a look from
Stephen. Suddenly a puff of wind from behind rippled the water round them
and then died away again. "Row, lads," the mate exclaimed, "I can see the
ship now, she is not half a mile away; five minutes will do it."

The men strained at the oars and the boat sprang forward at every stroke.
They could hear the moaning sound growing louder and louder.

"The captain has got her head off shore," the mate said; "he has been
towing her round. They have just hoisted the boat up. He has got the
little storm-jib on her. Now, lads, another four or five hundred yards and
we shall be alongside."

It was a race with the storm, but the odds were too great. They were but a
hundred yards from the ship when the roar rose into a wild scream, and a
line of white water sprang towards them with fearful velocity.

"In oars, men!" the mate shouted. "Throw yourselves flat in the bottom of
the boat,--quick!"

The order was executed almost as soon as given. The mate, too, slipped off
his seat on to the floor-board, while still retaining hold of the tiller.
The next moment the storm struck them. It was well that the boat was still
flying through the water with the way full on her; had she been lying
motionless she would probably have sunk like a stone under the force of
the blow. As it was she leapt forward like a horse under a spur. They
passed but half a length or so from the ship. The latter had not yet
gathered way, but lay pressed down until her bow was well-nigh level with
the water. As the mate looked up he saw the captain holding on by the
shrouds. Each waved a hand and then the boat flew on, and in a minute the
ship was out of sight. The mate shouted in the ear of the sailor who rowed
the stroke-oar and who was lying next to him:

"Crawl forward and try and fix the floor-board there, so as to show a few
inches above the bow to act as a head-sail. If she broaches to, it is all
up with us. As you go along tell each man to shift himself a bit more aft.
Her stern must be well down or I can never keep her straight. If you can't
fix the floor-board, get up the mast; tie up the foresail in a roll, and
then hoist it, that will give hold enough to the wind."

The man nodded and made his way forward; he endeavoured to carry out the
first part of his orders, but the moment he raised the floor-board above
the level of the gunwale it was wrenched from his hands and blown ahead.
With the aid of two other men he managed to step the mast.