will sink?" exclaimed
Miss Morley. "Surely they will not remain on board."

"They are, I have no doubt, engaged in building rafts," said Harry.
"The people will thus have a chance of saving their lives, for the boats
could not take all on board."

"But my father, my dear father," exclaimed Miss Morley.

"He will, if possible, remain and try to help those on the rafts,"
answered Harry. He could say no more, for he was well aware that till
every effort had been made to save his men, Colonel Morley would not
desert them.

Harry's anxiety increased greatly when he saw the threatening aspect of
the weather. The ship had been brought as close to the wind as
possible, in order to allow the boats with less risk to lie alongside.
A heavy sea now struck her bows; driving her astern, and threatening to
bring her down upon the launch. Not a moment was to be lost, Harry saw,
or the destruction of the boat and all on board would be inevitable.
With a heavy heart he gave the order to cut the warp to which she hung.
"Out oars, and pull her head round," he added. The mast had been
stepped. "Hoist the fore-staysail," he exclaimed, and the boat's head
began paying round. Another heavy foam-topped sea came rolling up with
a dark black cloud overhead; he held his breath, for he dreaded lest it
should break on board. The men tugged at their oars. They, too, saw
the danger. The ladies could not refrain from uttering a cry of dismay.
Even Mrs Rumbelow kept her lips firmly set as she eyed the foaming
mass. Paul Lizard had the fore-halyards in his hand. Up went the
foresail, and as it filled with the gale the boat's head rapidly came
round. Away she flew before the wind; the threatening sea roared and
hissed under her stern, but failed to overtake her. On she flew, now
rising, now falling, amid the tumbling seas. Harry had need to exercise
all his seamanship to save her from being overwhelmed; as it was, the
seas broke frequently close to her quarters, sending into her heavy
masses of foaming water. To attempt to heave to and remain by the ship,
as Harry had proposed, would have been madness. Already she had been
left far astern. Willy had watched her anxiously. Now she seemed to
rise amid the dark waters, now to sink deep down; and more than once
Willy thought the "Ranger" had gone for ever. He could scarcely refrain
from uttering an expression of horror. There were other eyes besides
his in the boat, who were looking