nd you will do so now. Go forward at once, and do as I say. God
bless you, my boy."

He clasped Roger in his arms, in a moment's close embrace, and then
pointed forward.

Roger's eyes were blinded with tears as he obeyed the order. The
bowsprit in those days did not, as now, run out almost horizontally
from the ship's bow; but stood up like a mast, leaning somewhat
over the bow, and carried a yard and small square sail upon it.
Roger climbed up as far as the yard and then, aiding himself by the
halyards, swarmed up until he reached the cap. When he did so the
vessel was but little more than a hundred yards from the shore.

The water was deep up to the rocks, for the waves struck on these
unbroken, flying up in masses of spray which flew far over the
land. On his lofty post, thirty feet above the forecastle and
forty-five above the water, Roger was nearly level with the top of
the rock ahead; and as the vessel rose on the waves, could see a
flat land, extending far inland.

He looked down. Two or three of the sailors had followed him as
high as the yard, and many others were gathered on the forecastle.
Some were kneeling in prayer, others had thrown themselves down
despairingly on the deck, but most were standing, looking forward
with set faces at the rocky barrier so close at hand.

Roger looked aft. The men at the tiller had quitted it now, and
gone forward. Standing and Pengarvan were standing, one on each
side of the captain. The latter took off his cap and waved it to
his son, and the mates lifted their hands in token of adieu.

A cry from below caused Roger, as he returned the salute, to look
round. They were but a ship's length from the rocks. Another moment
a great wave lifted the vessel, and on its crest she went
thundering forward. The rocks seemed to leap up against the spar to
which Roger clung. It snapped off just below his feet, then a great
volume of water and spray shot up from below, and he was thrown
high into the air. The wind caught him and carried him away inland,
and he fell, with a crash that left him senseless.

It was long before he recovered consciousness. As soon as he did
so, he crawled on his hands and knees to the edge of the cliff, and
looked down. The Swan had disappeared. Not a sign of her remained,
not so much as a floating timber showed on the surface of the
water.

Roger crawled back again for some distance, and then threw himself
down, and wept despairingly. He lay there fo