he jib lowered, and she lay to
under the mainsail. Pelham and the crew of the first cutter took their
places in the boat, and were lowered into the stormy sea. The falls were
cast off the instant she struck the water; the coxswain gave his orders
rapidly, and the cutter went off, rising and falling on the huge waves
like a feather.

The distance was short; but even this was a hard pull in such a violent
sea. Pelham was cool and steady, and his self-possession encouraged the
crew to their best efforts. The boat ran up under the lee of the wreck,
and made fast to one of the masts. As soon as it was secured, both of
the men on the rail began to jabber in an unintelligible language.

"_Parlez-vous francais?_" shouted Pelham, who had some knowledge of the
polite language.

But the men made no response; and it was evident that no long speeches
need be made on the present occasion. Pelham made signs to them to come
down into the boat, which they did. They were not satisfied, but
continued to talk in their own language, and to point earnestly to the
after part of the wreck. One of them repeated a word so many times, that
the officer of the boat was enabled at last to separate it from the
confused jumble of sentences.

"_Vrow?_" said he.

The man nodded earnestly, and pointed with redoubled vigor to the after
part of the galiot.

_Vrow_ means wife; and Pelham concluded that the skipper's lady was in
the cabin, but whether dead or alive he did not know.

CHAPTER III.

SOMETHING ABOUT DIKES.

It was evident to those on board of the Josephine that there was some
reason for the delay of the boat in not bringing off the survivors of
the wreck. The energetic motions of the men on the disabled vessel could
be dimly seen through the mist and rain.

"Hoist the jib, Terrill," said Captain Kendall. "We will run up to the
wreck, and ascertain what the trouble is."

"Man the jib halyards! Stand by the jib sheet!" added Terrill.

"All ready, sir!"

"Let go the downhaul! Hoist away!" continued the first lieutenant. "Port
the helm!"

The mainsail was trimmed, the jib sheet hauled down, and the schooner
filled away again. She ran close under the lee of the galiot, just far
enough off to clear her masts.

"What's the matter, Mr. Pelham?" called Terrill through his trumpet.

"There's a woman in the cabin," replied Pelham.

"Clear away the gig!" said Captain Kendall, as the Josephine passed out
of hailing distance of