el and letting her fall
upon the sharp rocks till she broke up, unless the storm subsided and
the breakers abated in violence so that the passengers and crew might
take to the boats.

He knit his brow and sat thinking for a few minutes of the chances of
life and death at such a time, but became absorbed in the condition of
his patient again, for there was his duty. There were the officers to
see to the preservation of life from the wreck.

Once more he had warning of the state of affairs on deck, old Bostock
hurrying down.

"Got anything you want to save, sir?" he said, excitedly; "if so shove
it in your pocket. They're getting the boats out. I'll come and give
you word, and help you with young squire here."

"What!" said the doctor, excitedly now. "Impossible; it would mean
death for the boy to be moved."

"It'll mean death, sir, if he aren't moved," said the old sailor,
sternly. "You button him up in a coat, and be ready against I come."

The door banged to, and the doctor hurriedly caught up some of his
patient's garments and stood frowning, as he leaned over him, felt his
pulse, and then laid his hand upon the poor lad's head.

"Impossible," he said; "it would crush out the flickering flame of life.
He cannot be moved."

As he spoke he threw the clothes aside and went sharply towards the door
and looked out, to see that the passengers were crowding up the cabin
stairs in an awful silence, the horror of their position having brought
them to a state of despairing calm.

The doctor stood looking at them for a few moments, and then turned to
cross to his patient's side, bending over him for a few moments, and
then sinking into the seat by his side.

CHAPTER THREE.

Meanwhile, after he had ineffectually tried everything possible to bring
the steamer's head to wind by means of the sails, the captain had to
give up and let her drift, rolling heavily in the trough of the sea.

The storm still raged with terrific fury, and it was evident that the
unmanageable vessel was being borne rapidly along.

But by slow degrees the violence of the wind began to abate, and fresh
efforts were made in the semi-darkness, and with the waves thundering
over the deck from time to time, to hoist something in the way of sail.

The men raised a cheer as this was at last successfully accomplished,
and once more obeying her helm the great vessel ceased rolling, and
rushed on for a few hundred yards at headlong speed.

B