own, overcome by their
exertions. The fourth man was yet some distance off, and as another sea
came rolling up, he was lifted off his feet. He shrieked wildly for
help, but had he been even a good swimmer no strength of arm could have
saved him.

In an instant the foaming waters closed over his head, and although Owen
stood ready to plunge in and attempt to save him, he could nowhere be
seen. His was probably the fate of the rest. Three or four other
figures were seen for an instant making their way towards the fire; then
they suddenly disappeared. Owen waited a short time, but no one else
came.

"Stay by the fire, Nat," he said; "we must now look after the boat."

He hurriedly told the mate that the boat had been washed on shore, and
begged him and the two other men to assist in securing her, as he was
afraid every instant that she would be lost. Although scarcely yet
recovered from his debauch, the mate was sufficiently alive to the
importance of this object not to hesitate. Leaving Nat to watch the
beacon-fire, the whole party set off to where the boat had been left.
They found her in even a worse condition than she had been before. The
sea was beating against her with great force, and would in a few minutes
have rendered her a complete wreck.

Owen, who had thoughtfully brought the lid of the kettle with him,
jumped in and baled her out, while the rest, uniting their strength, got
her head round, and by great exertions Mike and Bill, putting their
shoulders under her, managed to drag her up early to the highest part of
the bank.

"If the sea does her any harm here, it won't much matter, for we shall
all be swept away at the same time," observed the mate.

As they were returning to the tent, a crash was heard; the flagstaff had
gone. It was useless attempting to put it up that night, and they
returned to the tent, where the mate, throwing himself down, declared
that he was too much fatigued to work any more.

Owen, still hoping that more men might be saved, joined Nat to watch at
the beacon-fire. Should any one be seen they would be ready to give
them help. But after watching for some time in vain, they returned
together to the tent with hearts saddened at the thought that so many of
their shipmates had lost their lives mainly through their own folly.
The condition of the survivors was still perilous in the extreme. The
sea, as far as they could judge, was still rising, and might at any
moment ov