kimmed
over the white tops of the waves. The mizen of the vessel was still
hoisted up, but the sheet had disengaged itself from the belaying-pin,
and the sail had been rent from the bolt-rope by the storm. Part of it
was blown away, and the rest, jagged and tattered at its extremities,
from constant buffeting, flapped "mournfully to and fro" with the heavy
rolling of the vessel.

Willy, holding only the companion-hatch, scanned the horizon in every
point of the compass, in hopes of succour, but for a long while in vain.
At last his keen eye detected a small vessel, under a single
close-reefed sail, now rising on the tops of the waves, now disappearing
in the deep trough of the sea. She was sloop-rigged, and running down
towards him.

In a quarter of an hour she had neared to within a mile, and Willy
perceived, with delight, that the people were on deck, and occasionally
pointing towards him. He ran down below, and opening the chest of Mr
Bullock, which was not locked, took a liberty which he would never have
dared to contemplate during that worthy officer's lifetime, viz., that
of putting forth one of his two best white shirts, reserved for special
occasions. This he took on deck, made it fast to a boat-hook staff, and
hoisted as a signal of distress. He did also mechanically lift his hand
to his head with the intention of waving his hat, but he was reminded,
by not finding it there, that it had been the first votive offering
which had been made to appease the implacable deities presiding over the
winds and waves. The vessel closed with him, hove-to to windward, and,
after some demur, a small boat, capable of holding three persons, was
hoisted over the gunnel, and two hands, jumping into her, rowed under
the stern of the wreck.

"You must jump, my lad--there's no going alongside a craft, without any
sail to steady her, in such a sea as this. Don't be afraid. We'll pick
you up."

Willy, who had little fear in his composition, although he could not
swim, leaped from the taffrail of the vessel into the boiling surge, and
immediately that he rose to the surface was rescued by the men, who,
seizing him by the waistband of the trousers, hauled him into the boat,
and threw him down in the bottom under the thwarts. Then, without
speaking, they resumed their oars, and pulled to the other vessel, on
board of which they succeeded in establishing our hero and themselves,
although the boat was stove in the attempt, an