hed overboard!"

"Don't let us sink! Don't let us sink! For God's sake!" shrieked Lord
Huntingford. Then he saw his wife. "Save me, Tennys; we are lost! We
are lost!"

A great wave swept over the deck, washing all of them back into the
companionway, half drowned.

"Is there any hope, Mr. Frayne?" yelled Hugh to the second officer,
holding himself and his half-dead sweetheart against the leaping of
the boat.

"One chance in a million! Stay back there and we'll try the boats. God
knows they can't live in this sea, but they're the only hope. We'll turn
clear over with the next big wave. Stay back!" he yelled. "We are trying
to get the boats ready. Stay back!"

Hugh and Grace from where they clung could see the great black
mountains of water rushing upon them, each wave a most terrifying
spectacle. Then again the whole dark, seething ocean seemed to be below
them and they were flying to the clouds. The breath of relief died
instantly, for again the helpless ship sank into the trough and the
foaming mountains towered about her. Grace hid her eyes and screamed
with terror. Those huge murderous waves already had swept many from the
ship. A score of sailors and as many courageous soldiers were in the
churn of the merciless waters.

Crash! A horrid grating sound, splintering! Then the instantaneous
shock, the awful, stunning force of a frightful blow and a shipful of
human beings were flung violently in all directions, many never to rise
again. The _Tempest Queen_ had struck! The last chance was gone!

"My God!" groaned the captain. "It's all over!" Then he roared: "All
hands! All hands! Stations! To the boats! Stand back there!
Women first!"

Ridgeway, dimly realizing that the end had come, staggered to his feet
and instinctively reached for the body of the woman who lay before him.
He did not know that she was conscious, nor did he know whether the ship
was afloat or sinking. A gigantic wave swept over her, tons of water
pouring in upon them. Blankly he dragged her to the opening which led to
the watery deck, clinging to a railing with all his might. He was
gasping for breath, his life almost crushed out of his body. It
required all his strength to drag the limp form safely away from the
passage, through which now poured their crazed companions, rushing
headlong into the sea.

"In the name of God what shall we do?" he heard a hoarse voice shout in
his ear. It was Veath, also burdened with the helpless form of a wom