ight. The Lillynichol laboured
heavily in the waves, and the discomfort of the troops, crowded together
between decks, was very great. Presently it was discovered that she had
made a leak, and that the water was entering fast. Munro at once called
forty-eight soldiers to the pumps. They were relieved every quarter
of an hour, and by dint of the greatest exertions barely succeeded in
keeping down the water. So heavily did the vessel labour that Munro bore
away for Dantzig; but when night came on the storm increased in fury.
They were now in shoal water, and the vessel, already half waterlogged,
became quite unmanageable in the furious waves. Beyond the fact that
they were fast driving on to the Pomeranian coast, they were ignorant of
their position.

"This is a rough beginning," Nigel said to his nephew. "We bargained to
run the risk of being killed by the Germans, but we did not expect to
run the hazard of being drowned. I doubt if the vessel can live till
morning. It is only eleven o'clock yet, and in spite of the pumps she is
getting lower and lower in the water."

Before Malcolm had time to answer him there was a tremendous crash which
threw them off their feet. All below struggled on deck, but nothing
could be seen in the darkness save masses of foam as the waves broke on
the rock on which they had struck. There were two more crashes, and
then another, even louder and more terrible, and the vessel broke in two
parts.

"Come aft all," Colonel Munro shouted; "this part of the wreck is
fixed."

With great efforts all on board managed to reach the after portion of
the vessel, which was wedged among the rocks, and soon afterwards the
forepart broke up and disappeared. For two hours the sea broke wildly
over the ship, and all had to hold on for life.

Malcolm, even in this time of danger, could not but admire the calmness
and coolness of his young colonel. He at once set men to work with
ropes to drag towards the vessel the floating pieces of wreck which
were tossing about in the boiling surf. The masts and yards were hauled
alongside, and the colonel instructed the men to make themselves fast to
these in case the vessel should go to pieces.

Hour after hour passed, and at last, to the joy of all, daylight
appeared. The boats had all been broken to pieces, and Munro now set the
men to work to bind the spars and timbers together into a raft. One
of the soldiers and a sailor volunteered to try to swim to shore with