ery well, Mollie. Don't give it up."

"I don't give it up; but I am ready for anything. I want to be resigned
to my fate whenever it comes."

"Don't be so blue about it, Mollie. It will be all right with us in the
morning."

"You heard what Mr. Lincoln said, and you know we are in great danger."

"Perhaps we are."

"You know we are, Noddy."

"Well, we are; but for all that, the vessel will ride out the gale, and
to-morrow you will laugh to think how scared you were."

"I am not scared; I am ready to die. Promise me one thing, Noddy."

"Anything," answered he, promptly.

"You will not blame my father if the vessel is lost. He is insane; he
can't help what he does. He never did so before, and I know he don't
mean to do wrong."

"I suppose he don't, and I won't blame him, whatever happens," replied
he, willing to comfort the poor girl in any way he could.

"I should not care so much if it didn't look as though it was all
father's fault."

"It will be all right to-morrow. We will throw the rest of the liquor
overboard. We will search through the hold, and not leave a single
bottle of anything there. Then we shall be safe."

"It will be too late then," sighed Mollie.

"No, it won't; the vessel will be saved. I _know_ it will," added Noddy,
resolutely.

"You don't know."

"Yes, I do; I am just as certain of it as I am of my own existence."

Noddy had hardly uttered these confident words, before a tremendous
shock threw them upon the cabin floor. It was followed by a terrible
crashing sound, as though every timber in the vessel had been rent and
broken; and they could hear the rush of waters, as the torrents poured
in through the broken sides. Noddy, without stopping to think of the
vain prophecy he had made, seized the light form of Mollie, and bore her
to the deck. The sea was running riot there; the great waves swept over
the deck with a force which no human strength could resist, and Noddy
was compelled to retreat to the cabin again.

The lantern still swung from a deck beam, but the water had risen in the
cabin so that his descent was prevented. The Roebuck had run upon a reef
or shoal in such a manner that her bow was projected far out of the
water, while her stern was almost submerged in the waves. Noddy's quick
perception enabled him to comprehend the position of the vessel, and he
placed his charge on the companion ladder, which was protected in a
measure from the force of the sea by the hatch,