," said the former, "I have to ask you whether you intend to
anchor, and try to keep the ship out of danger or not?"

"Not till the land is in sight, and I see the necessity," answered Kydd
quite calmly. He said nothing more for a minute or so. Then suddenly
he exclaimed in a furious tone, "But I am not going to be dictated to by
a set of mutinous scoundrels." I need not repeat all his words.

Just at that moment I heard that peculiar low, suppressed roar which a
seaman knows so well to indicate breakers I begged the mate to listen,
telling him what I had heard, but he was deaf to reason, and declared he
would only anchor when he saw fit. He seemed to have gone out of his
mind, and I felt that I should be justified in assisting the crew in
putting him under restraint; but he was in reality as much in his senses
as ever, though under the influence of his passion and obstinacy. Just
at that moment another roller came in toward the brig from the westward,
and the next instant all on deck were almost thrown off their feet. A
blow was felt which made her shake fore and aft, and the water, which
had hitherto not even rippled against her side, now broke over her in a
shower of spray. The passengers started up. Kate clasped her little
sister round the neck, and seized the arm of her brother David, who was
standing near her. "What is the matter? what has happened?" shrieked
out Miss Rowley in an attitude expressive of her terror.

"We are on shore," cried some of the men; "that is what has happened."

Such was too truly the case. The old captain's warnings had been
neglected, and his prognostications were thus terribly fulfilled.

CHAPTER TWO.

WRECK OF THE "OSPREY," AND OUR ESCAPE.

Boastful as the mate had been, he turned deadly pale as he saw the
dangerous position in which the brig was placed. When, however, she lay
quiet--the sea not again breaking over her--he recovered himself. The
crew meantime, led by Barker, had gone aloft, without his orders, to
furl sails, the first thing under the circumstances to be done.

"Get the boats out," he said at length. His voice had lost its usual
authoritative tone. "We must warp the vessel off."

"No easy matter to do that," observed the boatswain. "I know what these
banks are made of, and it will be a hard job to find holding ground.
Which way will you haul her off, sir?"

"The way she came on," answered the mate. "That was sideways, I have a
notion," obse