uite exhausted in his vain battle with the elements.

"Can you pull an oar?" demanded Shuffles, rather sharply, of the clumsy
boatman.

"I can."

"Take this one, then, and keep her head as it is now."

The young man took the oar, and pulled as he was directed; and Shuffles
went to work vigorously with the tub, in throwing out the water. He
labored so diligently and effectually, that in a few moments he had
relieved the boat of the great burden of water within her. While he did
so, he gave the young man such directions as enabled him to keep the
craft poised with her head to the fierce gusts that beat upon her. In
this position she rose and fell on the great billows, and shipped very
little water. The steamer had started her wheels again; but while she
did not venture very near the boat, she lay by to render assistance if
the latter were swamped. The lady, finding that the frail craft, under
her present management, behaved very well, sorely as she was tried by
the tempest, was encouraged.

"Can I do anything?" she asked, in soft notes, though they were still
shaken by her fears.

"No, miss: if you will only keep perfectly still, I can take care of
her."

"Here is a basin," said she, holding up the implement. "Shall I throw
the water out of her?"

"If you please," answered Shuffles, willing to encourage her; for even
the belief that one is doing some good, in an emergency, assists in
quieting one's fears.

She went to work with a zeal which indicated a strong will, and if she
did not accomplish as much as she wished to do, it was only because the
uneasy tossing of the boat defeated her good intentions.

"Steady!" said Shuffles, to the young man at the oar. "You heave her
round so that she will take the wind on the other hand. Now pull away
with all your might!" he added, as the boat began to fall off.

"Are we going to stay here all night?" asked the other, who was nearly
exhausted by the violence of his efforts to keep her head up to the
blast.

"No, no!" replied Shuffles, impatiently, as he put out the other oar,
and assisted his companion, when the boat was in danger of catching the
wind on her beam. "I will get sail on her in a few moments."

In the lull of the blast, the young commander overhauled the sail, and
corrected the non-nautical reefing of his companion.

"Now, mind your eye!" shouted Shuffles, as he grasped the halyards.

"What shall I do?"

"Pull away!"

"I'm losing my wind," gasped