ink anything just then," said she. "All I
know is, that papa, carrying me in his arms, found his way in the
darkness to the companion-ladder, and then up on deck. When we got
there, I wished that we were in our cabin again. We were in the midst
of high, black, foaming waves and bright flashes of lightning; and when
I looked up, there were no masts and no sails, but the deck was covered
with their broken remains. It was so very dreadful, I cannot talk more
about it now. I did not cry or faint, but I felt my heart beat very
quick as I clung to papa, while he held tight to the companion-hatches,
which, as you see, still remain firm."

"But where have you lived all the time you have been on the wreck?" I
asked.

"Oh, I remained where you first found me," she answered. "At night they
covered me up with cloaks and a sail, and in the daytime I was able to
walk about, for the sea, fortunately, was tolerably smooth. The kind
sailors also, though suffering much from hunger, I heard papa say,
brought me all I required to eat, which was not much, you may suppose."

This was all about the shipwreck I heard from Miss Alice at the time.
It appeared that when the masts had been carried away, the mizen-mast
had hung on by some of the rigging, and by dragging astern had assisted
in making the head of the ship pay off. This caused her to drive before
the gale, and saved the decks from being swept by the seas, which would
otherwise have cleared them of every human being. As soon as all the
damage had been committed, the wind and sea began to go down, and by the
morning there was only a moderate breeze. The carpenter, however,
discovered that the ship had sprung a leak, and all hands were now
summoned to work the pumps; but weakened by disease and famine, and
overcome with fatigue, they were soon obliged to give up the almost
hopeless task. Three days of horror passed away without any ship coming
near them, while several of them died from sheer starvation.
Fortunately, at last they discovered some gunpowder which, being in tin
cases, was not spoilt, and with it they managed to fire the guns which
had attracted our attention.

Miss Alice told me many more incidents, which I now forget. Our
conversation was interrupted by Jack Stretcher, who came aft.

"Sir," said he, touching his hat, "I'm afraid we shall have to take to
the boat, for the people are almost all knocked up; and, do all we can,
the ship won't float much longer