ER--ALICE MARLOW'S ACCOUNT OF THE VOYAGE--BRING THE SHIP INTO
HARBOUR.

"Hillo! where does that come from?" I exclaimed, as the low deep boom
of a gun came rolling over the calm water.

Another and another report followed, and then, as if affected by the
concussion, the mist on a sudden lifted a few feet from the surface, and
revealed, about three miles off, the hull of a large ship on which the
rays of the now setting sun glittered brightly for an instant, ere she
sank beneath the wave. It was sufficient to show us our position, and
we might easily have found our way towards the shore; but, as I was
about putting the boat's head in that direction, Jack observed--

"There's something wrong with that ship yonder, sir, or she wouldn't be
firing in the way she does."

I listened attentively. There could be no doubt--those were
minute-guns, the well-known signal of distress at sea. We could do but
little good, probably; but what good we could do I determined to
attempt. My men needed no encouragement. The fact that
fellow-creatures wanted help was sufficient to nerve their arms. Had an
enemy been in sight, and had there been heads to be cracked, it would
have been much the same. Round spun the boat, and away they pulled as
hard as they could lay their backs to the oars. The breeze which had
cleared off the mist, had likewise got up the sea a little, and the
spray flew over our bows as we dashed through the dancing waves. Away
we went; the big sea-serpent could not have beaten us. Every minute the
low, dull sound of the gun reached our ears, growing louder and louder
as we drew nearer the ship. Her distress was evidently great. From the
somewhat irregular way the gun was fired, and from its tone, Jack
pronounced the ship to be a merchantman, as he remarked that minute-guns
from a man-of-war would have been far louder and more regular. The
mist, fortunately, did not again settle down thickly over the ship, so
that, although twilight was coming on, we could still distinguish her
whereabouts. As we drew near, we saw that she was of considerable size,
and that all her masts had gone by the board. We were evidently not
perceived, even though we had got close up to her, for she continued
firing as before.

"Now, my lads, we'll let the poor fellows know that we are at hand to
help them," I exclaimed; and on this my men joined me in raising a right
hearty cheer, which must have given the people on board no unple