Part 19 (1/2)

All the hands, except thedown under the weather-bulwarks to avoid the showers of spray flying in dense h we had notover to the furious blasts which every now and then struck her; if she righted it was only to bend lower still before the next

”Do you want to lose your lives or keep the the well ”Well then, I can tell you that if you don't turn to at once and work hard, and very hard, too, the brig will be at the botto”

Still theon near me

”Come, let you and ood purpose before now”

Jian, and pu the water rush across the deck in a full streaot up and joined, then another, and another When we got tired and cried, ”Spell ho!” the rest took our places

”I see you want to save your lives, lads,” cried the mate, who occasionally took a spell himself ”But you must keep at it, or it will be of no use”

All that day we stood on, the crew pu without intermission

”If the windhas asout for land, though You, Peter, have a sharp pair of eyes--go aloft, and try if you can see it”

Though the vessel was heeling over terribly at the time, I was about to obey, when Jio, Peter”

To this I would not agree

”Then I'll go with you,” said Jiether Jiht that he saw land on the starboard bow, but I did not get a glimpse of it, and felt sure that he was mistaken; at all events there was no land visible ahead We remained aloft till darkness caer

We ht, and that we had probably passed the South Foreland

This was, however, I suspected, only to encourage the , spell and spell, we laboured away When the ht By this time ere all pretty well knocked up, and er

Thethem that if they did not they would lose their lives Some answered that they would take their chance, but Jian to feel that the struggle would be useless unless we should soon make the land, for theon us

The wind, however, began toforth from between the clouds cheered us up a little

At last the captain ca about hiet his quadrant He was apparently sober, and seeotten what had happened

”Have you a second one, sir?” I asked

”No; bring the one I always use,” he answered

”You hove it at the mate yesterday, sir,” I said ”And he fell and broke his”

”What lies are you telling, youngster?” he exclai a fearful oath Then he shouted to the one forward to be out of his way

”Did I heave my quadrant at you?”

”Yes, you did,” answered the mate ”You made me break mine, too, and if we lose our lives you'll have them on your head”