barely hold her own against the mountains of water that
came plunging over her deck with a force that seemed sufficient to rend
a rock. More than once the captain's stiffened fingers were almost torn
from their hold upon the weather rigging, while the men at the wheel
were under water again and again. Vainly did Olaf strain his eyes to
windward in the hope of seeing a break in the inky sky. All was grim and
gloomy, and amid the blinding spray and the deepening darkness it was
hard to tell where the sea ended and the sky began.

All that night and all the next morning they drove blindly onward, not
knowing where they were; for the sun had not been seen for two whole
days, and no observation could be taken. But Captain Petersen, who had
those seas by heart, began to fear that they were being driven in among
the Orkney Isles, and he knew only too well what chance the stoutest
three-decker would have against those tremendous rocks with such a sea
running.

Toward afternoon the wind fell suddenly, though the sea still ran high;
but now came something worse than all--one of those terrible Northern
fogs which turn day into night, and make the oldest sailor as helpless
as a child. The lanterns were lit and hoisted, the ship's bell was kept
constantly tolling, and the captain ordered up two "look-outs" besides
himself; but the fog grew thicker and thicker, till those on the
forecastle could barely make out the foremast.

Ha! what was that huge dim shadow that loomed out suddenly just ahead,
like a threatening giant? Could it be a _rock_?

"Port your helm!--port!" roared the captain, at the full pitch of his
voice.

But it was too late. The next moment there came a deafening crash, a
shock that threw them all off their feet, and the vessel, with her bows
stove in, was sawing and grinding upon the sharp rocks that had pierced
her through and through, with the water rushing into her like a
cataract.

The next few minutes were like the confusion of a troubled dream--a
shadowy vision of a huge dark mass overhead, a short fierce struggle
amid swirling foam and broken timbers--and then the captain and wife
found themselves upon one of the higher ledges, hardly knowing how they
had reached it, while the crew, with bleeding hands and sorely bruised
limbs, dragged themselves painfully up after them.

They were not a moment too soon. Scarcely had the last man gained the
ledge, when a mountain wave took the vessel aback. She slid o