o get the sail ready for setting as soon as she
could be brought up to the wind. Again the helm was put down.

"Hoist away!" shouted Rayner.

But scarcely had the sail felt the wind than it was blown away to
leeward, and another sea, even heavier than the first, struck the
vessel, sweeping fore and aft over her deck.

Rayner, who was clinging on to the rigging, thought that she would never
rise again. A fearful shriek reached his ear, and looking to leeward,
he saw two of his people in the embraces of the relentless sea.

In vain the poor fellows attempted to regain the schooner, farther and
farther they were borne away, until, throwing up their arms, they
disappeared beneath the foaming waters.

At first he thought they were his own men, but on looking round he saw
Oliver and Jack clinging to the companion-hatch, and the rest holding on
to the main rigging. One of the Frenchmen had been lost, and the
coloured steward.

Ere long the rest on board might have to share the same fate. Still
Rayner resolved to struggle to the last.

Another attempt was made. The main-trysail was shifted to the foremast;
if that would stand, the vessel might possibly be kept off shore; but
scarcely had it been set, than the hurricane came down on the hapless
vessel with redoubled fury. The weather rigging gave way, and down came
the mast itself, killing one of the blacks, and fearfully crushing
another; and, to Rayner's dismay striking down Jack Peek. He sprang
forward to drag Jack out from beneath the tangled rigging and spars,
calling Tom Fletcher to assist him. They ran a fearful risk of being
washed away, but he could not leave Jack to perish.

"Are you much hurt?" he shouted, as he saw Jack struggling to free
himself.

"Can't say, sir; but my shoulder and leg don't feel of much use,"
answered Jack.

Tom, with evident reluctance, had to let go his hold, but could not
refuse to run the same risk as his officer.

By lifting the spars they got Jack out, and dragged him to the
after-part of the vessel, where, as he did not seem able to help
himself, Rayner secured him by a lashing to a stanchion.

"I'll stand by you, Peek, and, if it becomes necessary, I'll cast you
off, so that you may have a chance of saving yourself," he said.

As it was now evidently hopeless to attempt heaving the vessel to, she
was once more kept before the wind, while Rayner and his men, armed with
two axes, which they found hanging up in the co