ying
bottom-upward some sixty feet farther in upon the sand, while the stern,
which retained its former position, had been robbed of nearly half its
living freight. And, to make matters worse, the floating keg had once
more missed its mark.

This repeated failure was disheartening. The tide was rising rapidly;
every minute was worth a human life, and it began to look as though, in
spite of all effort, the poor souls clinging to the wreck would be swept
into eternity before the _Seamew's_ crew could effect a communication
with them.

"Let's have one more try, boys," exhorted old Bill; "and if we misses
her this time we shall have to shift our ground and trust to our own
anchor and chain to hold us until we can get 'em off."

Risky work that would be, as each man there told himself; but none
thought of expressing such a sentiment aloud, preferring to take the
risk rather than abandon those poor souls to their fate.

The line and keg were rapidly hauled on board the smack once more, and
Bill was standing aft by the taffrail watching for a favourable moment
at which to make another cast, when Bob exclaimed excitedly--

"'Vast heavin', father; 'taint no use tryin' that dodge any more--we're
too far to leeward. Cast off the line and take a turn with it round my
waist; I'm goin' to try to swim it. I know I can do it, dad; and it's
the only way as we can do any good."

The old man stared aghast at the lad for a moment, then he glanced at
the mad swirl of broken water astern, then back once more to Bob, who,
in the meantime, was rapidly divesting himself of his clothing.

"God bless ye, boy, for the thought," he at length ejaculated; "God
bless ye, but it ain't possible. Even if the water was _warm_ the
breaking seas 'd smother ye; but bitter cold as 'tis you wouldn't swim a
dozen yards. No, no, Bob, my lad, put on your duds again; we must try
sum'at else."

But Bob had by this time disencumbered himself of everything save a
woollen under-shirt and drawers; and now, instead of doing his adopted
father's bidding, he rapidly cast off the line from the keg, and, making
a bowline in the end, passed it over one shoulder and underneath the
other arm. The next instant he had poised himself lightly upon the
taffrail of the wildly tossing smack, and, a mighty breaker sweeping by,
with comparatively smooth water behind it, without a moment's hesitation
thence plunged head-foremost into the icy sea.

The broken water leap