ut when they saw her reappear from each overwhelming billow,
their hearts rose with a rebound, and loud prolonged huzzas cheered the
lifeboat on her course. They became silent again, however, when
distance and the intervening haze of spray and rain rendered her motions
indistinct, and their feelings of anxiety became more and more intense
as they saw her draw nearer and nearer to the wreck.

At last they reached it, but no one on the pier could tell with what
success their efforts were attended. Through the blinding spray they
saw her faintly, now rising on the crest of a huge wave, then
overwhelmed by tons of water. At last she appeared to get close under
the stern of the brig, and was lost to view.

"They're all gone," said a fisherman on the pier, as he wiped the salt
water off his face; "I know'd that no boat that ever wos built could
live in that sea."

"Ye don't know much yet, Bill, 'bout anything a'most," replied an old
man near him. "Why, I've see'd boats in the East, not much better than
two planks, as could go through a worse surf than that."

"May be so," retorted Bill, "but I know--hallo! is that her coming off?"

"That's her," cried several voices--"all right, my hearties."

"Not so sure o' that," observed another of the excited band of men who
watched every motion of the little craft intently,--"there--why--I do
believe there are more in her now than went out in her, what think 'ee,
Dick?"

Dick did not reply, for by that time the boat, having got clear of the
wreck, was making for the shore, and the observers were all too intent
in using their eyes to make use of their tongues. Coming as she did
before the wind, the progress of the lifeboat was very different from
what it had been when she set out. In a few minutes she became
distinctly visible, careering on the crest of the waves towards the
harbour mouth, and then it was ascertained beyond doubt that some at
least, if not all, of the crew of the brig had been rescued. A short
sharp Hurrah! burst from the men on the outlook when this became
certain, but they relapsed into deep silence again, for the return of
the boat was more critical than its departure had been. There is much
more danger in running before a heavy sea than in pulling against it.
Every roaring billow that came into the bay near the Cove like a green
wall broke in thunder on the sands before reaching the wreck, and as it
continued its furious career towards the beach it see