directly towards the land. With eager eyes Dick scrutinized his situation. Straight ahead was a reef. The wind seemed brisker than before.
Dick went quickly aft and took the helm. He did not speak a word.
Dingo was trotting up and down the deck. Was it possible that the animal recognized the coast?
The howling of the dog attracted Negoro’s attention; the man emerged from his cabin. Mrs. Weldon, who was watching him, saw a flush rise to his face[23].
She did not mention it to Dick, who, at that moment, left the helm, and came and stood beside her. In a few moments he turned round to Mrs. Weldon, and said quietly, – “Mrs. Weldon, I am disappointed. I hoped to get the schooner into yonder cove; but there is no chance now. In half an hour the schooner will be upon that reef. I must run it aground. It will be utter destruction to the ship, but there is no choice. Your safety is the first and paramount consideration.”
“Do you mean that there is no other course, Dick?”
“None whatever,” said Dick decidedly.
“It must be as you will,” she said.
Dick steered the schooner right into the narrow channel; the sea was furious. There was a sudden shock. An enormous wave caught the ship. The masts fell, fortunately without injury to any one on board. But the vessel was foundering. In less than ten minutes the “Pilgrim’s” captain, crew, and passengers were all landed at the foot of the cliff.
Chapter XIV
Ashore
Thus, after a voyage of seventy-four days, the “Pilgrim” stranded. Mrs. Weldon and the other voyagers were ashore, not upon one of the solitary islands of Polynesia, but upon a solid continent!
The ship was broken. Dick Sand lost a ship, but he saved the lives of the owner’s wife and son.
But where were they? Dick imagined that it must be somewhere on the coast of Peru. So they will find their way to one of the numerous ports and villages that lie along the coast.
But the shore here was quite a desert. A narrow strip of beach was enclosed by a cliff, in which, at irregular intervals, deep funnels appeared as chasms in the rock.
About a quarter of a mile to the north was a little river. The dense forest was extending far away in undulations of verdure to the mountains.
Dick’s surprise was very great. Dingo was running backwards and forwards. Now and again the dog uttered a deep growl.
“Look at Dingo!” said Mrs. Weldon; “how strange Dingo is! And look, too, at Negoro! What is he doing? He is trying to find something on the sore!”
“As to Negoro,” said Dick, “he may do as he pleases; I have no further control over him; his service expires with the loss of the ship.”
Negoro was in fact walking to and fro, he was surveying the shore. Soon he went towards the little river, and disappeared behind the cliff.
The first necessity was to find a temporary shelter. There was no lack of provisions; the negroes collected several kegs of biscuit, and a number of cases of preserved meat, besides a variety of other supplies.
Little Jack discovered the retreat. He found one of grottoes in the rock.
“Here, look here!” cried the child; “here’s a place!”
“Well done, Jack!” answered his mother; “your lucky discovery is just what we wanted!”
The grotto was a gigantic cavern. And it was capacious enough to receive the entire party.
Shortly after one o’clock the whole party were seated upon a carpet of seaweed round a repast. Even Negoro returned and joined the group. He sat and was listening to the various plans for the future, and did not open his mouth. Dingo was outside the grotto and was their guard.
When the meal was ended, Mrs. Weldon spoke.
“My dear Dick,” she said, “let me beg you to be our guide upon land. We await your instructions.”
All eyes were turned upon Dick. Dick did not speak for some moments. After a while he said,-
“I think, Mrs. Weldon, that we are ashore upon one of the parts of the coast of Peru, and that we are near the borders of the Pampas. In that case we are at a considerable distance from any village. We can stay here altogether for the night. Tomorrow morning, two of us can start off on an expedition.”
Mrs. Weldon asked, – “And who will undertake the task of exploring?”
“Tom and I.”
“And leave us here?” suggested the lady.
“There will be Hercules, Bat, Acteon and Austin with you. Negoro, too, I presume,” said Dick, glancing towards the cook.
“Perhaps,” replied Negoro.
“We will take Dingo,” added Dick.
A short bark testified the Dog’s approval of Dick’s proposal.
Mrs. Weldon was silent. She looked sad and thoughtful. She did not like the idea of the division of the party.
“And what, Mr. Benedict, is your opinion of my proposal?” said Dick.
“I?” answered Cousin Benedict. “Oh, I am agreeable to anything. I dare say I will find some specimens. I think I will go and look at once.”
“Don’t go far away,” replied Dick.
“All right.”
“And don’t bring back a lot of mosquitoes,” said old Tom mischievously.
With his box under his arm, the naturalist left the grotto.
Negoro followed almost immediately. He went towards the river, and proceeded along its bank.
Then Dick and the negroes went to the “Pilgrim” to take some articles for future use.
Here Dick found four excellent rifles and a hundred cartridges. He also chose six cutlasses. Unexpectedly he found a pocket-compass! Dick wanted to secure all the money that was on board, but after the most diligent search he discovered just five hundred dollars. This was very strange. Mrs. Weldon had a considerably larger sum than this, and Captain Hull kept a good reserve. It was a real mystery!
Negoro was out alone upon the shore. Was he the thief? Dick did not know.
They all assembled in the grotto again. But Benedict was not there. Hercules shouted his name with the full strength of his capacious lungs, and shortly afterwards the entomologist came back. He was in a great rage. No new insects at all! Mrs. Weldon soothed him.
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saw a flush rise to his face – увидела, как его лицо на секунду исказилось
