The ill-fated Nantucket was driven with such force
against the reef that the strength of its hull was overtaxed. When the
mate went to the bluff in the morning to take an observation, he was
startled to find in place of the wreck a confused debris of timbers
and fragments of the wreck.
As the mate was surveying the scene of ruin, Jack and Harry joined
him.
"Look there, my lads!" said Holdfast. "That's the last of the poor old
Nantucket. She will never float again."
They had known this before, but it was now impressed upon their minds
forcibly, and a feeling of sadness came over the three.
"That settles it," said Harry, giving expression to a common feeling.
"We are prisoners on the island now, and no mistake."
"When we leave here, it won't be on the Nantucket, anyway," said Jack.
"It is lucky this happened after we had brought our stock of
provisions ashore," said the mate.
"Let us go down and see what these kegs and boxes contain," suggested
Harry.
So the three descended to the reef, and began to examine the articles
thrown ashore. For the most part they were of little value, though
here and there were articles that might prove useful.
"Couldn't we make a raft out of the timbers of the old ship?" asked
Jack.
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