the wreck. "Mr. Martyn will take charge of the
boat."

The gig's crew were piped away, and the falls were manned. The second
lieutenant stood ready at the gangway to take his place in the boat. The
operation of hoisting out a boat was not so difficult and dangerous as
it had been when the first cutter went off, for the sea was every moment
abating its fury.

"Mr. Cleats and Mr. Gage will go in the boat with a couple of axes,"
added the captain, who had been studying the position of the wreck.

The first lieutenant gave the order to the adult forward officers, who
presented themselves at the gangway provided with their implements,
ready to do the work assigned to them. By this time the weather had
begun to clear off, and a streak of blue sky appeared in the west. The
low land and the white cliffs and sand hills were seen again; but the
coast was different from that which they had observed before the tempest
burst upon them.

"Mr. Martyn, you will cut away the masts of the wreck; but first
endeavor to save the woman in the cabin," added the captain, when the
crew of the boat had taken their places, and everything was in readiness
to lower the boat.

"I will do the best I can," replied Martyn, as he stepped into the gig.

"If the galiot does not right when the masts are cut away, report to
me."

The boat went off on her mission of mercy, and those left on board of
the schooner watched her progress with the most intense interest. All
felt that they were not "playing sailor" then, but that the issues of
life and death depended upon the exertions of the two boats' crews.

"Have you any idea where we are, Captain Kendall?" asked Terrill, gazing
earnestly at the distant shore, which was now revealing itself with
greater clearness.

Paul took a spy-glass and carefully surveyed the shore. Terrill took
another glass, and both of them went up into the main rigging, so as to
obtain a better view of the shore.

"There are some church steeples near the coast, and farther back there
is a great number of them," said Terrill.

"All right," replied Paul, as he returned to the deck, followed by the
first lieutenant.

"Do you make out the coast?" asked the latter.

"Yes; we are on Thornton's Ridge. Throw the lead!" replied Paul, with
some anxiety, as he took the glass and pointed it in the direction
opposite the shore.

"By the mark five!" reported the quartermaster, who was heaving the lead
in the fore chains.

"That p