th each other. Each
and all met the common fate so much the sooner, from the manner in
which they impeded their own efforts.

The yawl was now relieved from about five hundred pounds of the weight
it had carried--Simon weighing two hundred alone, and the youngish
seaman being large and full. So intense does human selfishness get to
be, in moments of great emergency, that it is to be feared most of
those who remained, secretly rejoiced that they were so far benefitted
by the loss of their fellows. The Senor Montefalderon was seated on
the aftermost thwart, with his legs in the stern-sheets, and
consequently with his back toward the negroes, and he fully believed
that what had happened was purely accidental.

"Let us lower our sail, Don Esteban," he cried, eagerly, "and save the
poor fellows."

Something very like a sneer gleamed on the dark countenance of the
captain, but it suddenly changed to a look of assent.

"Good!" he said, hastily--"spring forward, Don Wan, and lower the
sail--stand by the oars, men!"

Without pausing to reflect, the generous-hearted Mexican stepped on a
thwart, and began to walk rapidly forward, steadying himself by
placing his hands on the heads of the men. He was suffered to get as
far as the second thwart, or past most of the conspirators, when his
legs were seized from behind. The truth now flashed on him, and
grasping two of the men in his front, who knew nothing of Spike's dire
scheme, he endeavored to save himself by holding to their jackets.
Thus assailed, those men seized others with like intent, and an awful
struggle filled all that part of the craft. At this dread instant the
boat glanced into the white water, shipping so much of the element as
nearly to swamp her, and taking so wild a sheer as nearly to
broach-to. This last circumstance probably saved her, fearful as was
the danger for the moment. Everybody in the middle of the yawl was
rendered desperate by the amount and nature of the danger incurred,
and the men from the bottom rose in their might, underneath the
combatants, when a common plunge was made by all who stood erect, one
dragging overboard another, each a good deal hastened by the assault
from beneath, until no less than five were gone. Spike got his helm
up, the boat fell off, and away from the spot it flew, clearing the
breakers, and reaching the northern wall-like margin of the reef at
the next instant. There was now a moment when those who remained could
breat