it. Some, exhausted by their exertions, let go their hold and
sank. Others were cast upon the reef, mangled fearfully by the timbers
which were thrown upon them. The rest, meantime, continued to work at
the raft. The surviving officers then came to the captain, and urged
him to allow them to place him upon it, but he remained firm to his
resolution.

"No, no," he answered; "do you leave the ship as you think best; but she
was placed under my command, and nothing shall induce me to desert her
as long as she holds together."

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

Mr Finlayson and the two young ladies stood watching the progress of
the labouring frigate.

"Heaven have mercy on them," exclaimed the Widow O'Neil, extending her
clasped hands towards the ship. "See, see, she draws towards the reef!
No hope! no hope! She has struck! she has struck!"

The fishwife spoke but too truly. Fearful seas came rolling in, and,
meeting with an opposition not hitherto encountered, dashed in huge
masses directly over her. In another instant, the foremast, hitherto
standing, tottered and fell. Stout as were her timbers, unable to
resist such fierce assaults, they were in a brief space burst asunder,
and scattered around in the troubled sea. A cry of horror escaped the
young ladies as they witnessed the fearful catastrophe.

"Oh, how many brave men are at this moment carried into a watery grave!"
exclaimed Lady Sophy.

Nora was silent. A fearful apprehension seized her.

"The last time we heard from Captain Denham, he told us that he was
appointed to a frigate!" she exclaimed suddenly. "Oh, suppose that is
the ship he commands?"

"Can no one go to the help of those poor men?" asked Mr Finlayson.
"Surely there are boats on the coast which might go off to them!"

The fishwife turned as he spoke.

"There are boats, sir, but it would be hard to find the men who would
venture off in such a sea as that; but if, as I believe, the wind is
falling, there is yet some hope; if it goes down as rapidly as it
sometimes does in summer, frail as are our boats, we may be able to
reach the frigate."

The ship was too far off for those on shore to witness the dying
struggles of those who were washed into the sea, but yet they could not
tear themselves from the spot. Gradually the gale abated, seemingly
contented with the mischief it had caused. Still, however, the seas
rolled in with fearful force. Suddenly, a thought seemed to seize Widow
O