," as he
ordered a couple of men aft to help them. "Keep her to it, my lads,
you'll be relieved in a jiffy. Hold on for the life of you, my lads;
hold on!"

Their strength, however, was unequal to the struggle.

Another sea struck the rudder again almost in the same place, and David
and Jonathan were floored in an instant.

Round span the wheel with mad velocity, now uncontrolled, jamming poor
Davy's leg between the rudder beam and the wheel post, while Johnny lay
sprawling on the deck, holding on like grim death to a stray end of the
mizzen-halliard that had been cast loose from the cleats. Another turn
of the spokes of the wheel, as the rudder was banged to and fro by the
billows, and Davy's leg was released, although sadly crushed, and he was
flung against the binnacle; and then a gigantic wave pooped the ship,
coming in over the stern, and before the captain, or Johnny, or the men
who were hurrying aft as rapidly as the motion of the ship would allow
them, could stretch out a hand to save him, poor Davy was swept over the
side to leeward, grasping tightly with the energy of despair, as he was
carried away, a portion of the roof of the wheelhouse, which had been
broken off by the same wave which washed him overboard, as well as part
of the bulwarks.

"Oh, Dave, Dave!" exclaimed Johnny Liston, holding on to the
mizzen-halliards still, and scrambling to his feet after the water
flowed over him and the ship righted again, as he saw David torn away by
the remorseless waters, and floating astern on the top of a great
mountainous billow, his hands upheld as if imploring help.

"Oh, Dave, Dave!" exclaimed Johnny Liston, apparently panic-stricken for
an instant, adding, as he turned half round towards the captain, "Why,
his leg is broken, and he can't swim!"

And then, without another moment's hesitation, or a single reflection of
the hopelessness of his task, or that he was endangering his own life as
well, the brave boy, grasping hold of one of the life-buoys that hung
close to the taffrail where he was supporting himself, as he watched the
wave bearing Dave away, plunged into the sea to his comrade's rescue.

"Hold on, Dave, I'm coming!" he shouted out at the pitch of his voice,
to encourage the sinking David.

And the next minute, ere any one could prevent him, he was over the
ship's side, battling with the powers of the deep.

STORY THREE, CHAPTER TWO.

STORY THREE, CHAPTER TWOCHAPTER TWO.

A VA