nd at this moment, and the sail shook
violently in the blast. Then it filled again, and drove her directly
into the path of the steamer, which was now close aboard of her.

"Stop her! Stop her!" shouted several persons, in French and German.

The captain gave the order to stop the engine; but it was doubtful
whether it was given in season to save the unfortunate couple in the
boat. Paul and Shuffles rushed to the bow of the steamer, and the
latter climbed upon the rail just as the mast of the boat swayed over
against the stem. He seized it, and nimbly slid down into the craft. As
the steamer was running nearly against the wind, her headway was easily
checked by a turn or two of the wheels backward; though the boat bumped
pretty hard against the steamer once or twice.

Shuffles evidently believed that skilful management alone could save
the sail-boat, and the lives of those who were in her. His mission, as
he understood it, was to supply this needed skill. The steamer had only
a single boat on deck, which was so dried up by the sun, that none of
the salt-water tars believed it would float. She had only a single pair
of oars, and it would be impossible to make any headway against the
gale in it. The captain declared that he could only save the imperilled
voyagers by running alongside their boat, and taking them out of it: he
could do nothing by sending his jolly-boat after them.

By excellent good fortune, the steamer was checked at the right moment;
though Shuffles supposed the boat would be stove, and he only got into
her for the purpose of assisting the young lady. The captain backed his
vessel so that she left the craft alone again. But the bold commander
of the Young America was not dismayed by the situation. He instantly
let go the halyards, and secured the sail as it came down. He glanced
at the trembling lady, who crouched in the stern to save her head from
the threshing of the boom. Grasping one of the oars, he pulled the boat
around till she lay head to the wind. She was almost water-logged, and
he saw that it was necessary to relieve her of some of this extra
weight before she could be manageable.

"Won't they save us?" gasped the lady, glancing at the steamer, which
was drifting rapidly away from them.

"Don't be alarmed, miss," said Shuffles, as he seized a kind of tub
which was filled with fish-lines and other angling gear.

"What shall I do?" asked the young man, whose pluck had by this time
become q