danger full
well, the men worked with a will and in a few minutes three boats, well
provisioned, were floating on the sea.

The need for haste soon became apparent, for the depth of water
alongside was so insufficient that the long-boat--drawing as she did
considerably more water than the others--touched twice when the swells
let her drop into their hollows.

It was arranged that Charlie should go in the long-boat with the
captain, Raywood the passenger, and ten men of the crew. The remainder
were to be divided between the other two boats which were to be in
charge of the first and second officers respectively.

"Jump in, Brooke," cried the Captain, as he sat in the stern-sheets
looking up at our hero, who was busily engaged assisting the first mate
to complete the arrangements of his boat, "we've struck twice already.
I must shove off. Is Raywood ready?"

"He's in the cabin looking for something, sir; I'll run and fetch him."

"Stay! We've touched again!" shouted the Captain. "You an' Raywood can
come off with one o' the other boats. I'll take you on board when in
deep water--shove off, lads."

"Jump in with me, sir," said the first mate, as he hastily descended the
side.

"Come along, Raywood," shouted Charlie, as he followed. "No time to
lose!"

The passenger rushed on deck, scrambled down the side, and took his seat
beside Charlie, just as the long threatened squall burst upon them.

The painter was cut, and they drifted into deep water with the second
mate's boat, which had already cast off.

Fortunate was it for the whole crew that Captain Stride had provided for
every emergency, and that, among other safeguards, he had put several
tarpaulins into each boat, for with these they were enabled to form a
covering which turned off the waves and prevented their being swamped.
The squall turned out to be a very severe one, and in the midst of it
the three boats were so far separated that the prospect of their being
able to draw together again until evening was very remote. Indeed the
waves soon ran so high that it required the utmost attention of each
steersman to keep his craft afloat, and when at last the light began to
fade the boats were almost out of sight of each other.

"No chance, I fear, of our ever meeting again," remarked the mate, as he
cast a wistful look at the southern horizon where the sail of the
long-boat could be barely seen like the wing of a sea-gull. "Your lot
has been cast wit