ually
descending into the great bosom of the ocean, John Stevens gave himself
up for lost and summoned all his fortitude to bear the approaching death
as became a brave man.

At this crisis, the water, which rushed with incredible force through
all parts of the vessel, floated out. Mr. Holmes was almost drowned,
and, had not John seized one arm which he swung wildly above his head,
he probably would have been washed overboard. The vessel did not go down
immediately as they thought it would, and Mr. Holmes, partially
recovered, joined Stevens.

"The storm is terrible," said the old man. "The ship is going down, and
I will go with it."

"Nay, nay; keep up a stout heart," urged John.

"Verily, how can I, when danger overwhelms even the captain?"

"If we must die, let us die like men, struggling for our lives," said
John.

"Remember your pledge to me. Care for her, for I will go. The ship may
be saved, but my end I feel is near."

John promised to obey his request, and then, being one whom hope never
entirely deserted, he turned upon the captain of the ship and once more
urged him to make some manly exertion to save himself and the crew.

"Throw the guns overboard as well as much of the weighty cargo," he
cried, "and set the pumps a-going."

Mr. Holmes, having sufficiently recovered to realize the wisdom of the
course pursued by Stevens, joined him in his entreaties, and they got
the captain and some of his crew to make one more effort. The water,
however, gained on the pumps, and it seemed as if they would not long be
able to keep the vessel afloat.

At ten o'clock, the wind had increased to a hurricane; the sky was so
entirely obscured with black clouds, and the rain poured in such
torrents, that objects could not be discerned from the wheel to the
ship's head. Soon the pumps were choked and could be no longer worked.
Then dismay seized on all, and nothing but unutterable despair, anguish
and horror, wrought up to frenzy, were to be seen. Not a single person
was capable of an effort to be useful; all seemed more desirous to
terminate their calamities in an embrace of death, than willing, by a
painful exertion, to avoid it.

John Stevens, though despairing, yet determined to make a manly struggle
for life, and he was staggering through the main cabin, when some one
clutched his arm. He turned about and through the gloom saw Blanche's
pale face.

"Are we going down?" she asked.

"God grant that it be not s