dreaded than high winds, and the helmsman looked anxious, and
Lars could not sleep. The atmosphere seemed to get thicker and thicker,
and where they could for a while see the faint yellow twinkle of the
stars all was now an opaque film.

One night as Ilda was singing a little song to Hanne a great crash came,
a terrible thump, and then a queer grating sound. All had been still on
deck, but now came hoarse shouts and cries, and Lars rushed down to the
cabin, saying, "We are on the rocks! we are lost, Ilda!"

Ilda clasped little Hanne still closer as she said, tremulously, "Is it
true, Lars? is there no way of escape? are we so near land?"

"Yes; come up on deck. The ship is already settling. We must try to get
you and the child off in one of the boats."

"Not without you, Lars; we will not move an inch without you."

"See," he replied, as he helped her up the steps, "the gulls are flying
over our heads: land must be near."

It was horribly true that the vessel was thumping and bumping on the
rocks; the surf was roaring, and it seemed impossible for a boat to be
launched. The sailors were making ready to cast themselves into the sea.
Some were cursing, others praying, and others tying and lashing
themselves to spars which they had taken from their fastenings. Two of
them came up to Lars.

"Sir, for the sake of the child there, we will swim, if we can, to the
shore, and get help."

"It would be useless," said Lars.

"Oh no," said Ilda; "let them try. They are brave. Perhaps they will
succeed."

They nodded, and went off, Lars looking after them hopelessly as he
muttered: "I might have known this; it is just my luck. Oh, Ilda! Ilda!
why did I bring you with me?--and poor little Hanne!"

The child clung to her mother, her blue eyes dilated with fear, and her
little hands about her mother's neck.

"Hush, Lars," said Ilda; "where thou art, there I would be, and so would
Hannchen. God is yet able to save us."

The moments seemed like days; presently the vessel gave a great lurch to
one side, and Lars had just time to tie Ilda to him as the waves broke
over the jagt.

[Illustration: "SAVED AT LAST!"]

"Farvael!" was all he said to her, as they were plunged into the water;
but as he saw the waves closing about them, he heard a cry from the
sailors--a cry of joy, of welcome--and he felt a strong hand reached out
to him, and a coil of rope flung about them. He had his arm under the
fainting Ilda, but surely he h