e vessel would have carried him overboard. The sight
suggested the manner in which the men had so suddenly disappeared. They
had probably been swept away the moment the vessel struck. The rigging
of the schooner was all standing, and Noddy decided to go forward to
ascertain if there was any comfortable position there for Mollie. He
went to the main-mast head, and, by the spring-stay, reached the
fore-mast. Descending by the fore-shrouds, he reached the forecastle of
the schooner.

The bow had been thrown up so high on the shoal that the sea did not
break over this part of the vessel with anything like the force it did
farther aft. The hatch was on the fore-scuttle, and it was possible that
the men had taken refuge in the forecastle. Removing the hatch, he
called the names of Mr. Lincoln and others; but there was no response.
He then went down, and attempted to make his way aft through the hold.
This was impossible, and he was obliged to return by the way he had
come.

"My poor father!" sighed Mollie, as Noddy reached the ladder to which
she was clinging; "I shall never see you again."

"Come, Mollie. I want you to go with me now," said he, taking her by the
arm.

"Did you find any of the crew?" she asked.

"Not a single one."

"Poor men!"

"I am afraid they are all drowned; but we may be saved if we only work.
If we stay here we shall certainly be lost. If the sea should carry off
the companion-hatch, we should be drowned out in spite of all we could
do."

"What can we do?"

"We must go forward."

"That is impossible for me, Noddy."

"No, it isn't."

"Save yourself, Noddy, if you can. I do not feel like doing anything."

"I shall stay by you, and if you are lost I shall be lost with you."

"Then I will go with you, and do anything you say," said she, earnestly;
for when the life of another was at stake, she was willing to put forth
any exertion.

"The vessel holds together first-rate, and if we stick by her till
morning, we may find some way to save ourselves. Don't give it up,
Mollie. Work and win; that's my motto, you know."

"I am ready to work with you, Noddy, whether you win or not."

The persevering boy got a rope, which he made fast around the little
girl's body, and watching his time, at the intervals of the breaking
waves, he bore her to the main shrouds. She went up to the mast head
without much difficulty, though the force of the wind was so great that
Noddy had to hold on to her, to k