carefully edging away, till we were
under the lee of the reef--of that part, however, over which the sea
broke with great force. Still, the water was smoother than it had been
for some time. We stood on, continuing to bale.

Suddenly the Captain cried out, "Now, lads, to your feet, and be ready
to spring on shore when I give the word." We all jumped up. Walter
stepped forward and took the rope in his hand, as he had been directed.
The Captain luffed up, and ran the boat alongside the rock; but there
was still great way on her, and a tremendous crashing sound showed us
that she had struck the rock below water. Walter sprang on shore, Drake
and Harry followed, and as he leapt to the top of the rock, followed to
help him make fast the rope round one of its roughest projections. Ugly
sprang at the same time, and the rest of us went next--not a moment too
soon. I was the last of the boys. The Captain came close behind me.
He was securing another rope round the mast, and, with the end of it in
his hand, he leapt on to the rock. As he left the deck, the boat seemed
to glide from under him. "Haul, boys! haul! all together," he shouted.
Our united efforts, aided by the surging water, got the fast sinking
boat on to a rock. There the boat lay, little better than a wreck; but
we were safe. We now saw how anxious our good skipper had been, for,
taking off his hat, and looking up to heaven, he exclaimed, with a
fervour I did not expect, "Thank God for His great mercy--they are all
safe."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

NIGHT ON THE REEF--OUR SALT TUTE'S SERMON.

Our "salt tute" had gone through many a storm at sea; had once escaped,
the only soul saved out of fifty-three, from a foundered bark, and
endured five days' suffering, without bread or water, on a raft. But,
as I heard him tell Mr Clare afterwards, he had never undergone an
experience more painful than those two or three hours of gale in our
little cutter. It was his affection for us boys; the reflection that he
had proposed the pleasure sail, and the terrible sense of
responsibility: those together had tried the old man's heart, head, and
nerves, as they had never been tried before.

Among the exciting events of that night, one circumstance impressed me
with astonishment, though it was but small matter perhaps for a boy to
have noticed at such a time. It was that the Captain several times
expressed himself in terms of piety, and even ejaculated that prayer
whe