to save ivery scrap of the ould vessel we can come across, in order sure
to tow it ashore!"

Watching for an opportunity, the boat's head was shoved out on top of a
return wave, when, the oars being plied with sturdy strokes, the little
buoyant craft was soon well out of the broken water and making steady
progress in the direction that had been pointed out. No object,
however, could be seen as yet by Mr McCarthy; for the rollers were
still so high that when the boat was sunk in the hollow between them
nothing could be noticed beyond the curving ridge of the next wave and
the broken wash of the one just overtopped.

"Go it, boys, kape at it with a will," cried the mate, rising up in the
stern-sheets after a while to look round better, steadying himself by
holding on to the yoke-lines and leaning forwards. "Ha! I can say it
now, right in front! We'll soon have it--one more stroke, and we'll be
there, sure!"

"Aisy, now--avast--row of all!" he cried out in turn; and then, with a
sullen, grating sound the boat brought up against a large mass of broken
timberwork which the men had no difficulty in recognising as the larger
portion of the poop deck. It had the combings of the companion and
skylight still attached, as well as a part of one of the ladder-ways,
and was in every sense a treasure trove.

"Sure we're in luck, boys, anyhow," said Mr McCarthy joyfully. "Be
jabers, I niver expected to git so much ov it all at once without any
trouble!"

The first mate proceeded without delay to attach the small hawser which
they had used for towing the raft to a ring-bolt, left as if for the
purpose on the floating mass; and then the men, backing water on one
side, and pulling sharp on the other, soon had the boat on her way back
to the land, with the mass of broken timberwork trailing behind her. It
was in itself, without picking up another plank, more than sufficient to
supply all the carpenter's needs for the roof of the house, "besoides
making the ladies a prisint of a staircase for the front door," as Mr
McCarthy observed!

It was fortunate they came across this, for little more of the wreckage
was secured, the tide having evidently carried out the lighter portions
of the planking too far to sea for it to be brought back again by the
returning flood. It was probably only owing to the weight of the poop-
deck that they had been able to make certain of that.

Still, on making a trip out to the reef later on, to see