ing but the gulfs of black water glistening here and there with
hissing foam, and he shuddered as his ears caught the unearthly noises
that came to him in the mingled scream of weltering tempest and plangent
wave. It was fearful to be isolated on the black rent rock, and see the
waves gaining on them, higher, higher, higher, every moment; and he was
in ceaseless terror lest they should be swept away by the violence of
the breakers. "At least," thought he, as he looked down and saw that
the ledge on which they had been standing had long been covered with
deep and agitated waves--"at least I have tried to save Edwin's life."
And he bravely made up his mind to keep up heart and hope, and to
weather the comfortless night as best he could.

And then his thoughts turned to Russell, who was still unconscious; and
stooping down he folded his arms around the boy's breast. He felt
_then_ how deeply he loved him, how much he owed him; and no mother
could have nursed a child more tenderly than he did his fainting friend.
Russell's head rested on his breast, and the soft hair, tangled with
welling blood, stained his clothes. Eric feared that he would die, his
fainting-fit continued so long, and from the helpless way in which one
of his legs trailed on the ground, he felt sure that he had received
some dangerous hurt.

At last Russell stirred and groaned. "Where am I?" he said, and half
opened his eyes; he started up frightened, and fell back heavily. He
saw only the darkness; felt only the fierce wind and salt mist; heard
only the relentless fury of the blast. Memory had no time to wake, and
he screamed and fainted once more.

Poor Eric knew not what to do but to shelter him to the best of his
power; and when he showed any signs of consciousness again, he bent over
him, and said, "Don't you remember, Edwin? We're quite safe. I'm with
you, and Monty's gone for help."

"Oh! I daren't jump," sobbed Russell; "O mother, I shall be drowned.
Save me! save me! I'm so glad they're safe, mother; but my leg hurts
so." And he moaned again. He was delirious.

"How cold it is, and wet too! where's Eric? are we bathing?--run along,
we shall be late. But stop, you're smoking. Dear Eric, don't smoke.
Poor fellow, I'm afraid he's getting spoilt, and learning bad ways. Oh
save him." And as he wandered on, he repeated a prayer for Eric, which
evidently had been often on his lips.

Eric was touched to the heart's core, and in one