saw clear
water ahead.

"Ye were right," said Hoseason to Alan. "Ye have saved the brig, sir;
I'll mind that when we come to clear accounts," and I believe he not
only meant what he said, but would have done it; so high a place did
the _Covenant_ hold in his affections.

But this is matter only for conjecture, things having gone otherwise
than he forecast.

"Keep her away a point," sings out Mr. Riach. "Reef to windward!"

And just at the same time the tide caught the brig, and threw the wind
out of her sails. She came round into the wind like a top, and the next
moment struck the reef with such a dunch as threw us all flat upon the
deck, and came near to shake Mr. Riach from his place upon the mast.

I was on my feet in a minute. The reef on which we had struck was close
in under the south-west end of Mull, off a little isle they call
Earraid, which lay low and black upon the larboard. Sometimes the swell
broke clean over us; sometimes it only ground the poor brig upon the
reef, so that we could hear her beat herself to pieces; and what with
the great noise of the sails, and the singing of the wind, and the
flying of the spray in the moonlight, and the sense of danger, I think
my head must have been partly turned, for I could scarcely understand
the things I saw.

Presently I observed Mr. Riach and the seamen busy round the skiff, and,
still in the same blank, ran over to assist them; and as soon as I set
my hand to work, my mind came clear again. It was no very easy task, for
the skiff lay amidships and was full of hamper, and the breaking of the
heavier seas continually forced us to give over and hold on; but we all
wrought like horses while we could.

Meanwhile such of the wounded as could move came clambering out of the
fore-scuttle and began to help; while the rest that lay helpless in
their bunks harrowed me with screaming and begging to be saved.

The captain took no part. It seemed he was struck stupid. He stood
holding by the shrouds, talking to himself and groaning out aloud
whenever the ship hammered on the rock. His brig was like wife and child
to him; he had looked on, day by day, at the mishandling of poor
Ransome; but, when it came to the brig, he seemed to suffer along with
her.

All the time of our working at the boat, I remember only one other
thing: that I asked Alan, looking across at the shore, what country it
was; and he answered, it was the worst possible for him, for it was the
land