up his spirits. He could venture
to take but brief intervals of rest, but he could rely on Jacob who took
his place when he was below. By great exertions a jury-mast was secured
to the stump of the foremast, and a sail was set which kept the ship
before the wind, and prevented her from being pooped. Still, should
danger appear ahead, it would be insufficient to enable her to avoid it.
Several days had passed, the gale had decreased, but the ship was still
running on before it. The night was very dark, Harry was on deck. He
hoped on the return of daylight to get an after jury-mast rigged, and to
heave the ship too. All hands were at the pumps. By keeping them going
alone, they well knew, could the ship be prevented from foundering.
Suddenly there came a cry from forward of "Breakers ahead." It was
followed by a terrific crashing, rending sound. The next sea lifted the
ship to strike with greater force. Several of the passengers who rushed
from the cabin, and many of the terrified crew, were carried away by the
following sea which swept with resistless force over the deck. Harry
and Jacob, with the rest of the Englishmen, clung to the stauncheons and
bulwarks, and escaped. The ship still drove on till she became firmly
fixed in the rocks. Land could dimly be discerned over the starboard
quarter at no great distance, but a foaming mass of water intervened.
Some of the Frenchmen and Lascars on discovering it began to lower a
boat. Harry in vain ordered them to desist. Before she had got a dozen
yards from the ship, the boat and all in her were engulphed. No other
boat remained. Still Harry hoped from the way the ship remained fixed
that she would hold together should the sea go down, and that in the
morning he might be able to establish a communication with the shore.

Finding that nothing more could be done on deck, he made his way to the
cuddy to offer such consolation as he could to the passengers.

They thanked him for his exertions, aware that it was from no fault of
his the ship had been wrecked.

He went to the cabin of the invalid gentleman. The occupant was sitting
up dressed.

"What, wrecked again!" he exclaimed, as Harry appeared. "Is the death I
have so often escaped about to overtake me at last?"

"I hope not," answered Harry, and he expressed his expectation of being
able to reach the shore in the morning.

"I ought to be grateful to you, sir, and will endeavour to feel so,"
said the i