the hardest row I ever had a hand in. It went pretty well to
begin with; we had the current with us, and got quickly out from land;
but presently the wind rose, the current slackened, and wave after wave
broke over us. After incredible toil we had at last only a short way
to go. I cheered up the good fellows as best I could, reminding them
of the smoking hot tea that awaited them after a few more tough pulls,
and picturing all the good things in store for them. We really were
all pretty well done up now, but we still took a good grip of the
oars, soaking wet as we were from the sea constantly breaking over
us, for of course none of us had thought of such things as oilskins
in yesterday's beautiful weather. But we soon saw that with all our
pulling and toiling the boat was making no headway whatever. Apart from
the wind and the sea we had the current dead against us here; all our
exertions were of no avail. We pulled till our finger-tips felt as if
they were bursting; but the most we could manage was to keep the boat
where it was; if we slackened an instant it drifted back. I tried to
encourage my comrades: "Now we made a little way! It was just strength
that was needed!" But all to no purpose. The wind whistled round our
ears, and the spray dashed over us. It was maddening to be so near
the ship that it seemed as if we could almost reach out to her, and
yet feel that it was impossible to get on any farther. We had to go in
under the land again, where we had the current with us, and here we did
succeed in making a little progress. We rowed hard till we were about
abreast of the ship; then we once more tried to sheer across to her,
but no sooner did we get into the current again than it mercilessly
drove us back. Beaten again! And again we tried the same manoeuvre with
the same result. Now we saw them lowering a buoy from the ship--if we
could only reach it we were saved; but we did not reach it. They were
not exactly blessings that we poured on those on board. Why the deuce
could they not bear down to us when they saw the straits we were in;
or why, at any rate, could they not ease up the anchor, and let the
ship drift a little in our direction? They saw how little was needed
to enable us to reach them. Perhaps they had their reasons.

We would make our last desperate attempt. We went at it with a
will. Every muscle was strained to the utmost--it was only the buoy
we had to reach this time. But to our rage we now saw the