Everyone agreed that nothing could be done that night. If the pillar
of smoke were visible at sunrise, and Walker could possibly manage to
fire the boilers, Boyle suggested that some sailors in the jolly-boat
should sound a channel along which the vessel itself might steam slowly
towards Guanaco Hill. That, in itself, would be a move of considerable
value. If they could lessen the distance between the shore and the
ship, each yard thus gained would help the prisoners and impose a
stronger barrier against the Alaculofs, who would probably be daunted
when they found that the vessel's mobility was restored.
This proposal was deemed so excellent that they all dined in vastly
better spirits than any of them anticipated. Christobal, puzzled out
of his scientific senses by Elsie's change of manner, kept a close eye
on her. He was amazed to see her eat a better meal than she had eaten
for days, and she was normally a quite healthy young person, with a
reasonably good appetite.
Boyle and Gray took the first watch, from eight o'clock to midnight.
Christobal and Walker shared the next one; by four o'clock it would be
daylight, so the doctor was retiring early to his cabin when he met
Elsie, by chance as it seemed.
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