“I’ve been fixing the gunwales,” said he; “an here’s a box of pilot-bread.  We were gettin out of provisions, an I’ve got in a supply, an I’ve bought a bit of an old sail that’ll do for a jib.  I’m afeard thar won’t be room for all of us.  Some of you better stay ashore, an I’ll come back.”

“I’ll wait,” said Bart, taking his seat on a stick of timber.

“An I’ll wait, too,” said Bruce.

The other boys objected in a friendly way, but Bart and Bruce insisted on waiting, and so the boat at length started, leaving them behind.

In a short time it reached the schooner.

Captain Corbet secured the boat’s painter to the stem, and threw the oar on board.

“Now, boys, one of you stay in the boat, an pass up them things to me—­will you?”

“All right,” said Tom.  “I’ll pass them up.”

On this Captain Corbet got on board the schooner, followed by Arthur, and Phil, and Pat.  Tom waited in the boat.

“Now,” said Captain Corbet, “lift up that thar box of pilot-bread fust.  ’Tain’t heavy.  We’ll get these things out afore we go ashore for the others.”

“All right,” said Tom.

He stooped, and took the box of biscuit in his arms.

At that time the tide was running down very fast, and the boat, caught by the tide, was forced out from the schooner with such a pressure that the rope was stiffened out straight.

Tom made one step forward.  The next instant he fell down in the bottom of the boat, and those on board of the schooner who were looking at him saw, to their horror, that the boat was sweeping away with the tide, far down the river.

V.

A Cry of Horror.—­What shall we do?—­Hard and fast.—­Bart and
Bruce.—­Gloomy Intelligence.—­The Promontory.—­The Bore of the
Petitcodiac.—­A Night of Misery.—­A mournful Waking.—­Taking
Counsel.

A cry of horror escaped those on board, and for some time they stood silent in utter dismay.

“The rope wasn’t tied,” groaned Arthur.

“Yes, it was,” said Captain Corbet; “it bruk; catch me not tyin it.  It bruk; see here!” and he held up in the dim light the end of the rope which still was fastened to the schooner.  “I didn’t know it was rotten,” he moaned; “‘tain’t over ten year old, that bit o’ rope, an I’ve had it an used it a thousand times without its ever thinkin o’ breakin.”

“What can we do?” cried Arthur.  “We must do something to save him.”

Captain Corbet shook his head.

“We’ve got no boat,” said he.

“Boat!  Who wants a boat?”

“What can we do without a boat?”

“Why, up anchor, and go after him with the schooner.”

“The schooner’s hard and fast,” said Captain Corbet, mournfully.

“Hard and fast?”

“Yes; don’t you notice how she leans?  It’s only a little, but that’s a sign that her keel’s in the mud.”