ut a word.

"We seem far from land yet, Master Trench; why such haste?" asked Paul.

"Look over the stern," was the skipper's curt reply.

Paul and Oliver both did so, and saw that another squall was bearing
down on them.

"Is it Newfoundland?" asked Paul.

"Ay, and an ugly coast to make in a squall. Hallo! there--if ye would
not be food for fishes lay aloft and take in all sail!"

The skipper, as his wont was, gave the order in a stern tone of command,
and resigned the tiller to Grummidge, who came aft at the moment. The
men saw with surprise that a heavy squall was bearing down on them from
the eastward. Mutiny flew, as it were, out at the hawseholes, while
discipline re-entered by the cabin windows. Even Big Swinton was cowed
for the moment. It may be that the peculiar way in which Paul Burns
eyed him and toyed with the handspike had some effect on him. Possibly
he was keenly alive to the danger which threatened them. At all events,
he went to work like the rest!

And there was occasion for haste. Before the sails were properly
secured, the squall struck them; the foremast was snapped off close to
the deck; for a time the ship became unmanageable and drifted rapidly
towards the land.

"Is that a small island that I see on the weather bow, Olly?" said the
skipper to his son. "Look, your eyes are better than mine."

"Yes, father. It looks like a small one."

"Steer for that, Grummidge. We'll take shelter in its lee."

The sails were braced, and the direction of the vessel was changed,
while the wreck of the foremast was being cleared away; but, just as
they were drawing near to the island, the wind chopped round, and the
hoped-for shelter they were approaching became suddenly a lee shore.

"Nothing can save us now," muttered Grummidge, "the _Water Wagtail_ is
going to her doom."

"You're right, my man. Before another hour goes by, she will have
wagged her tail for the last time," said Master Trench, somewhat
bitterly.

They were both right. In less than an hour after that the ship was
hurled upon the outlying rocks of a low island. Shaken and strained as
she had been during her disastrous voyage, it took but a short time to
break her up, but the bow had been thrust high between two rocks and
remained fast.

Circumstances do not change character, but they often bring it to the
front. Heroes and poltroons may remain unknown until a sudden incident
or change of condition reveals them. As