e passage. At length several seamen
were seen creeping along the mast, one after the other, as fast as they
could move.

"The ship is breaking up fast!" said one of them; "and if the skipper
don't make haste he will be lost."

"Oh, I wish you had all come at once!" cried Peter. "I'll go back and
hasten him."

"No, no, boy; you will lose your life if you do!" said Hixon. "It's his
own fault if he delays."

"That is no reason why we should not try to get him to come," said
Peter.

"You are right, boy," cried Hixon, "but if any one goes, I'll go."

Hixon was just getting on the mast, when he exclaimed that the skipper
and mate were coming along it. At that moment the end of the mast began
to rise. Hixon threw himself off it.

"Stand clear of the rigging," cried several voices. The mast moved more
rapidly, the end lifting up in the air, then with a crash came down on
the rock, against which it was at once violently dashed by a sea which
broke over the wreck. One of the poor fellows who had escaped was
dragged off into the seething waters.

"The captain is gone," cried several voices.

"I see a man close at hand," said Peter. "Will any one pass a rope
round my waist? I am sure I could clutch him."

There were several ropes scattered about the rock. Old Hixon did not
hear Peter, but two or three of the other men did. One of them fastened
a rope as he requested. While they held on, Peter sprung off from the
rock into the water close to where the person he saw was floating. He
clutched him tightly. The next sea which came roaring up would have
clashed him against the rock, and his burden must have been torn from
him had not his companions, roused by the example set by the young boy,
whom they had been in the habit of laughing at, rushed forward and
dragged them both up together.

"It is the captain," cried one. "But I am afraid he is gone," exclaimed
another.

"No! I trust he is still alive," said Peter, sitting down by the
captain's side, and taking his head on his lap. "He is breathing; he
will come to, I hope."

Peter rubbed the captain's chest while the steward and Bill moved his
arms gently up and down. He uttered a groan; it showed that he was in
pain, and had been injured against the rocks, but it was an encouraging
sign. They persevered, and at length the captain spoke in a low voice,
asking where he was.

"You are safe on a rock," answered Emery. "We shall know better when
sun ri