shorten sail on nearing the Land's End, or that he was
anxious, at all hazards, to reach port before Ben Trench should die, but
he held on recklessly, and, in the dead of night, ran the _Rainbow_
straight against the high cliffs not far from the Cornish town of Saint
Just.

The wreck of the ship was complete in a few seconds. All her masts went
over the side, and the waves overwhelmed her. She would have gone down
in deep water if she had not been dashed between two rocks and held
there. Time was thus given for one of the boats to be got out, but
utter confusion reigned, for the captain had disappeared. No wonder
that several of the men leaped into her, crying, "Every man for
himself," and endeavoured to cast off.

"Have you got Polly?" cried Jack, as he dimly saw a figure staggering
through the turmoil of wind and whirling spray.

"All safe!" gasped Captain Samson.

Jack instantly jumped into the boat and found O'Rook struggling to
prevent one of the men from cutting the hawser. Jack knocked the man
down, and, hauling the boat close alongside, shouted, "Jump, Captain,
jump!" The captain did so at the right moment, and alighted safely,
though with great violence. Just then Watty Wilkins was seen striving
to lift Ben Trench over the bulwark of the ship. It was impossible to
render him assistance, though Jack tried to do so, for at the moment a
towering billow fell on the deck and tore the invalid from his grasp.
With a shriek of despair Watty fell back into the sea, but was caught by
one of the men and hauled into the boat which was then cut adrift. It
was not a moment too soon, for the next wave dashed their ship to
pieces.

As it was impossible to effect a landing among perpendicular cliffs
which were lashed by roaring breakers, they were obliged to push out to
sea, where they rowed till daylight, and succeeded in reaching Penzance
harbour.

Leaving the others to report the news, Jack and Wilkins started off
along the coast to the scene of the wreck. They found the spot, but not
a vestige was to be seen of what had so long been their home, save a few
broken spars, here and there far down in the clefts of inaccessible
rocks. A fisherman, however, told them that several bodies had been
thrown into a little bay, and were then lying in a shed near the spot.
Hastening thither, they found five lying side by side. Among them were
those of poor Ben Trench and the captain of the ship--the one strong,
stalwa