e to capsize now, what would become of us?

It seemed ages before our men reappeared.

One of them shouted down--

"There's twenty. Germans."

"Any women?"

"Two."

"Look sharp with them."

We could see a cloaked figure lifted on to the bulwarks of the wreck and
held there. A wave had just passed. As the next came and lifted us up
with a lurch towards her, some one cried "Jump!" and she obeyed wildly--
almost too wildly, for she nearly overleaped us. Mercifully there were
stout arms to catch her and place her in safety. The other woman
followed; and then one after another the crew, until, with thankful
hearts, we counted twenty on board.

Our work was done. No! There was a report like a crack of thunder over
our heads, a shout, a shriek, as the mainmast of the wreck gave way with
a crash, and swayed towards us.

"Jump!" shouted the coxswain to our men, who were waiting for the next
wave to bring the boat to them. "Cut away for'ard, there!"

Another moment and the mast would be on us and overwhelm us! They
jumped, although we were down in the trough of the wave, yards below
them. At the same moment the rope in the stern was cut loose, and the
boat swung round wildly, just in time to clear the mast as it fell with
a terrific crash overboard. But our men? Four of them landed safely in
our midst; but the others? Oh! how our hearts turned cold as we saw
that two were missing, and knew that they mast be in that boiling,
furious water! We sprang wildly to the side, in the mad hope of seeing
them, or perhaps even reaching them a hand but a stern order from the
coxswain sent us back to our places.

A minute of awful suspense followed. The oars were put up, and, still
held by her stern cable, the boat was brought up again alongside. In a
minute a shout from the prow proclaimed that one at least of the missing
ones was discovered, and presently a dripping form clambered over the
side of the boat close to us and coolly sat down to his oar, as if
nothing had happened.

Another shout--this time not from the boat, but from the water. Our
other man had been carried the wrong side of us by the wave, and could
not reach us. But a rope dexterously pitched reached him where he
floated, and we had the unspeakable joy of seeing him at last hauled
safely on board, exhausted, but as unconcerned as if drowning were an
ordinary occurrence with him.

How thankfully we saw the last cable which held us to the wrec