Harry ran hastily on deck. The mate was there already.
"What's happened, Mr. Holdfast?" asked the boy, anxiously.
"The ship has struck on a rocky ledge!"
"Are we in danger?"
"In great danger. Call all the passengers. We must take to the boat,
for the Nantucket is doomed!"
CHAPTER XIV
THE WRECK OF THE NANTUCKET
It was still quite dark, but it was light enough to see that the ship
had struck upon a reef. Straining their eyes, the alarmed passengers
could descry land. Indeed, the reef was an outlying part of it.
All eyes were turned upon the captain, as Mr. Holdfast was now called.
"If I had had men enough to stand watch, this would not have
happened," he said.
"Is there any hope, Mr. Holdfast?" asked Montgomery Clinton, clasping
his hands in terror.
"Plenty of it," answered the mate, curtly, "but we must leave the
ship."
Under his direction the remaining boat--for Captain Hill and his
companions had only taken away one--was lowered. Steering clear of the
reef, they found themselves in a cove, bordered on three sides by
land. By the light, now rapidly increasing, they saw grass and trees,
and the sight gladdened them in spite of the grave peril that menaced
them.
They put in the boat as large a supply of stores as they dared, and
then rowed ashore.
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