p away our boat. This, even as I
stood, was lifted, and would have been washed away but for the restraint
of the rope by which I had secured her. I could see plainly, however,
that the rope would not bear the strain much longer than a few minutes,
or perhaps even seconds, and that if we should lose the boat our doom
would be sealed. I therefore rushed back to the drawing-room, called
the little party together, bade them take as much as they could carry,
and, watching their chance, make a dash for the boat. I set the example
by gathering in my arms as many tins and bottles as my hands and arms
would hold, rushed out on deck, just missed being washed overboard, and
hurriedly tumbled my load into the cockpit anyhow. Then I suddenly
remembered that as yet there was no water in the boat, and I dashed aft
to where I had left the water breakers which I had filled with rain
water, passing the other members of the party on my way.

"Do not attempt to return for another load," I shouted to them as I
passed; "get into the boat and stow yourselves under her deck; your
weight will be more useful there than anywhere else. I will attend to
the rest." Seizing one of the breakers, I proceeded to roll it quickly
along the deck until, after a hazardous and adventurous journey, I
arrived at the boat, into which, with Julius's assistance, I lifted it.
We both got into the cockpit to stow the breaker securely--the women
having already entered and stowed themselves away--when, just as matters
were satisfactorily arranged and I was in the very act of leaving the
boat to secure another armful of provisions, a tremendous sea struck the
wreck, heeling her over until her starboard waterway was buried. The
breaking sea swept the deck like a cataract, lifting the boat clean off
it, just as I sprang back into the cockpit; there was a little jerk and
a twang as the rope parted, and in an instant we were afloat and driving
rapidly away to leeward across the lagoon.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

WE ARE COMPELLED TO LEAVE THE REEF.

For perhaps half a dozen seconds I stood there motionless in the cockpit
of the dancing boat, paralysed with dismay. There we were, six people,
adrift in a contraption of a craft that I could not even be sure was
water-tight, and about the behaviour of which I was absolutely ignorant.
We were without mast or sail, and had only a small quantity of
provisions and about fourteen gallons of water, to furnish us with food
an