lossom.

Now that there was danger of going down some of the sailors seemed
to grow crazy. Half a dozen tumbled into one of the boats and began
to lower it of their own accord.

"Stand back there!" shouted the captain. "The girls must go first."

"Not much!" shouted one of the sailors. "It's everybody for himself
now!" And in a moment more the small boat had left the ship's side
and disappeared in the darkness.

There were three other boats and the remaining sailors, along with
the first mate and Dan Baxter, wanted to crowd into these. But Captain
Blossom said he would shoot the first man who tried to row away
without his orders. Then some provisions were put into the boats,
and the captain divided the whole company among the three boats.

"Let us stay together, captain," pleaded Dick. "We can row."

"And what of the girls, Rover?"

"Let us go with the Rover boys," pleaded Dora, and Nellie and Grace
said the same. Old Jerry also stood by his friends.

While this talk was going on there was a rush for two of the boats,
and before Captain Blossom could do anything his men were off, taking
Jack Lesher and Dan Baxter with them.

"You can go down with the ship!" cried Dan Baxter mockingly. An
instant later the darkness hid the speaker from view.

"They have left us," cried Captain Blossom. "But, thank fortune, the
best and largest boat is also left."

Some provisions had been tumbled into this boat, and a cask of water
followed. Then the girls were placed on board, the Rover boys followed,
and the captain and old Jerry came behind, to cut away. Down went
the small boat into the mighty waves, and each of the boys caught up
an oar.

"Pull!" roared Captain Blossom. "Pull for your lives!" And they did
pull, two boys on one side, and Sam and old Jerry on the other. The
girls huddled in the stern, expecting every moment to see the little
craft turn bottom side up. They scraped along the side of the doomed
ship, and then along some rocks. Captain Blossom was in the bow,
peering ahead.

"To the left!" he yelled. "Quick!" And then came a shock, and the
captain disappeared beneath the waves.

"The captain is gone!" screamed Dora, but she was hardly heard, for
the ship was pounding on the rocks, and the spray was flying in all
directions. The boys and old Jerry continued to pull, knowing not
what else to do, and at last the spot was left behind and they found
themselves on the bosom of the mighty Pacific, in the black