ives and
lowered the corner of the sail. Captain Ephraim and the seaman seized
it, and dragged it across the mouth of the huge gaping leak. As he
stooped to do it, however, the ship heaved up upon a swell, and the
captain saw in the yellow light of his lantern sinuous black cracks
which radiated away backwards from the central hole.

"How much in the well?" he asked.

"Five and a half feet."

"Then the ship is lost. I could put my finger between her planks as far
as I can see back. Keep the pumps going there! Have you the food and
water, Mr. Tomlinson?"

"Here, sir."

"Lower them over the bows. This boat cannot live more than an hour or
two. Can you see anything of the berg?"

"The fog is lifting on the starboard quarter," cried one of the men.
"Yes, there is the berg, quarter of a mile to leeward!"

The mist had thinned away suddenly, and the moon glimmered through once
more upon the great lonely sea and the stricken ship. There, like a
huge sail, was the monster piece of ice upon which they had shattered
themselves, rocking slowly to and fro with the wash of the waves.

"You must make for her," said Captain Ephraim. "There is no other
chance. Lower the gal over the bows! Well, then, her father first, if
she likes it better. Tell them to sit still, Amos, and that the Lord
will bear us up if we keep clear of foolishness. So! You're a brave
lass for all your niminy-piminy lingo. Now the keg and the barrel, and
all the wraps and cloaks you can find. Now the other man, the
Frenchman. Ay, ay, passengers first, and you have got to come.
Now, Amos! Now the seamen, and you last, friend Tomlinson."

It was well that they had not very far to go, for the boat was weighed
down almost to the edge, and it took the baling of two men to keep in
check the water which leaked in between the shattered planks. When all
were safely in their places. Captain Ephraim Savage swung himself
aboard again, which was but too easy now that every minute brought the
bows nearer to the water. He came back with a bundle of clothing which
he threw into the boat.

"Push off!" he cried.

"Jump in, then."

"Ephraim Savage goes down with his ship," said he quietly. "Friend
Tomlinson, it is not my way to give my orders more than once. Push off,
I say!"

The mate thrust her out with a boat-hook. Amos and De Catinat gave a
cry of dismay, but the stolid New Englanders settled down to their oars
and pulled off for the iceb