ughed away as usual.

"It's no laughing matter, youngster," said old Growl, as he passed me.
"You will be laughing the wrong side of your mouth before long."

"Never fear, mate," I replied; "both sides are the same to me."

The captain and mate at last took their turns with the rest of us, for
the crew were getting worn out. I did not know the danger we were in,
but I was beginning to get tired of that dreadful "clank, clank, clank."

At last, by dint of keeping at it, we had got a good way to the
southward, when one night, just as we had gone about hoping to lay our
course for the Thames, the wind shifted and came again right in our
teeth. I had turned into my wet bunk all standing, when, having dropped
off to sleep, I was awoke by a tremendous crash, and on springing up on
deck I found that the mainmast had gone by the board. The gale had
increased, and we were driving before it. As I made my way aft, the
flashes of lightning revealed the pale faces of the crew, some
endeavouring to clear away the wreck of the mast, others working with
frantic energy at the pumps. The leaks had increased. As may be
supposed, the deeply-laden collier had but a poor chance under such
circumstances. Presently the vessel gave a heavy lurch. A sea rolled
up. The next instant I found myself struggling in the midst of the
foaming surges. All around was dark; I felt for the deck of the vessel,
it was not beneath me; I had been washed overboard. I struck out for
life, and in another minute I was clinging to the mainmast, which had
been cut clear. I clambered up on it, and looked out for the brig. She
was nowhere to be seen; she must have gone down beneath the surge which
washed me from her deck. What had become of my shipmates? I shouted
again and again at the top of my voice. There was a faint cry, "Help
me; help me." I knew the voice; it was Clement's. Leaving the mast, I
swam towards him; he was lashed to a spar. The old captain's last act
had been to try and save the young boy's life ere he himself sank
beneath the waves. I caught hold of the spar, bidding Clement keep his
head above the water while I towed it to the mast. I succeeded, and
then clambering on it, and casting off the lashings, dragged him up and
placed him beside me. We hailed again and again, but no voice replied.
It may seem strange that we, the two youngest on board, should have
survived, while all the men were drowned, but then, not one of them
c