am high above her.

The English lieutenant and his party had made fast a cask to the end of
the line they had secured, and were endeavouring to float it towards the
shore, where three or four people stood ready to receive it. In vain
they tried. Several times the cable got almost within their reach, and
was carried back again with the reflux of the wave. Morton, however,
observed to his satisfaction, that just at that part there were no
rocks, and that the seas rushed on without any break till they reached
the beach.

"If I could but do it," thought Morton to himself. "I have swum through
some tolerably heavy seas on the Shetland coast."

He at once made the proposal to Mr Calder.

"Impossible!" was the answer. "You would be drowned, my boy, to a
certainty."

"But I could do it, and whether I'm drowned or not, it matters little,"
exclaimed Job Truefitt. "Here, who'll take charge of this here young
Frenchman?"

Rawson offered also to make the attempt, but he was known not to be a
good swimmer.

A thundering crash was heard. It was the fall of the remainder of the
foremast, and the breaking up of the fore part of the ship. It was a
strong hint to the English party to hasten whatever they might
undertake.

"You'll let me go, Mr Calder?" said Morton again.

He and Job Truefitt had secured some light line to the cask, which had
just been hauled up. It was again lowered, and the lieutenant nodded
his head, but his countenance was very sad, as if he had little hopes of
the success of the expedition. The instant his permission was gained,
Ronald and Job slid down the side of the ship, and were quickly borne on
with the cask towards the shore. They both struck out bravely, and soon
reached the cask. They had little at first to do, except to keep
themselves afloat. All those who anxiously watched them, knew that the
trial would come as they neared the beach, and got within the power of
the under suck of the receding waves. At first they merely accompanied
the cask, and supporting themselves by it, husbanded their strength.

"They will be lost to a certainty, I know," observed Rawson. "If they
don't succeed, I don't know who will. I never saw a finer swimmer than
that man Truefitt."

"Oh, I hope they will! I hope they will be saved!" cried Glover, in an
agony of terror for Morton, who had inspired him with the sincerest
affection.

"There they go! bravely they swim!" cried Mr Calder. "They are ahe