eer in our midst, we felt that our fate was fairly sealed. Even
Hall for a moment showed signs of alarm, and we heard him mutter to
himself, "God help us now!" Next moment a huge wave came broadside on
to us and emptied itself into our boat, half filling us with water. In
the sudden shock my oar was dashed from my hand and carried away
overboard!

"Never mind," said Hall hurriedly, "it would have been no use; put her
round, Charlie, quick--here, give me the tiller!"

In a moment the boat swung round to the wind (not, however, before she
had shipped another sea), and then we felt we were simply flying towards
the fatal rocks.

"Bale out, all of you!" shouted Hall; and we obeyed, including even
Hutton, who seemed at last, in very desperation, to be awakening to a
sense of his duty.

The next few minutes seemed like an age. As we knelt in our half-
flooded boat scooping up the water there in our hats, or whatever would
serve for the purpose, we could hear ahead of us the angry roar of
breakers, and knew every moment was bringing us nearer to our doom.

By one impulse we abandoned our useless occupation. What was the use of
baling out a boat that must inevitably in a few minutes be dashed to
pieces on the rocks? Hutton crawled back into the bows, and Charlie and
I sat where we were on the seat and waited.

I could not fail, even in such a situation, to notice and admire Hall's
self-possession and coolness. Desperate as our case was, he kept a
steady hand on the helm, and strained his eyes into the mist ahead,
never abating for a moment either his vigilance or his courage. But
every now and then I could see his eyes turn for a moment to Charlie,
and his face twitch as they did so, with a look of pain which I was at
no loss to understand.

"How far are we from the rocks?" asked Charlie.

"I can't say; a quarter of an hour, perhaps."

"Whereabouts are we?" I asked.

"When the lights went out we were opposite Raven Cliff," replied Hall.

We were silent for another minute; then Hall took out his watch.

"Eight o'clock," said he.

"They'll be at prayers at Parkhurst," said Charlie; and in the silence
that followed, need I say that we too joined as we had never done before
in the evening prayers of our schoolfellows?

"Charlie, old boy," said Hall, presently, "come and sit beside me, will
you?"

Poor Hall! had it been only _his_ own life that was at stake, he would
never have flinched a muscle; but as h