In a moment, however, she receded from the other vessel,
and righted herself. I do not know that Walkirk had ever read in a book
what he ought to do in such an emergency, but he seized a boat hook and
pushed our boat away from the larger vessel.
"That's right!" cried a voice from above. "I'll heave ye a line. Keep
her off till we have drifted past ye, and then I'll haul ye in."
Slowly the larger vessel, which was not very large, but which drifted
faster than our little boat, floated past us, until we were in tow at
her bow. We could now see the form of a man leaning over the rail of the
vessel, and he called out to us to know if we were damaged, and if we
wanted to come aboard. I was about to reply that we were all right, and
would remain where we were, when Walkirk uttered an exclamation.
"We are taking in water by the bucketful," said he; "our side has been
stove in."
"Impossible!" I exclaimed. "We were not struck with enough force for
that."
But examination proved that he was correct. One or more of our planks
had been broken just below the water line and our boat was filling,
though not rapidly.
"Stoved in, eh?" shouted the voice from above. "Well, ye needn't sink.
I'll haul yer bowline taut, and I'll heave ye another to make fast to
yer stern.
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