t gangway where the large boat was being brought round to receive
the women and children first. This was such a familiar scene to the two
lifeboat men that they kept cool and self-possessed from the mere force
of habit. Seeing this, the captain ordered Mitford to get into the boat
first, and help to stow the others, for it would be a tight pack, he
said, to stow them all. Dr Hayward was ordered to assist. Ned Jarring
volunteered to help to fend the boat off during the operation, and,
without waiting for permission, jumped into her.

Mitford had consigned his wife to the care of his friend Massey, who at
once undertook the duty by tying a kerchief round Peggy's head to keep
her hair out of her eyes, after which he did the same for Nellie. Both
women were perfectly quiet and submissive--the first owing to fear and
exhaustion, the last from native courage, which enabled her to rise to
the occasion. Massey then stripped off all his own clothes, except
shirt and trousers, so as to be ready for swimming, and, catching up a
rope, advanced towards his wife, intending to fasten it round her waist.

"Peggy first, Bob; I'll wait for _you_," said his wife.

"Look sharp!" cried the captain.

Bob turned at once to Peggy, and in a few seconds she was lowered into
the boat. Mrs Hayward followed. Then Massey insisted on his wife
going, and the obedient Nellie submitted, but, owing to a lurch of the
ship at the moment, she missed the boat, and dropped into the water.
One of the men attempted to pull her in, but could not, and, as all the
others were engaged at the moment in trying to fend off the rocks,
Massey at once jumped into the sea, and helped to get his wife into the
boat.

At that moment there arose a cry that the ship was sinking, and a wild
rush was made for the long-boat, which had also been successfully
launched. Of course it was instantly overcrowded, for all discipline
was now at an end. Before anything else could be done the _Lapwing_
sank in sixteen fathoms of water, carrying the long-boat and all the
people in her along with it, but those in the other boat had shoved off
at the first wild cry, and hauling on the anchored cable, just escaped
being sucked down by the sinking ship.

Bob Massey clung to the boat's gunwale, and thus escaped. Rowing back
instantly, however, to the spot where the ship had gone down, they
sought eagerly for swimmers. Only three were discovered and rescued,
but the others--seven