ad he uttered the words than he fell back senseless.

"We must get him below, or he'll die here," I said; so Jim and I carried
him down as before, and got him into his bed.

"He wants looking after," said Jim; "so, Peter, do you tend him, and
I'll go back to the pumps."

Thinking that he wanted food more than anything else, I lighted the
cabin fire, and collecting some materials from the pantry for broth in a
saucepan, put it on to boil.

Though I had been actively engaged, I felt able once more to work the
pumps. Jim said that he was certain the water in the hold was
decreasing, while, as the brig was steadier, less was coming in. This
increased our hopes of keeping her afloat, but we should want rest and
sleep, and when we knocked off the water might once more gain on us.

We did not forget, however, what the captain had said. When I could
pump no longer I ran below, freshly dressed the old man's head, and gave
him some broth, which was by this time ready. It evidently did him
good. Then, taking a basin of it myself, I ran up on deck with another
for Jim.

"That puts life into one," he said, as, seated on the deck with his legs
stretched out, he swallowed it nearly scalding hot. A draught of water
which he told me to bring, however, cooled his throat, and he again set
to, I following his example.

By this time the day was far advanced, and even Jim confessed that he
must soon give in, while I could scarcely stand.

The wind had continued to go down, but the sea still rolled the vessel
about too much to enable us to get up jury-masts, even if we had had
strength to move, before dark.

"It's no use trying to hold out longer, I must get a snooze," sighed
Jim.

He looked as if he were half asleep already.

"We had better go and lie down in the cabin, so that we may be ready to
help the captain," I answered; "but I'll tell you what, we'll take a
look into the fore-peak first, to see how the leaks are going on there."

"Oh, they are all right," said Jim. "We shouldn't have lessened the
water so much if anything had given way."

Still I persisted in going forward, and Jim followed me. Just then the
vessel gave a pitch, which nearly sent me head first down the
fore-hatchway. As we got below I heard the sound of a rush of water.
The handspike which secured the chief leak had worked out of its place,
and the blankets and boards were forced inwards. It required all our
remaining strength to put them bac