once more,
therefore, found their way on deck. The state of the wreck seemed
almost hopeless, but, like brave boys as they were, they still kept to
their resolution of trying to pump out the water. They fortunately
found the brake of the pump, as the handle is called, and shipping it,
began to work away with might and main. The water quickly came up in a
clear, bright stream, which told too plainly, without their sounding the
well, the large amount of water which had either leaked in or found its
way below. They had left their coats and shoes in the cabin, everything
that would encumber them, in case they should be washed from their hold.
The waves rose up around them, the spray in dense showers dashing every
instant over their heads, and almost blinding them when it struck them
in the face. Still undaunted they stood at their post.

"This must tell," exclaimed David, as he watched the full stream flowing
from the pump. "If we get the ship clear, all may yet be well."

"It may be coming in faster than we are pumping it out," said Harry.
"Still it may keep us afloat till help comes."

"I am afraid that there is not much prospect of that," said David.
"Though, to be sure, we cannot be so very far from land, or those
screeching seagulls would not be hovering about us."

"They have powerful wings, and can fly a long way from land," observed
Harry. "Those come probably from the west coast of Ireland."

These remarks were made at intervals and by jerks, as it were, while
they stopped pumping for an instant to change their position. They were
encouraged to persevere, first, by believing that their efforts were
producing some effect on the amount of water in the ship, and then, by
observing that the sea was again going down. During one of these
intervals, when the wreck had been thrown higher up than usual, Harry
exclaimed, "A sail! a sail! she is standing this way."

The glimpse was momentary, and before David could catch sight of the
stranger the ship had again sunk into the trough of the sea. In vain
David looked out for the ship. Still Harry asserted that he was not
mistaken. After pumping for some time they were compelled to knock off
from fatigue. For fear of being washed away they lashed themselves to
the stump of the nearest mast, and thus secured they lay down on the wet
deck to rest. Again they rose bravely to their work, but each tune they
had to stop pumping they rested for a longer period, and c