length from the spot where they had
been standing.

In vain did they endeavour to recover their feet. They had been carried
into deep water, where the tallest of them could not touch bottom.

For some seconds they struggled on the top of the swell, their faces
turned towards the spot from which they had been swept. They were close
together. All three seemed desirous of making back to that dark,
solitary speck, protruding above the surface, and which they knew to be
the head of Old Bill. Still did they hesitate to forsake him.

Once more his voice sounded in their ears.

"Och, boys!" cried he, "don't thry to come back. It's no use whatever.
Lave me to my fate, an' save yersels! The tide's 'ard against ye.
Turn, an' follow it, as I tell ye. It'll carry ye safe to the shore;
an' if I'm washed afther ye, bury me on the bache. Farewell, brave
boys, farewell!"

To the individuals thus apostrophised it was a sorrowful adieu; and,
could they have done anything to save the sailor, there was not one of
the three who would not have risked his life over and over again. But
all were impressed with the hopelessness of rendering any succour; and
under the still further discouragement caused by another huge wave, that
came swelling up under their chins, they turned simultaneously in the
water; and, taking the tidal current for their guide, swam with all
their strength towards the shore.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

SAFE ASHORE.

The swim proved shorter than any of them had anticipated. They had
scarce made half a mile across the bay, when Terence, who was the worst
swimmer of the three, and who had been allowing his legs to droop,
struck his toes against something more substantial than salt water.

"I' faith!" gasped he, with exhausted breath, "I think I've touched
bottom. Blessed be the Virgin, I have!" he continued, at the same time
standing erect, with head and shoulders above the surface of the water.

"All right!" cried Harry, imitating the upright attitude of the young
Hibernian. "Bottom it must be, and bottom it is. Thank God for it!"

Colin, with a similar grateful ejaculation, suspended his stroke, and
stood upon his feet.

All three instinctively faced seaward, as they did so, exclaiming:

"Poor Old Bill!"

"In troth, we might have brought him along with us!" suggested Terence,
as soon as he had recovered his wind; "might we not?"

"If we had but known it was so short a swim," said Harry, "it is
possib