alf rose in the tossing boat and shouted to the rowers, who
were bending their backs to the oars that every now and then would sink
deep into a towering wave and the next instant swing viciously through
the air as the boat rolled up on the crest of a big billow.

"Steady all," he called in a deep growl. "Now hold her."

The men dug their oars into the tumbling sea in an effort to bring the
boat to a standstill, but the waves caught her and hurried her on. The
sailors caught a fleeting glimpse in the darkness of the bottom of an
upturned boat to which three boys were clinging. The man at the tiller
swung the boat's head around as they swept by and, caught broadside on
by a big wave, she rolled for a moment as if she was about to capsize.
But the trained sailors held stoutly to the leeward oars, and the boat
righted herself and rose like a cork on the wave and settled down so
close to the wrecked yacht that the man in the stern leaned over and
tossed the end of a rope beyond the heads of the boys.

"Catch it and make fast to something," he cried, as the rope fell. "We
cannot get any closer to you without smashing this boat. Jump!"

* * * * *

When Harry came to the surface after the collision he found that he was
not hurt and, shaking his head like a dog, he prepared to make a fight
for his life against the sea. His first thought was of his companions,
but it was impossible to tell what their fate had been. It took all his
strength to battle with the waves and keep himself afloat. Now and then,
as he was carried helplessly to the crest of a big billow, he tried to
peer into the darkness that surrounded him. He could see nothing but
empty blackness. It was impossible to swim, had he known in which
direction to head. All he could do was to husband his strength to keep
on the surface and to breast and rise with each wave that passed under
him.

He knew it would be useless to shout, for his voice was weak from his
exertions and could not be heard above the howling of the wind and the
lash of the sea. He could faintly hear the commotion on the steamer and
see the lights from her portholes when she rode a high wave. But he had
no hope that any boat that might be lowered could reach him in that sea.

Once he thought he heard faint cries for help near him, and as he sank
into the trough of a sea, a black mass swept by him. He groped wildly to
reach it and his hand touched a dangling rope. He s