ests, rolled in from the same direction. The corvette heeled over
until her lee ports were in the water, still it was not a moment for
shortening sail. Now the young commander gazed at the shore under his
lee, now to the dark rocks ahead, and now at his masts and spars. "No
higher," he had more than once to cry out, as the men at the helm,
anxious to gain every advantage, kept her too close to the wind. "We
cannot hope to weather the reef on this tack," he observed to the
lieutenant, who was near him.

The crew were all at their stations, attentive to obey the least sign
from their commander. Now a fiercer gust than ordinary made the ship
heel lower in the water. Now she rose again. It was a critical moment
as she rushed forward with headlong speed towards the threatening reef,
over which the sea was already furiously beating. Still the young
commander stood calm and collected. Now his hand was raised, and as he
glanced towards the helmsman, now he looked once more to the sails
aloft. "Hands about ship," he shouted in a clear, ringing voice, which
every man heard fore and aft. "Helm's-alee! Tacks and sheets! Main
sail haul!" It seemed as if in another moment the beautiful vessel
would spring forward upon the threatening rocks. She was in stays, but
the slightest shift of wind to the south would have driven her to
destruction. Anxiously the commander looked at the fore-topsail still
aback. For an instant the ship's head appeared not to be moving. Then
gradually the wind forced her round. "Of all haul!" he shouted in a
cheerful voice, as she sprang forward towards the opposite side of the
bay. Still she was not free. The headway she made was counteracted by
the heavy seas which now rolled in upon the land, and forced her towards
it. Now she was standing towards Kilfinnan Castle. The commander
turning, looked at the reef they had left; then once more casting his
gaze ahead,--"We shall scarcely weather it the next tack," he said to
himself. "If the wind holds as it does now, however, and if it does not
increase much, the tight little ship will still work her way through
it."

Anxiously those in the Castle watched the progress of the corvette.
They well knew the danger to which she was exposed, for although many a
year had passed since any large ship had been cast away in their bay,
yet there were traditions of men-of-war being driven on the coast, and
the whole of their gallant crews perishing. Num