monkey-jacket, and I made for the
door. The water washed up to my knees, but I soon inserted my fingers
in the crevice of the door and thrust it open.

The house was a single compartment, though I had expected to find it
divided into two. In the centre was a table that traveled on
stanchions from the roof to the deck, On either side were a couple of
bunks. The girl stood near the door. In a bunk to the left of the
door lay an old man with white hair. Prostrate on his back, on the
deck, with his arms stretched against his ears, was the corpse of a
man, well dressed; and in a bunk on the right sat a sailor, who, when
he saw me, yelled out and snapped his fingers, making horrible grimaces.

Such, in brief, was the _coup d'oeil_ of that weird interior as it met
my eyes.

I seized the girl by the arm.

"You first," said I. "Come; there is no time to be lost."

But she shrunk back, pressing against the door with her hand to prevent
me from pulling her, crying in a husky voice, and looking at the old
man with the white hair, "My father first! my father first!"

"You shall all be saved, but you must obey me. Quickly now!" I
exclaimed passionately; for a heavy sea at that moment flooded the
ship, and a rush of water swamped the house through the open door and
washed the corpse on the deck up into a corner.

Grasping her firmly, I lifted her off her feet, and went staggering to
the life-rope, slinging her light body over my shoulder as I went.
Assisted by my man, I gained the bow of the wreck, and hailing the
boat, ordered it alongside.

"One of you," cried I, "stand ready to receive this lady when I give
the signal."

I then told the man who was with me to jump into the forechains, which
he instantly did. The wreck lurched heavily to port. "Stand by, my
lads!" I shouted. Over she came again, with the water swooping along
the maindeck: The boat rose high, and the forechains were submerged to
the height of the man's knees. "Now!" I called, and lifted the girl
over. She was seized by the man in the chains, and pushed toward the
boat; the fellow standing in the bow of the boat caught her, and at the
same moment down sunk the boat, and the wreck rolled wearily over. But
the girl was safe.

"Hurrah, my lad!" I sung out. "Up with you,--there are others
remaining;" and I went sprawling along the line to the deck-house,
there to encounter another rush of water, which washed as high as my
thighs, and fetched me