of. The anchors were cut
away; then the upper deck guns were hove overboard, though the operation
in itself was a dangerous one, for, after the gun tackles were cut
loose, there was the risk of the guns upsetting and crushing those
standing near. All this time the pumps were being worked. The captain
ordered all hands not otherwise engaged to bale, and we were formed in
gangs to pass the buckets up and down and along the deck.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

THE WRECK OF THE "CERBERUS."

We were thus employed when the carpenter came to the captain with
consternation in his countenance, and told him that the pumps would no
longer work, for, the shot-lockers being destroyed, the shot as well as
the ballast had got into the well, and completely choked it up.

"Well, my lads," cried the captain, "we must try what baling will do,
and lightening the ship by every means in our power."

Those who had been working at the pumps, and some others, were now
divided into gangs under different officers, and were employed in
getting rid of the heaviest things which could be reached. Some hove
the guns overboard, others got up the weightier stores, the boatswain's
party being engaged in chopping up the cables and throwing them into the
sea.

While my messmates and I were hard at work with the rest, I saw the
captain beckon Nettleship to him. They talked for a minute or more.
Directly afterwards Nettleship came to where Tom and I were at work with
Larry and some of the men. "The captain has given me charge to try and
save some of you youngsters," he said. "Life is sweet, and I won't deny
that I am glad to have the chance of preserving my own with honour. You
tell Tom Pim and your boy Larry. I'll speak to some of our other
messmates, and try to pick out a few trusty men who I know are cool
hands, and we will try and get a boat into the water. It will be no
easy matter,--it may, I warn you, hasten our deaths; but the captain is
satisfied that the ship can't float many hours longer. He argued the
point, and showed me that if we don't get off as he directed, we shall
not escape at all, as numbers will be rushing for the boats when they
discover that the ship must go down."

Matters were growing rapidly worse. Even now I don't like to think of
that dreadful night which followed. When morning broke, the number of
ships in sight had much diminished. The sea raged as furiously as ever,
the wind blew with fearful force. All hands h