m was told off to do nothing
but watch them and keep them safe. For already the men had planned, if
the slightest chance offered, to try and get the masts out while she
lay on her beam-ends.

The breakers? Well, they knew they were only of small extent. There
was a pinnacle of rock and a single sea might possibly carry them over
it; but the peril of being washed off was none the less. Now they
could see the huge rise of the combing sea with its frowning black top
rushing at the shoal, and smashing into an avalanche of snowy foam.
They could hear the dull roar of the sea, and its mighty thunder, as
it curled over and fell furiously upon itself, for want of other
prey.

"Good-bye, Jim," whispered the skipper. "The children is all right
either way, but one of us may come through. Tell 'em home it was all
right if I goes."

Almost as he stopped speaking, the rising swell caught the craft, and
threw her once more on her beam-ends. As for a moment she lay on her
side, the men attempted to free the masts, but could do nothing, for
the boat almost immediately again fell over, bottom up. But a second
comber, lifting her with redoubled violence, threw them all clear of
the boat, turned her momentarily right way up, and then breaking into
the masts and sails, tipped her for the third time upside down,
flinging her at the same instant in mad fury clear of the angry water.
So violent had been the blow which had thrown them clear, that they
must inevitably all have perished, had not the last effort of the
breakers actually hurled the boat again almost on the top of them.
Clutching as at a straw, the two men caught the loops of the rope
which they had wound round their craft, but they could see nothing of
the other three. Suddenly, from almost directly under the boat, Tom's
head appeared within reach. Grabbing him, they tried to drag him up on
to the keel. Rolling in the wake of the breakers which still followed
them with vicious pertinacity, they twice lost their hold of the boy,
their now numbed limbs scarcely giving them strength to grasp
anything. It seemed of little account at the time either way. But
their third attempt was successful, and they got the lad once more on
to the bottom of the boat.

Of the children they saw no more. Only when Tom had revived somewhat
could he explain that the capsizing boat had caught them all three
under it as in a trap, that he had succeeded, still clinging to
Willie, to get him from under