re to lift his anchor. But it was no easy work, and the sea,
which broke over the bows again and again, made him almost relinquish
the effort, and cut the cable instead. Still he knew the importance of
having his anchor ready to drop, should he be unable to beach the boat
on his arrival at the spot he had selected, so again he tried, and up it
came. He quickly hauled it in, and running up his sail he sprang to the
tiller, hauling aft his main-sheet.

Away flew the boat amid the tumbling seas, which came rolling in from
the westward. He held the sheet in his hand, for there was now as much
wind as the boat could look up to, and a sudden blast might at any
moment send her over. That, too, Michael knew right well. On she flew
like a sea-bird amid the foaming waves, now lifted to the summit of one,
now dropping down into the hollow, each sea as it came hissing up
threatening to break on board; now he kept away to receive its force on
his quarter; now he again kept his course.

The huge Gull Rock rose up under his lee, the breakers dashing furiously
against its base; then Kynance Cove, with its fantastically-shaped
cliffs, opened out, but the sea roared and foamed at their base, and not
a spot of sand could he discover on which he could hope to beach his
boat, even should he pass through the raging surf unharmed. Meantale
Point, Pradanack, and the Soapy Rock appeared in succession, but all
threatened him alike with destruction should he venture near them.

He came abreast of a little harbour, but he had never been in there, and
numerous rocks, some beneath the surface, others rising but just above
it, lay off its entrance, and the risk of running for it he considered
was too great to be encountered. Those on shore might have seen his
boat as she flew by, but, should they have done so, even the bravest
might have been unwilling to risk their lives on the chance of
overtaking her before she met that fate to which they might well have
believed she was doomed.

Michael cast but a glance or two to ascertain whether any one was
coming; he had little expectation of assistance, but still his courage
did not fail him.

The rocks were passed; he could already distinguish over his bow the
lighthouses on the summit of the Lizard Point. Again he kept away and
neared the outer edge of a line of breakers which roared fiercely upon
it. He must land there notwithstanding, or be lost, for he knew that
his boat could not live go