knows whether
yonder ship will gain the open sea in safety," answered Kathleen; "but I
will tell you, dear lady, if you stay by me, what progress she makes.
If the prayer of a poor mad creature can save her, she is safe enough,
and the wind will hold as it does now, sufficiently to the south to
enable her to clear the reef. Oh, Miss O'Reilly, even now she seems
rushing forward to destruction."

"Whereabouts is she?" asked Miss O'Reilly eagerly.

"Not two hundred fathoms, it seems at this moment, from the reef,"
answered Kathleen. "If she can come about without difficulty, she will
escape, but if not, in a few minutes she will be cast on the rocks, and
then you know too well what will happen."

"Tell me, good Kathleen, tell me," said the blind lady, after a short
silence; "has she gone about? is there once more a prospect of her
escaping?"

"Again she is in stays!" exclaimed Kathleen. "See, see! the wind seems
to have caught her. Oh, may merciful Providence watch over her! It
seems to me that her head is once more turning towards the dreadful
rocks. Alas, alas! no power can save her."

"Oh, may Heaven protect them!" exclaimed the blind lady, turning her
sightless eyes in the direction of the ship. "Oh, may those brave men
on board escape the fearful danger in which they are placed!"

"Your prayers are heard, lady! your prayers are heard!" shouted
Kathleen; "the wind has taken her head-sails, and once more she is on
the starboard tack, standing away from that fearful reef."

Mr Jamieson and his niece stood for some time watching the progress of
the corvette, till the shades of evening, increased by the thick clouds
which obscured the sky, hid her from their sight; but they could not
persuade Kathleen to leave the spot, for she declared that she could
still see the ship through the mist. At length, the minister and his
niece returned to their home, leaving poor Kathleen still wildly waving
her arms and shouting, until her voice was hoarse, as if she would
address those on board the vessel.

"See, see! she is once more about! Surely her bowsprit is pointing more
seaward than it was before, and if the wind was to shift a little more
to the south, she would soon be clear of yonder fearful reef."

The corvette once more going about, stood to the north. Although the
wind might have drawn a little more to the south, yet this advantage was
counteracted by the fierceness with which it blew. The masts, with mo