ut it is death to stay here ten minutes longer."

"That's true; for common tides rise to the foot of the rocks. We can't
stand up much longer."

"Now's our time!" exclaimed the mate. "The wind lulls a little. It can't
be any worse on the wreck than it is here."

The hurricane had certainly subsided a little, and with a vigorous
effort the two stout men shoved the whale-boat down the steep declivity
into the deep water. Keeping her head to the sea, with the oars in their
hands they leaped into the boat as a receding billow carried her far out
from the beach.

"Now, give way!" cried the mate; and with lusty strokes they pulled
against the advancing sea.

The boat was light, and the two rowers were powerful men, thoroughly
experienced in the handling of boats under the most trying
circumstances. They succeeded in getting clear of the beach, however,
only by the favoring lull of the tempest. They pulled dead to windward,
for Mr. Carboy dared not risk the boat in the trough of the sea, even
for a moment. This direction brought them, after a desperate pull, to
the wreck of the Waldo, only the forward part of which remained. This
portion appeared to the mate to be wedged in between a couple of rocks,
now hidden by the waves, for it did not rise and fall with the billows.
He stated his belief to Wallbridge, and they agreed that the wreck would
be the safest place for them. The passenger spoke of a good harbor but a
short distance to the northward, but Mr. Carboy declared that the
whale-boat would be swamped in the attempt to reach it.

Under the lee of the wreck, the sea was comparatively mild, and the mate
fastened the painter of the boat to the bobstay of the brig. Without
much difficulty, the two men climbed to the forecastle of the vessel,
which was still above the water. Doubtless Mr. Carboy was right in
regard to the position of the wreck on the rocks, but the sea dashed
furiously against the broken end of the hulk. The hurricane renewed its
violence, and as the tide rose, the waves swept over the two men. But
the rising sea did worse than this for them. It loosened the cargo,
consisting in part of hogsheads of molasses; and they rolled down into
the deep water. Relieved of this weight, the tide lifted the wreck from
between the rocks; the hulk rolled over and disappeared beneath the
white-crowned waves, dragging the whale-boat down with it. The movement
was so sudden that the mate and the passenger had no time to s