ny may
since have died," was the answer, given in a hollow tone scarcely
audible.

"Then we'll take four at a time to the brig, and we shall have to make
three trips," answered Peter. "We must not venture with more, though as
to weight the boat would carry the whole of you. Now, my lad," he
continued, addressing the mate, for so the man who had spoken proved to
be, "just do you come with us this trip. I'll lend you a hand into the
boat."

"No, no!" answered the fine fellow; "take some of the others who are
worse off than I am. There were a couple of women. They will be found
aft under the companion-hatch."

As no persuasion would make the mate alter his determination, Peter
hurried aft, and diving under the hatch, returned with what looked like
a long bundle of clothes in his arms. "Gently, now," he sung out; "she
has life in her, but very little of it."

The clothes enveloped a female form, but so emaciated that she seemed to
be of no weight whatever. Before placing her in the boat, Peter poured
a few drops of liquid down her throat from a flask the captain had given
him.

"There's no use to bring the other poor thing; her sufferings are over,"
he observed, as he lifted in another man. "And now, my lads, we'll put
these on board."

We soon dropped down to the brig, and with less difficulty got the poor
wretches up the side. The captain proposed sending the two other hands
instead of Blair and me, but we begged that we might be allowed to
return to the wreck.

Once more we pulled away from the brig, the boat, it must be remembered,
tumbling and tossing about, now sunk in the trough of the sea, now
rising to the top of a foam-crested wave; the sky overhead threatening
and cloudy; a dense mist driving in our faces; and darkness rapidly
coming on. We had the lives of fellow-creatures to save, and we
persevered. Again the undaunted Peter sprung on board the wreck.

"Take care of that man!" exclaimed the mate, as an extraordinary-looking
figure, in a long dressing-gown, with strips of canvas fastened about
his head, ran up from behind the woman; "he is not altogether right in
his mind, I fear."

"Avaunt, ye pirates! ye plunderers! ye marauders!" shrieked out the
person spoken of. "How dare ye venture on board my noble ship? Away
with ye! away! away!" and flourishing a piece of timber which he had
wrenched, it seemed, from the side of the ship, he advanced towards
Peter.

My shipmate would have bee