to him. He was not disappointed, and grasping the collar of
Ward's jacket, he shouted to Brown and Tom to haul away; but the sea
which had brought Ward in rolled on, and Tom, fancying that he should be
lifted off his legs, let go the rope and sprang back. Happily, Brown
held on, but his strength was not sufficient to drag in the rope. In
vain he called on Tom to come back to his assistance. While tugging
manfully away, he kept his feet on the ground, although the water rose
above his waist. The next instant the sea bore Rayner and his now
lifeless burden close up to where he stood. Rayner himself was almost
exhausted, but with the help of Brown, and such aid as Tom was at
length, from very shame, induced to give, they got beyond the influence
of the angry seas Rayner lost no time in trying to restore the seaman,
but with sorrow he found that it was a corpse alone he had brought on
shore.

The Frenchman, Jacques Le Duc, having been less time in the water,
quickly recovered, and expressed his gratitude to Rayner for having
saved him.

"Mais, ma foi! those poltroons who ran off, afraid that the sea would
swallow them up, should be ashamed of themselves," he exclaimed. "You
had best show your gratitude, my friend, by getting them to assist us in
bringing off my brother officer and the seaman from the wreck," answered
Rayner. "I fear that she will not hold together many hours, and unless
they are soon rescued they may lose their lives."

"I will try and persuade them to act like men," answered Jacques. "You
have twice saved my life, and I feel bound to help you."

Saying this, Jacques, who had been assisted on his legs by Tom and
Brown, staggered after his companions, shouting to them to stop.

On seeing him, they only ran the faster.

"Do you take me for a ghost?" he cried out, "Come back, come back, you
cowards, and help the brave Englishman!"

At last they stopped, and Jacques was seen talking to them. In a short
time he came back, saying that they declared nothing would induce them
to return to the wreck; that the boat, they knew, could no longer float,
and that there was no other means of getting off; that if they remained
on the shore they should be starved, and that they must hurry away in
search of food and shelter before night, which was fast approaching.

"Then we must see what we can do by ourselves," said Rayner. "We cannot
allow Mr Crofton and Peek to perish while we have any means of going to