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Updated: June 27, 2025
"Don't you think this main-top will soon give way?" he said, as the narrow platform on which we stood creaked and groaned with the swaying of the masts. Miss Herbey heard his words, and pointing towards Mrs. Kear, who was lying prostrate at her feet, asked what we thought ought to be done. "We can do nothing but stay where we are," I replied.
"Yes, Miss Herbey," I replied, "and how sorrowful it is that we can do nothing for him, absolutely nothing." "Hush!" she said, with her wonted consideration, "per- haps he will hear what we are saying." And then she sat down near the edge of the raft, where, with her head resting on her hands, she remained lost in thought. An incident sufficiently unpleasant occurred to-day.
When night came we wrapped our- selves in our sails. For my own part, worn out with the fatigue of the long watch in the top-mast, I slept for several hours; M. Letourneur and Andre did the same, and Miss Herbey obtained sufficient rest to relieve the tired expression that her countenance had lately being wearing. The night passed quietly.
Miss Herbey was bound by a rope passed round her waist to one of the uprights that had supported our tent, and by the glare of the lightning I could see that her countenance was as serene and composed as ever. Then the storm began to rage indeed. Flash followed flash, peal followed peal in quick succession. Our eyes were blinded, our ears deafened, with the roar and glare.
"Yes, Miss Herbey," I replied, "and how sorrowful it is that we can do nothing for him, absolutely nothing." "Hush!" she said, with her wonted consideration, "perhaps he will hear what we are saying." And then she sat down near the edge of the raft, where, with her head resting on her hands, she remained lost in thought. An incident sufficiently unpleasant occurred to-day.
"Now then, time's up!" and followed by Dowlas, Burke, Flaypole, and Sandon, ran to the back of the raft. As Dowlas seized the hatchet convulsively, Miss Herbey could not suppress a cry of terror. Andre started to his feet. "What are you going to do to my father?" he asked in accents choked with emotion. "My boy," said M. Letourneur, "the lot has fallen upon me, and I must die!"
When night came we wrapped ourselves in our sails. For my own part, worn out with the fatigue of the long watch in the top-mast, I slept for several hours; M. Letourneur and Andre did the same, and Miss Herbey obtained sufficient rest to relieve the tired expression that her countenance had lately been wearing. The night passed quietly.
On hearing the outcry, all the crew, supposing that the fire had now in reality broken out, rushed on deck; the rest of the passengers soon joined them, and the scene that ensued was one of the utmost confusion. Mrs. Kear fell down senseless on the deck, and her husband, occupied in looking after himself, left her to the tender mercies of Miss Herbey.
When we were fairly on our homeward way, Miss Herbey by chance intimated to us her intention of retiring from the world and devoting the remainder of her life to the care of the sick and suffering. "Then why not come and look after my son?" said M. Letourneur, adding, "he is an invalid, and he requires, as he deserves, the best of nursing."
He looked puzzled; when he lost con- sciousness there had been only two names left in the hat, those of his father and the carpenter; and yet M. Letourneur and Dowlas were both there still. Miss Herbey went up to him and told him quietly that the drawing of the lots had not yet been finished. Andre asked no further ques- tion, but took his father's hand.
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