end of
the rope. Directly afterwards we heard Tanda utter an exclamation of
dismay.

"It is gone!" cried Mr Sedgwick. "The end is gone!"

"Then I'll have it!" exclaimed Roger, plunging into the water as the end
of the rope glided by at a little distance.

So quick was he that he caught it; and though he was carried to another
point of the rock, a few yards from where we were standing, he was able
once more to climb up and regain a safe position. With the quickness of
a practised seaman he carried it up to a point, where he made the end
fast in such a way that it was not likely again to slip.

We now all stood anxiously watching to see what would next occur. We
could do no more, unless we found the end of our rope slackening, as a
sign that another had been fastened to it. We should then haul away on
it. The minutes seemed hours as we stood on the shore anxiously looking
out towards the brig. Bits of timber came floating on shore; now a
piece of a broken spar; now parts of the bulwarks. We were afraid that
ere long the brig would begin to break up. Meantime Frau Ursula had
been urging the girls to go back to the house; but they were too deeply
interested in what was taking place to listen to her entreaties. They
thought not of the pelting rain; they thought not of the driving spray
or furious wind. Their hearts were with our friends on board--with Mr
Hooker, kind Mr Thudicumb, honest Dick Tarbox, and the faithful Potto
Jumbo. Presently we saw a round object floating towards us.

"It is a man's head!" cried Oliver. "Let me go this time."

"No, no," I answered; "I am not at all tired from my other swim, and I
will try and help him."

I was getting ready to plunge in, in spite of Oliver's entreaties, when,
on looking again, a flash of lightning at the moment lighting up the top
of the wave, we saw the head of Merlin as he bravely swam towards us.
We rushed into the water to help him, lest the send of the sea might
have driven him against the rock before he had gained a footing.
Instead of shaking himself, as a dog generally does, as soon as he was
clear of the water, he stood perfectly still. We then saw that he had
got a bottle round his neck.

"A letter from Hooker; I am sure of it!" said Mr Sedgwick. "It will
give us important information. We cannot read it here, however. Come,
young ladies, I must take you up to the house, and comfort the Frau's
heart. She is afraid you will catch ague or feve