lanks and a tarpaulin over that hole in the deck first thing,
however. I'll go for'ard and see what can be done."

Watching his chance my companion made a sudden rush along the deck
toward the forecastle, which he gained in safety, and from which he
returned in about five minutes, followed by the carpenter and several
men, with the gratifying intelligence that, so far as he could
ascertain, only two of the crew were missing. The forecastle, however,
was reported to be nearly three feet deep in water; and the heavy sickly
heave of the ship told me but too plainly that, whilst we had already
experienced a very narrow escape, there was undoubtedly a great deal of
water in the hold, and that we were in a most critical situation.

Without waiting to sound the well, I ordered the pumps to be rigged and
manned forthwith, the carpenter, with half a dozen hands, at the same
time setting out to get the lumber and tarpaulin necessary for closing
up the yawning aperture in the deck left by the demolished sky-light.
Meanwhile another gang of men, under Woodford the master, were busy
forward trying to loose, reef, and set the foresail.

The carpenter and his gang had found what they wanted, and were busy
with their work when the helmsman gave a warning cry, and at the same
moment another sea came tumbling inboard, not so heavy as the first,
certainly, but sufficient to flood the decks to a depth of a couple of
feet; and I heard the water pouring down into the cabin like a cataract.
This happened five or six times in succession, the men being each time
driven from their work and their labour rendered of no avail. At length
another unusually heavy sea broke on board, and when the decks were once
more clear the water could be plainly heard rushing about in the hold
with the heave and roll of the ship.

"We're foundering! we're foundering! every man for himself!" was now the
cry, and the men made a rush to the two boats still hanging to the
davits. A groan of despair burst from the poor fellows as, on one of
them jumping into each to clear her away for lowering, it was found that
neither boat would swim, some of the bottom planking being driven out in
each case.

I saw now that the _Dolphin_ was a doomed ship; that awful chasm in the
deck could never be covered in and made secure in time to prevent her
foundering; I therefore rapidly cast over in my mind what would be best
to do. In a minute I had the necessary idea, which it se