was ever stepped in a keelson."

The cheer was changed to something like a groan, while a murmur of
regret passed through the boat.

"What news from the man-of-war's men, boatswain? Do they still stand
down on a mere wreck?"

"No, sir; they seem to give it up, and are getting out their oars to
pull back to their ship. A pretty time they'll have of it, too. The
cutter that gets to windward half a mile in an hour, ag'in such a sea,
and such a breeze, must be well pulled and better steered. One chap,
however, sir, seems to hold on."

Spike now ventured to look behind him, commanding an experienced hand
to take the helm. In order to do this he was obliged to change places
with the man he had selected to come aft, which brought him on a
thwart alongside of the boatswain and one or two other of his
confidents. Here a whispered conference took place, which lasted
several minutes, Spike appearing to be giving instructions to the men.

By this time the yawl was more than a mile from the wreck, all the
man-of-war boats but one had lowered their sails, and were pulling
slowly and with great labor back toward the ship, the cutter that kept
on, evidently laying her course after the yawl, instead of standing on
toward the wreck. The brig was breaking up fast, with every
probability that nothing would be left of her in a few more minutes.
As for the yawl, while clear of the white water, it got along without
receiving many seas aboard, though the men in its bottom were kept
bailing without intermission. It appeared to Spike that so long as
they remained on the reef, and could keep clear of breakers--a most
difficult thing, however--they should fare better than if in deeper
water, where the swell of the sea, and the combing of the waves,
menaced so small and so deep-loaded a craft with serious danger. As it
was, two or three men could barely keep the boat clear, working
incessantly, and much of the time with a foot or two of water in her.

Josh and Simon had taken their seats, side by side, with that sort of
dependence and submission that causes the American black to abstain
from mingling with the whites more than might appear seemly. They were
squeezed on to one end of the thwart by a couple of robust old
sea-dogs, who were two of the very men with whom Spike had been in
consultation. Beneath that very thwart was stowed another confident,
to whom communications had also been made. These men had sailed long
in the Swash, and havi