ad been toiling away.
Nearly every one began to see that our efforts had been in vain. A loud
noise was heard like that of an explosion coming from far down in the
depths of the ship. The carpenter reported that the water in the hold
had blown up the orlop deck. It was very evident that the ship was
settling down. Many of the men who had been looked upon as the bravest
now gave way to despair, and went below, crying out to their messmates
to come and lash them into their hammocks. Other stout fellows were in
tears as they thought of their country and those dear to them, whom they
were never to see again. Some, though they must have known it would be
of no use, were lashing themselves to gratings and small rafts, which
they had formed of spars. Larry wanted me to do the same.

"Shure, Mr Terence, you and Mr Pim and I will be able to manage a raft
between us, and we'll get aboard one of the ships in better plight than
we are," he said.

I pointed out to him the distance the ships were from us, and the
impossibility of reaching one of them. Some of the poor fellows
launched their rafts overboard, but were quickly swallowed up by the
sea. Even the lieutenants went below; and, strange as it may seem, few
of the men remained on deck. Tom Pim and I, however, kept together,
with Larry, who would not leave me. Presently Nettleship came up.

"Now is our time, lads, if we're to save our lives. I have spoken to
those whom the captain named, but none of them will come. They shake
their heads, and declare it useless."

One of the quarter boats still remained uninjured. We went to her and
found six of our men, one of whom was Larry, standing by the falls ready
to lower her. Nettleship told us to jump in, there was not a moment to
be lost. We found that he had put masts, and sails, and oars, and
provisions aboard. Waiting till a sea surged up alongside, he and the
men sprang into her.

"Cut, cut!" he cried.

The next instant I found that the boat was some fathoms from the ship.
All was done so rapidly, and it seemed only by a miracle we got clear,
that I can scarcely explain how it happened. I looked around, when what
was my dismay to find that Tom was not with us. Looking up, I saw him
on the deck.

"Leap! leap!" shouted Nettleship, though in the uproar his voice could
not have been heard so far. Next instant Tom was in the water, striking
out towards us.

"We have already as many aboard as the boat will