Part 29 (1/2)

Then ca overcrowded, the crew pushed off, and away they ith a bound at every stroke of the oars To Mrs Orban it was a hideous nightmare of awful anxiety

She could not tell whether all her children and her sister ith her or not Her one ray of hope was that as they had apparently been all standing close together, the others must have been put in after her But people had rushed so the moment they knew the boats were lowered, there was an awful possibility the children had been swept aside They were certainly not near her, for she called their naain, and there was no answer

Thefor seven minutes when there was a sudden awful sound behind the thing gone mad with terror

”Oh, as that?” Mrs Orban cried, and the question ran from mouth to mouth

”The shi+p,” answered a sole Must have been ripped from bows to stern”

The silence that folloas dreadful How ot away? Who was left on board? There was not one in the boat who had not a thought of agonized pity for the poor souls left behind

It was so unexpected; every one was so unprepared Who could suppose that with a sea as calreat vessel could strike on a rock and sink in less than seven ated, it was discovered that the _Cora_ had run on to a coral reef unmarked in the charts Coral reefs forerous, because they are so sharp as to cut like razors The loss of the _Cora_ was no one's fault; but that fact was of but little comfort to those whose friends went down in her

The boat pulled steadily on awhile, then paused, for no one could be certain where she lay as regarded the shore

”Easy,about till there's a gleao down like that poor thing over there”

In the hush that fell it was possible to hear each other speak

People began to question as in the boat with them

”Eustace, Nesta, Peter, are you there?” cried Mrs Orban

”Yes, mother; yes, mother,” she heard, and her heart bounded with thankfulness

”And you, Dorothy?” she forced herself to say

But to this there was no answer

”Children,” Mrs Orban said, ”isn't your aunt there?”

”I don't know,” Eustace said; ”she wouldn't come before us”

There could be no doubt that Miss Chase was not there

The first streak of daylight fell upon a boatload of haggardfor, the day It was discovered that they had come within half a mile of shore, and the crew pulled with a will till they beached the boat One after another in the shadowy gloos, but no open rejoicings, because of those others left behind

Eustace and Nesta clung to their

”And Peter,” she said--”where is Peter?”

”Peter?” said the other two blankly

”I thought you said he was there?” said Mrs Orban

”We--we answered for ourselves,” faltered Eustace ”I didn't notice he didn't speak”