to their feet. Instinctively they knew that they had
been run down, and simultaneously they uttered shouts of "Help, help!"
Ropes were hove to them by the look-out men on the stranger's
forecastle. Tom put one into the hands of Billy, who was too much
alarmed to know what to do, while he himself grasped another. Pat had
caught hold of the dolphin striker, and was making his way up to the
bowsprit. Jerry grasped another rope, and all three swarmed up until
they met friendly hands to assist them. Tom supposed that Desmond and
Tim were following, but, as he looked back, what was his dismay to see
the boat drifting away. The crash he had heard convinced him that her
side must have been stove in, and that she must sink almost immediately.

"There are two men clinging to the craft you ran down, sir. In mercy's
sake, lower a boat and pick them up," he shouted out.

"Aye, aye," was the answer.

And he thankfully heard the order given to shorten sail and bring the
ship to the wind. Rushing aft, he found a party of men preparing to
lower a boat. He begged to go in her. Before she was in the water
Jerry joined him, and, together with three other hands, they shoved off.
He then saw that she was a whaleboat. One of the men, an officer he
concluded, took the steering oar.

"Desmond! Tim!" he shouted out.

No answer came. The boat must have gone down, but they could both swim
well.

"Do you know the bearings?" he asked of the mate.

"Aye, aye! I guess I do," was the answer. "We will give them another
hail presently."

The boat pulled on. Then Tom, standing up again, halloed, the rest of
the party joining him. An answer came from right ahead. Tom recognised
Desmond's voice. With renewed zeal they pulled on and looked around.
Tom could distinguish the boat through the gloom, just above the water.

"Bear a hand," shouted Desmond again, and they were up to the boat.

She had gone almost over, her side being only above water. Desmond was
clinging to it.

"Here, take him off first," he said; and the crew of the whaleboat
lifted Tim on board. Desmond sprang after him. Scarcely had they got
clear of the wreck of the boat than she went down.

"Thank Heaven, you are safe," exclaimed Tom, as he rung Desmond's hand,
as if they had been long parted. "Did you not hear our first hail?"

"No; I suppose it was when I was dragging poor Tim up. He got a blow on
the head, I think, and was very nearly slipping off.