should know that the i )pe was rotten, lie inlbrmed them tliat the roj)0 was an old favorite of his, and that he would have willingly risked his life on it. lie blamed himself chielly, however, for not staying in the boat himself, instead of leaving Tom in it. To all his remarks the boys siiid but little, and con- tented themselves with putting ((uestions to him about the coast, the tides, the wind, the currents, and the fog. The boys on board went to sleep about one o'clock, and waked at sunrise. Then they wat(;hed the shore wistfully, and wondered Vv'hy lUui and Bruce did not make their appearance. J>ut Hart and Ijruce^ worn out by their long watch, did not wake till nearly eight o'clock. Then they hastily dressed themselves, and after a very hurried break- fast they bade good by to good Mrs. Watson. '' 1 shall be dreadfully anxious about that poor boy," said she, sadly. •' Promise me to telegraph as soon as you can about the result." Hart promised. Then they hurried down to the beach. The tide % TAKING COUNSEL. 87 was yet a oonsiderahlo distance out ; but a half doz- en stout fellows, whose syinpatlni'-s were liilly un- listed in tiieir favor, shoved the b.»a" down over the mud, anruce took the oars, and soon readied the schooner, wLeic the boys awaited their arrival in mournful sileuco. 88 LOST IN THE FOG. VT. Tom adrift. — TJie reccduKj Shores. — Tlie PtuldJe. — The Hoar of Surf — The Fotj Horn. — The Thtmler of ilie unseen Breakers. — A Horror of great Darkness. — Adrift in Fog and Night. fllEN tlie bojit in wliich Tom was darted down the stream, he at first felt paralyzed by utter terror ; but at length rousing him- self, he looked around. As the boat drifted on, his first impulse was to stop it; and in order to do this it was necessary to find an oar. The oar which Captain Corbet had used to scull the boat to the schooner had been thrown on board of the latter, so that the contents of the boat might bo passed up the more conveniently. Tom knew this, but he thought that there might be another oar on board. A brief examination sufliced to show him that there was nothing of the kind. A few loose articles lay at the bottom ; over these was the sail Avhich Captain Corbet had bought in the ship-yard, and on this was the box of pilot-bread. That was all. There was not a sign of an oar, or a board, or anything of the kind. TOM ADRTFT. 89 >'j I No sooner had he Ibuiid out this thnn lie iiiod tu tear off one of the seats of the l)oat, in the h(»[)e of using tliis as a paddle. I>ut the seats were too tinnly fixed to he loosene(l hy his liands, and, after a few frai'tic but ineffectual efforts, he gave up the attemi>t. I>ut he could not so quickly give up his efforts to save himself There was the box of biscuit yet. Taking his knife from his pocket, he succeeded in detaching the cover of the box, and then, using this as a paddle, ho sought with frantic efforts to force the boat nearer to the shore. l>ut the tide was running very swiftly, and the cover was only a small bit of board, so that his efforts seemed to have but little result. He did indeed succeed in turning the boat's head around ; but this act, which was not accomplished without the severest labor, did not seem to bring her nearer to the shore to any perceptible extent. What he sought to do was to achieve some definite motion to the boat, which might (h'ag her out of the grasp of the swift cur- rent ; but that w'as the very thing which he ccndd n(»t do, for so strong was that grasp, and so swift was that current, that even an oar would have scarcely accomplished what he wished. The bit of board, small, and thin, and frail, and wielded with great difficulty and at a fearful disadvantage, was almost useless. But, though he saw that he was accomplishing little or nothing, he could not bring himself to give 90 LOST IN TFIR FOG. u[) tlii.s work. It seomcd his uiily hupo ; and so ho Iciboi'od un, suiiKjtiiuus wurking with both luiiids at the hoard, Hoiiiutiinos plyiug his i'rail paddle withoiie hand, and using the other hand at a vain endeavor to paddle in the water. In liisdes[)eration lie kept on, and thought that ii" he gained ever so little, still, hy keeping hard at work, the little that he gained might iinally tell upon the direction of the boat — at any rate, so long as it might bo in the river. lie knew that the rivor ran for some miles yet, and that some time still remained before he would reaeh the bay. Thus Tom toiled on, half despairing, and nearly fainting witli his frenzied exei'tion, yet still refus- ing to give up, but plying his frail pad