de at
eight o'clock on the previous morning; and the log-book had been
written-up as far as noon on the day preceding that. Captain Blyth had
therefore no difficulty in arriving at the conclusion that the vessel
must have been capsized in a very similar squall to that which had
struck the _Flying Cloud_ on the previous day, and at about the same
moment. This surmise was confirmed by the fact that when Mr Gaunt had
entered the captain's state-room he had found the chronometers still
going, though nearly run down. He had, of course, at once taken the
precaution to wind them afresh.

Having brought the pumps to suck, the next task of the men on board the
_Umhloti_ was to clear away and send down on deck the wreck of the fore
and main-topgallant masts, with all attached, a couple of hands being at
the same time deputed to give the store-room an overhaul to ascertain
whether the contents had been damaged or not by water. Everything was
luckily found to be in perfect order there, the water not having risen
high enough in the hull to reach the lazarette. This being found to be
the case, nothing now remained but to man the vessel and dispatch her on
her homeward way.

Captain Blyth had already thought out his plans in this direction. And
when it was reported to him that the barque could part company at any
moment he went forward, and, mustering the steerage passengers, told
them he had not only observed their efforts to make themselves useful on
board, but had also noticed that those efforts had been crowned with a
very fair measure of success; he would now, therefore, ship the whole of
them for the passage, if they chose, paying them ordinary seamen's wages
from the commencement of the voyage. So good an offer was not to be
lightly refused; and, after a few minutes' consultation together, the
men unanimously declared their willingness to accept it. This made the
rest of the business quite plain sailing for the skipper; and, closing
with the _Umhloti_, he hailed Mr Bryce to say that he intended to send
him home in charge, and that he was to ascertain how many of the men
then with him would volunteer to return to England. A crew of fourteen
hands, all told, was soon made up, Tim Parsons and two of the
apprentices being of the number; and just as night was closing down the
two vessels parted company, Captain Blyth, Ned, and the saloon
passengers taking advantage of the opportunity to send home letters to
their friends,