conscious girl, wrapped her in a blanket, and, aided by Sam, carried her to the deck, the others following. A minute later Grace revived.
On deck they found all in confusion. The bowsprit of the Golden Wave was gone, and also the main topmast, while a mass of the rigging littered the forecastle. It was also announced that the rudder was broken and the vessel was pounding helplessly on the rocks, with a big hole in the bow directly below the waterline.
"Who changed the course?" demanded Captain Blossom. "We should be fifty miles away from these rocks."
"The first mate made me change the course," said the man who had been at the wheel. "I told him you had said southwest by south, and he made it south by west."
"He don't know what he's talking about!" howled Jack Lesher. The shock had partly sobered him. "He was steering due south, and I told him to make it southwest by south."
But little more could be said on the point, for it was feared that the schooner would go down at any moment.
"We must man the boats," said the captain. "Bring up the provisions and the kegs of water, and be quick about it."
"Are we near land?" asked Dick.
