andled might live in the water now. By Captain
Vincent's direction the men were sent to their stations on the spar, or
upper deck. The boat's crew was chosen by selecting every fifteenth
man in the long lines, the division officers doing the counting. The
boat was launched without tackles, by main strength, sliding on rollers
over the side through the broken bulwarks. Katharine, listless and
indifferent, still attended by Chloe, was put aboard. Captain Vincent
looked about among his officers; whom should he put in charge? They
all looked deprecatingly and entreatingly at him. None desired to go;
no one wished to be singled out to abandon the ship and his brother
officers. His glance fell on Desborough.

"The duty is yours; you are the first officer of the ship."

"Oh, Captain Vincent, do not send me, I beg you. My place surely is on
the ship with you. Cannot some one else--"

"No, you must go. My last command to you, my lord," he said, smiling
faintly and extending his hand. Desborough, seeing the futility of
further appeal, grasped it warmly in both his own, bowed to the other
officers, and with a wave of his hand stepped on the rail and sprang
into the tossing boat alongside.

"Are there any others to go?" he said.

The captain's eye fell upon the figure of the colonel standing among
the officers.

"You are to go, sir. Nay, I will hear of no objections. You are my
prisoner, and I am bound to see you delivered safely. Go, colonel. I
mean it; I will have you put aboard by a file of marines if you do not
go at once."

Katharine awoke from her apathy and stretched out her hands with a
piteous cry,--

"Father, father, oh, I cannot lose you too."

"Prisoner or no prisoner, sir," said the colonel, "let me say that I am
proud of my connection with you and your officers and your men. If I
live to reach the shore, the world shall hear of this noble ending.
Good-by, captain; good-by, gentlemen. I would fain stay with you."

"No, no!" was the cry from this band of heroes; and then Hollins sprang
forward and shouted,--

"Lads! Three cheers for the colonel and for our shipmates in the
launch! Let them tell at home that we were glad to stay by the old
ship."

The hearty cheers came with a roar from five hundred throats.

"Good-by, good-by; God bless you!" cried the colonel, choking and
utterly overcome, as he got into the boat, and sank down in the stern
sheets beside his daughter.

"Colonel, w