which we could pull and remain without risk by
securing the boat with a grapnel.

Carrying the line and the cradle, we made our way over the rock until we
got abreast of where the vessel lay. The distance was considerable, and
the water whirled and surged round and round in a way which would make
swimming difficult; still I had often swum much further.

"Let me carry a line," I said to papa. "I think I can do it, if no one
on board will undertake to swim to the rock."

We shouted to the people, who, strange to say, did not hear us; nor had
they seen us come over the rock, for they had all been looking seaward.
Two or three of the men at length appeared on the side nearest us; but
when we called on them to swim on shore, they shook their heads,
evidently not liking to make the attempt. The tide was now flowing
fast, and their position was every instant becoming more perilous. It,
however, made the passage less dangerous, as even in a few minutes the
water became smoother than it had hitherto been.

The people on board threw an oar, with a line fastened to it, into the
water; but it was carried sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other,
and did not approach the rock.

"I am sure I can do it, papa," I said, at length. "Just fasten a line
round me, and I shall be able to get hold of that oar. You can soon
haul me back."

Papa no longer refused my request, and having stripped, and fastened a
rope round my waist, I plunged in, and struggled hard to make way
through the hissing water. Sometimes I found myself carried onwards
towards the stern of the vessel, but another sea brought me back again;
and in a few minutes, greatly to my satisfaction, I clutched hold of the
oar, when, securing the end of the rope which held me round it, I sung
out to papa and the men to haul away. In a short time I was brought
back close to the rock. My chief danger was in landing, as the sea at
times beat violently against it; but papa, quickly seizing me, hauled me
up.

"You have acted bravely, Harry," he said. "Now put on your clothes, and
we shall soon have a communication with the vessel."

While I was dressing, the rope with the cradle was hauled up to the side
of the vessel, and secured to a stanchion; when the crew, getting up a
stouter warp, shouted out to us to haul it in, they having secured the
cradle to it. We thus had a safe communication established with the
wreck, and a stout line to draw the cradle backwards a