"
"Unless by the mercy o' God."
Such were the remarks of those ashore as the _Princess May_ steamed
down the harbor and out through the narrow channel between the
beetling cliffs, into the broad Atlantic. Dr. Grenfell has confessed
that he was not wholly without misgivings himself, and they seemed
well founded when, at the end of the first five miles, the engineer
reported:
"She's sprung a leak, sir!" and anxiously asked, "Had we better put
back?"
"No! We'll stand on!" answered Grenfell. "Those croakers ashore would
never let us hear the end of it if we turned back. We'll see what's
happened."
An examination discovered a small opening in the bottom. A wooden plug
was shaped and driven into the hole. To Doctor Grenfell's satisfaction
and relief, this was found to heal the leak effectually, and the
_Princess May_ continued on her course.
But this was not to end the difficulties. In those waters dense fogs
settled suddenly and without warning, and now such a fog fell upon
them to shut out all view of land and the surrounding sea.
Nevertheless, the _Princess May_ steamed bravely ahead.
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