oo late. A sea seized the yawl
with its small crew, and the next moment crushed it against the main
chains of the bark. Their shipmates raised a cry, and rushed to help
them; but help was impossible. Boat and crew had disappeared.

"Didn't I say so?" cried Toennes, with flaming eyes.

Over there in the schooner-brig all was activity. From the Anna
Dorothea they could plainly see how the captain gave his orders. He
manoeuvred his vessel like a true sailor. To board the wreck in such a
sea would be madness. Therefore they unreeved two long lines and
attached them to the long-boat, one on each side. Then they laid
breeching under the boat, and hauled it up amidships by means of
tackle. Taking advantage of a moment when their vessel was athwart the
seas, they unloosed the tackle, and the boat swung out over the side;
then they cut the breeching, the boat fell on the water aft, and now
both lines were eased off quickly; while the brig caught the wind, the
boat drifted toward the stern-sheets of the bark.

Toennes was ready with a boat-hook, and connections were quickly made
between the boat and the wreck.

"Quick now!" cried Toennes. "Every man in the boat. No one takes his
clothes with him! We may be thankful if we save our lives."

The men were quickly over the stern-sheets and down in the boat.
Prussian whined, and kept close to Captain Spang, who had not moved
one step on the deck.

"Come, captain!" cried Toennes, taking the skipper by the arm.

"What's the matter?" asked the old man angrily.

Toennes looked at him. Prussian barked.

"We must get into the boat, captain. The vessel may sink at any
moment. Come!"

The captain pressed his sou'wester down over his forehead, and glanced
around his deck.

The men in the boat cried out to them to come.

"Well!" said Captain Spang, but with an air so absent-minded and a
bearing so irresolute that Toennes at last took a firm hold on him.

Prussian showed his teeth at his former master.

"You go first!" exclaimed Toennes, snatching the dog and throwing him
down to the men, who were having hard work to keep the boat from
wrecking.

When the dog was no longer on the deck, it seemed as if Captain
Spang's resistance was broken. Toennes did not let go his hold on him;
but the young mate had to use almost superhuman strength to get the
heavy old man down over the vessel's side and placed on a seat in the
boat.

As soon as they had observed from the brig that this ha