e unadvisable to
beat to windward for that. "I have no faith in our chronometers, sir,
and it is important to make the island before dark; fogs rise here so
suddenly."

"Very well, Mr. Bolt; then I suppose we must let the raft go."

"MAN ON THE RAFT TO WINDWARD!" hailed the signalman.

This electrified the ship. The captain ran up the mizzen rigging, and
scanned the raft, now nearly abeam.

"It IS a man!" he cried, and was about to alter the ship's course when,
at that moment, the signalman hailed again,--

"IT IS A CORPSE."

"How d'ye know?"

"By the gulls."

Then succeeded an exciting dialogue between the captain and the master,
who, being in his department, was very firm; and went so far as to say
he would not answer for the safety of the ship, if they did not sight
the land before dark.

The captain said, "Very well," and took a turn or two. But at last he
said, "No. Her Majesty's ship must not pass a raft with a man on it,
dead or alive."

He then began to give the necessary orders; but before they were all out
of his mouth, a fatal interruption occurred.

Tadcaster ran into Dr. Staines's cabin, crying, "A raft with a corpse
close by!"

Staines sprang to the quarter port to see, and craning eagerly out, the
lower port chain, which had not been well secured, slipped, the port
gave way, and as his whole weight rested on it, canted him headlong into
the sea.

A smart seaman in the forechains saw the accident, and instantly roared
out, "MAN OVERBOARD!" a cry that sends a thrill through a ship's very
ribs.

Another smart fellow cut the life-buoy adrift so quickly that it struck
the water within ten yards of Staines.

The officer of the watch, without the interval of half a moment, gave
the right orders, in the voice of a stentor;

"Let go life-buoy.

"Life-boat's crew away.

"Hands shorten sail.

"Mainsel up.

"Main topsel to mast."

These orders were executed with admirable swiftness. Meantime there was
a mighty rush of feet throughout the frigate, every hatchway was crammed
with men eager to force their way on deck.

In five seconds the middy of the watch and half her crew were in the lee
cutter, fitted with Clifford's apparatus.

"Lower away!" cried the excited officer; "the others will come down by
the pendants."

The man stationed, sitting on the bottom boards, eased away roundly,
when suddenly there was a hitch--the boat would go no farther.

"Lower away there in the cutter! Wh