ws from her scuppers, and that long
lazy roll."

His mate took off his cap, leisurely scratching his head. "Ay, ay,
sir," he replied, "either one of the yards has poked a hole through her
bottom, or one of that scoundrel's eighteen-pounders has done more
damage than we thought."

"She is settling down fast, Lowe. If we had only a breeze we would
beach the old barky, but it is impossible."

"Quite impossible, Captain Weber. If you will take my advice, knock off
the pumps, and set all hands to work to make a raft. Let us save what
we can," earnestly replied the mate.

Captain Weber's face was very sad. With the brig was lost the savings
of a life, and he carefully turned over in his mind all the
circumstances. He looked over the side and noticed with a sigh how deep
the "Halcyon" lay in the water, and how sluggish was her motion. He
noted the idle sail as it hung against the broken foremast, and the
clank of the chain pumps came to his ear, as the clear salt-water
flooded the deck.

The old seaman groaned.

"There is nothing for it, Lowe," he muttered. "Keep the pumps going;
half the hands will do the work. Serve out a good allowance of grog.
Get the masts out of her, and let us have them alongside. The old brig
won't miss them."

"Ay, ay, sir," cheerfully replied the mate, walking aft among the men.

"Morris," continued the captain, addressing the carpenter, "send up all
the spare spars you have, and we will use the planking of the forecastle
to make a staging for the raft. Rig out a pair of sheers amidships."

All was now bustle aboard the brig. The men, who had worked at the
pumps sullenly, because they knew that despite all they could do the
leak was gaining fast on them, now found themselves employed in securing
their own safety. The remains of the fore and mainmast were soon
floating alongside, and, with a number of spare yards and heavier spars,
formed a solid basis to work upon. Across these were placed a second
layer of lighter spars, and the whole secured firmly. The planking of
the deck forward, where it had been partially torn up by the grinding of
the fore-topmast, was easily removed, and completed a kind of deck,
raised two feet at least above the water. A royal yard was rigged as a
mast, and stancheons were fixed round the edges of the platform, through
which ropes were run. The arms were got on deck, and the best being
selected were, with a liberal supply of ammunition, placed o