hers were on deck with crew and captain, knowing well their
danger.

About three the noise of breakers was distinctly heard a little way
ahead, and at the same time a light was seen away to the left,
glimmering faintly through the darkness. It came home to the anxious
crew with sickening certainty that they were being driven on the Farne
Islands. [Now these islands form a group of desolate whinstone rocks
lying off the Northumbrian coast. They are twenty in number, some only
uncovered at low tide, and all offering a rugged iron wall to any
ill-fated boat that may be driven upon them. Even in calm weather and by
daylight seamen are glad to give them a wide berth.]

The master of the 'Forfarshire' in this desperate strait attempted to
make for the channel which runs between the Islands and the mainland. It
was at best a forlorn chance; it was hopeless here; the vessel refused
to answer her helm! On she drove in the darkness, nearer and nearer came
the sound of the breakers; the fear and agitation on board the boat grew
frantic. Women wailed and shrieked; the captain's wife clung to him,
weeping; the crew lost all instinct of discipline, and thought of
nothing but saving their skins.

Between three and four the shock came--a hideous grinding noise, a
strain and shiver of the whole ship, and she struck violently against a
great rock. In the awful moment which followed five of the crew
succeeded in lowering the larboard quarter-boat and pushed off in her.
The mate swung himself over the side, and also reached her; and a
passenger rushing at this moment up from the cabin and seeing the boat
already three yards from the ship, cleared the space with a bound and
landed safely in her, though nearly upsetting her by his weight. She
righted, and the crew pulled off with the desperate energy of men rowing
for their lives. The sight of agonised faces, the shrieks of the
drowning were lost in the darkness and in the howling winds, and the
boat with the seven men on board was swept along by the rapidly-flowing
tide.

Such was the story the exhausted boat's crew told next morning to their
rescuers on board the Montrose sloop. And the rest of the ship's
company--what of them? Had they all gone down by the island crag with
never a hand stretched out to help them?

Hardly had the boat escaped from the stranded vessel when a great wave
struck her on the quarter, lifted her up bodily, and dashed her back on
the rock. She struck midship