go
down.

Time passed on. The water did not further increase; but they felt
almost suffocated, and, indeed, the only air they breathed found its way
through the seams in the deck above their heads. There they hung, in
total darkness: the roar and rush of waters above their heads; the air
so close and oppressive that they could scarcely draw breath or find
strength to hold themselves in the only position in which they could
prolong their lives, while they had the saddest apprehensions for the
fate of their companions, as they could scarcely hope, even should they
succeed in regaining the deck, that they would find any of them alive.

Hour after hour passed away, when suddenly the vessel righted with a
violent jerk, which sent them out of their berths into the centre cabin,
where they found themselves swimming and floundering about, sometimes
with their heads under water, sometimes above it, among boxes, and
bales, and furniture, and articles of all sorts.

They were now fully aroused. True Blue exerted himself to help Paul,
who, wounded as he had been, and now sore and bruised, was less able
than usual to endure the hardships he was undergoing.

They were still in total darkness, and had to speak to let each other
know where they were. True Blue had worked his way close to the
companion hatch, and thought that Paul was following. He spoke, but
there was no answer. His heart sank within him. He swam and waded
back, feeling about in every direction with frantic eagerness.

"Paul Pringle--godfather--where are you?" he shouted.

Suddenly he felt an arm; it was Paul's. He lifted him up, and, with a
strength few could have exerted, dragged him under the companion hatch.
The ladder had been unshipped; but True Blue having righted it, dragged
Paul up a few steps, where, in a short time recovering his breath, and
Paul regaining his consciousness, they together made an effort to reach
the deck.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

When True Blue went below to tell Paul how bad the weather had become,
he left the schooner hove to under her foresail, which, being stretched
out completely in the body of the vessel, is the best adapted for that
object under all circumstances but two--one, is, that being low down, it
is apt to get becalmed when the waves run high; the other is, that
should a heavy sea strike the vessel, it is likely to hold a dangerous
quantity of water. The foreyard had been sprung, or True Blue would
have br