With a great crash the mizzen mast went over the side, crushing one of the lifeboats that hung on davits there.

“What has happened?” yelled Mr. Tarbill, rushing up on deck.

“The Eagle is wrecked,” replied the captain, speaking calmly, though only a sailor could know what anguish the words cost him.

CHAPTER XVII

ADRIFT IN SMALL BOATS

The scene was now one of wild excitement.  The sailors were working like Trojans to launch the boats, as it could not be told when the Eagle would founder.  Already she was settling in the water.

For once Mr. Tarbill seemed too stunned to know what to do.  Bob made up his mind to save a few of his own possessions if he could, and he hurried to his berth.

“Put on a life-preserver, Bob,” called the captain to him.  The boy thought of the time when this order had been given before, but not needed.  Now there was real cause for it.

“Oh, Bob!  Help me!” pleaded Mr. Tarbill, who was trembling with terror.

“I will.  If there’s anything valuable in your cabin, you’d better get it out.”

“Everything I have is valuable.”

“Well, you can’t take it all.  The boat won’t hold it.”

“Have we got to go in small boats out on this dreadful ocean?”

“It’s the only way to save our lives.”

Mr. Tarbill selected some of his possessions, as did Bob, and then the only two passengers on the ship, having donned the cork jackets, went on deck again.

The sailors were busy putting provisions and water into the small boats, of which, fortunately, there were enough to hold all, even with the loss of the one the mast had smashed.

“Is there no way of saving the ship?” asked Bob of the captain as he stood, calm, yet stern, on the quarter-deck.

“No.  Her bows are stove in and the foremast has pounded a big hole in her quarter.  The Eagle is doomed.  There must be an uncharted reef about here, or else we were blown off our course.”

“Boats are all ready, sir,” reported a sailor, running up.

“Very well, tell the men to get in.  Mr. Carr will be in command of one boat, Mr. Bender the other, and I will go in my gig.  Bob, you and Mr. Tarbill will go with me.  Pull well away from the wreck, men, and lay to until we are all together.  Then we’ll try to get our bearings.”

It was getting lighter now, but the storm showed no signs of abating.  The Eagle was fairly impaled on a sharp point of the sunken reef and was immovable, but the waves were dashing high over the bows.

Suddenly the ship gave a shudder and seemed as if about to tear herself loose, ready to sink beneath the billows.

“Lively, men!” exclaimed the captain.  “She’ll not last much longer!”

The orders were given to lower the boats.  Bob went forward to watch the work, holding on by stray cables that dangled from the wrecked masts.