I don't like turning the
Alert into a storeship; but it would be better to do that than to have
the expense of chartering two or three ships to come here to fetch it
away. Beside, if I did that, you would have to stop here until it is
all carried away, and to burn the storehouses afterward."
"Then by all means let us load up," Captain Chambers said. "I
certainly have no wish to be kept here for six weeks or a couple of
months. I will go out and bring the Seagull in at once."
"The sooner the better, Chambers. I will set a couple of boats at work
at once to take soundings here and in the channel. If I can get the
Alert in I will; it would save a lot of trouble and time."
It was found that the channel and the harbor inside contained an
abundance of water for the frigate. The width between the rocks was,
however, only just sufficient to let her through; and, therefore,
while the schooner sailed boldly in, the frigate was towed in by her
boats. The next morning the work of shipping the contents of the
storehouses commenced, but so large was the quantity of goods stored
up that it took six days of hard work before all was safely on board.
The sailors, however, did not grudge the trouble, for they knew that
every box and bale meant so much prize-money.
"I hope we shall meet nothing we ought to chase on our way to Port
Royal," Captain Wilson said, looking with some disgust at the two
vessels.
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