the spending of a
single piece, Martin, for we ran into a storm such as I never saw the
like of even in those seas. Well, we ran afore it for three days and
its fury nothing abating all this time I never quit the deck, but I had
been wounded, and on the third night, being fevered and outworn, turned
in below. I was awakened by Nick Frant roaring in my ear, for the
tempest was very loud and fierce:

"'Adam!' cried he, 'We're lost, every soul and the good money! we've
struck a reef, Adam, and 'tis the end and O the good money!' Hereupon
I climbed 'bove deck, the vessel on her beam ends and in desperate
plight and nought to be seen i' the dark save the white spume as the
seas broke over us. None the less I set the crew to cutting away her
masts and heaving the ordnance overboard (to lighten her thereby), but
while this was doing comes a great wave roaring out of the dark and
dashing aboard us whirled me up and away, and I, borne aloft on that
mighty, hissing sea, strove no more, doubting not my course was run.
So, blinded, choking, I was borne aloft and then, Martin, found myself
adrift in water calm as any millpond--a small lagoon, and spying
through the dark a grove of palmetto trees presently managed to climb
ashore, more dead than alive; and, lying there, I prayed--a thing I had
not done for many a year. As the dawn came I saw the great wave had
hurled me over the barrier reef into this small lagoon, and beyond the
reef lay all that remained of my good ship. I was yet viewing this
dolorous sight (and much cast down for the loss of my companions, in
especial my sworn friend Nicholas Frant) when I heard a sound behind me
and turning about, espied a woman, and in this woman's face (fair
though it was) I read horror and sadness beyond tears, and yet I knew
her for the same had been wife to the murdered governor of Santa
Catalina.

"'Go back!' says she in Spanish, pointing to the surf that thundered
beyond the reef. 'Go back! Here is the devil--the sea hath more
mercy--go back whiles ye may!' And now she checked all at once and
falls a-shivering, for a voice reached us, a man's voice a-singing fair
to hear, and the song he sang was this,

'Hey cheerly O and cheerly O
And cheerly come sing O!
While at the mainyard to and fro--

and knowing this voice (to my cost) I looked around for some weapon,
since I had none and was all but naked, and whipping up a jagged and
serviceable stone, stood awaiting him wit