ld reach them, one after
another sank beneath the waves. A few, however were clinging to planks
and spars, but the widow refused to go near them; it might have proved
the destruction of the boat, had the attempt been made.

"They are floating, and will in time reach the shore," she said to
Shane, "or if the sea goes down still more, we may return to pick them
up. There are still some alive on board the ship; even just now, I saw
an arm waving. Row on, row on, we may yet be in time--we may yet be in
time."

The larger portion of the wreck had before this, however, been broken
up, but the after-part and the starboard side of the quarter-deck
remained entire. As the boat approached the wreck, broken planks and
timbers continued to be washed away, till but a small portion appeared
to remain.

By persevering efforts, the boat, however, drew nearer and nearer,
avoiding, though not without difficulty, the masses of wreck which
floated by. As the fishwife and her brother looked up, they saw two
human beings still clinging to the remaining fragments of the ship; one
was waving his hand as if to urge them to greater speed. No other human
beings were to be seen on board. A few had just before apparently
committed themselves to a raft, and with this support were now
approaching the shore. They had, however, passed at some little
distance from the boat. Sea after sea rolling in dashed against the
wreck, sometimes the spray almost hiding those on board from view.
Larger and larger portions continued to give way; every sea which rolled
in carried off the timbers or more planks from the sides. The boat was
within fifty fathoms or so of the rocks, Shane looking out anxiously for
any part of the wreck by which it might be approached with least danger.
It seemed scarcely possible for them to get near enough to aid those on
board.

"I fear, sister, we shall be too late," exclaimed Shane; "even now
yonder sea which comes in looks as if it were about to tear the
remainder of the wreck to fragments."

With a thundering sound the sea he pointed at broke against the wreck.
In an instant the remaining masses of timber gave way, and were dashed
forward into the boiling sea.

"Pull on, Shane, pull on," cried the widow. "I see two men still
struggling in the waves; one is supporting the other, and guarding him
from the timbers which float around."

"Which timbers may stave in the boat, and drown us all," observed Shane.

"No m