ought the vessel to under her fore-topsail. True Blue had not
long left the deck when a tremendous sea, like a huge black hill, was
observed rolling up on the weather bow.

"Hold on, lads--hold on!" shouted Tom Marline.

Harry, who was at the helm, in an instant passed a rope round his waist
and stood at his post, hoping to luff the vessel up so as to receive the
blow on her bows; but the roaring sea came on too rapidly--down it broke
on board the vessel, driving against the foresail like a battering-ram.
Over it passed, and the schooner in an instant lay on her beam-ends, the
water rushing in at each hatchway. The boats, guns, caboose, hencoops--
all the things, in short, on deck were swept away, with a great part of
her bulwarks.

Tom and the rest secured themselves under the weather bulwarks. They
had not been there many seconds before they recollected their companions
below. While Harry tried to reach the after cabin, Tom did his best to
get to the men in the forepeak. Letting go his hold, he was working his
way forward, when another sea struck the vessel.

"Oh, Tom is gone!" cried Fid.

No one could help him. Away the relentless sea washed him; but, just as
he was being hurled to destruction, he grasped the fore-rigging hanging
overboard, and hauled himself again on deck. Tim and the Dane dragged
him up to the weather side, where they were joined by Harry, who
reported that the cabin was full of water; and he added, "Oh, mates, it
will break my heart--the boatswain and True Blue must both be drowned!"

"Ay, and we shall be drowned too!" cried the Dane, who had been for some
time complaining of pain. "Our officers are gone, and we may as well go
too. There is no use living on in misery longer than can be helped.
Good-bye, mates!"

"Avast there, mate!" exclaimed Tom; "be a man. Don't give in till the
last! Let us hope as long as there is life. The day will come back,
and the sun will shine out, and a vessel may heave in sight!"

"No, no! I can't stand it!" cried the poor unhappy Dane. "I have no
hope--none! Good-bye!"

On this, before Tom could prevent him, he cast off the lashings by which
he was secured to the bulwarks, and, sliding down into the water, a
roaring sea, as if exulting in its prize, carried him far away out of
their sight.

"Oh, mates, this is very sad!" exclaimed Tom to his two younger
companions.

"True, true," said Harry. "Don't you think, now, we could do something
to