CHAPTER XXIX
A COMMAND TO LAY TO
STRANGE things happen on the ocean. Sometimes slight occurrences lead
to great results. When the sailors deserted the brig Rockhaven,
provisioning their boats in a hurry, one water cask was left behind.
The mate had intended stowing it away in the captain's gig, but found
there was no room for it, so he allowed it to remain on deck, where he
set it.
In due time, by the motion of the abandoned brig in the storm, the
water cask was overturned and rolled about at every heave of the
waves, first to port, and then to starboard, Now aft, and again
forward. As luck would have it, not long after those in the cabin fell
under the deadly influence of some queer, stupefying fumes, the water
cask was rolling about close to the trunk roof of the cabin, a roof
that had side windows in it.
With one lurch of the ship the water cask nearly crashed against these
windows, but, by the narrowest margin missed. Then the cask rolled
toward the scuppers. Those in the cabin were more than ever under the
influence of the fumes. They were breathing heavily, the veins in
their necks began to swell, their hearts were laboring hard to
overcome the stupefying influence of the fumes. But it was almost too
late.
Suddenly a long roller lifted the brig well up into the air. Then it
slid down the watery incline. The cask started to roll toward the
cabin windows. Straight for them it came, turning over and over.
With a resounding blow the cask shattered the frame, and sent the
glass in a shower into the cabin below.
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