No! not lost after all! The light emerged, and mounted, and mounted
towards the ship.
It came near, and showed the black shiny body of Vespasian, with very
little on but a handkerchief and a lantern--the former round his waist,
and the latter lashed to his back: he arrived with a "Yah! yah!" and
showed his white teeth in a grin.
Mrs. Beresford clutched his shoulder, and whimpered, " Oh, Mr. Black!"
"Iss, Missy, dis child bring good news. Cap'n! Massah Fullalove send you
his congratulations, and the compliments of the season; and take the
liberty to observe the tide am turn in twenty minutes."
The good news thus quaintly announced caused an outburst of joy from
Dodd, and, sailor-like, he insisted on all hands joining in a cheer. The
shore re-echoed it directly. And this encouraged the forlorn band still
more; to hear other hearts beating for them so near. Even the intervening
waves could not quite annul the sustaining power of sympathy.
At this moment came the first faint streaks of welcome dawn, and revealed
their situation more fully.
The vessel lay on the edge of a sandbank.
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