I spoke out then, and said, "Let every one here thank the Lord for
our preservation!" All the voices answered (even the child's), "We thank
the Lord!" I then said the Lord's Prayer, and all hands said it after me
with a solemn murmuring. Then I gave the word "Cheerily, O men,
Cheerily!" and I felt that they were handling the boat again as a boat
ought to be handled.
The Surf-boat now burnt another blue-light to show us where they were,
and we made for her, and laid ourselves as nearly alongside of her as we
dared. I had always kept my boats with a coil or two of good stout stuff
in each of them, so both boats had a rope at hand. We made a shift, with
much labour and trouble, to got near enough to one another to divide the
blue-lights (they were no use after that night, for the sea-water soon
got at them), and to get a tow-rope out between us. All night long we
kept together, sometimes obliged to cast off the rope, and sometimes
getting it out again, and all of us wearying for the morning--which
appeared so long in coming that old Mr.
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