any of whom were so excited by the scene, and
so overjoyed at the thought of having come up in time to save so many
human beings, that they burst into tears; while others went down on
their knees and thanked God fervently.

Seeing that the people were getting excited, and knowing that order must
be preserved, if the work that lay before them was to be done speedily
and without accident, the captain sprang into the rigging, ordered the
women and children to go below, and assured the male passengers that if
any of them showed a disposition to be obstinate or unruly they also
should be ordered below. This had the desired effect. Order was at
once restored, and the captain then called for volunteers from among the
stoutest of those on board to go into the chains, and lift the women and
children out of the boats.

The appeal was responded to by all the strong men in the ship--foremost
and, strongest among whom was our friend Bax. From among these the
captain selected the men that seemed best able for the work they
undertook to do; and this, be it understood, was no child's play.

The state of the sea rendered it extremely difficult and dangerous to
bring the boats alongside, heavily laden as they were with human beings.
To get the men on board would be difficult enough, even although they
would in most cases be able to spring, and lay hold of ropes, and
otherwise help themselves; but to get out the women and children by such
means was not to be thought of. The men of the "Trident" who had the
strongest arms and chests were therefore sent into the chains, where
they leaned forward in slings with outstretched arms, and whenever the
boats sheered up close enough they caught the women or children in their
vice-like grasp and dragged them on board.

Bax, owing to his unusual strength and breadth of shoulders, was
peculiarly fitted for this laborious duty. His long reach of arm
enabled him to stretch far beyond the others, and in several instances
he caught hold of and rescued women after his companions had failed.
Thus a much larger portion of the work fell upon him than on any of the
others.

In this sort of work Tommy Bogey was of no use whatever; and severely
did his youth and want of physical strength press upon his spirits that
night, poor boy! But Tommy's nature would not allow him to sit down and
do nothing. Feeling that he could not do manly work, he set himself
with right good-will to womanly employment. He