ttom, like
Christians, with whole skins, we shall be dashed to pieces on the rocks,
and washed up in little bits."

_Felix._--"I hope some of my little bits will get near mama's little
bits, and then I shall not care."

_Oscar._--"Mother, may I creep up and ask Smart what the captain thinks
about the land?"

_All._--"Yes, do, do, dear boy."

"Mind you are careful, my darling boy," said the anxious Mother.

The captain came down himself with the boy, and corroborated Schillie's
idea, that land was dangerous if the gale continued. "But, thank God,"
said he, bowing his head, "the gale is breaking; may I see you all down
before my eyes, if I am deceived in thinking we shall have fine weather
in a few hours; but," continued he, looking round with concern, "what
pale faces, what suffering and misery you have undergone. I am a'most
done myself," the large tears rolling down his pale shrunken cheeks,
"and, but for the lives under my care, I must have given way long ere
this. Ye have need to pray yet for succour; we are aye in a mickle mess,
shortened in our hands, with work for twenty men, it is not to be
expected as nature 'll stand it out. The men are fairly done, and, but
for that likely Smart, I ken we should be in a far worse state. I am
thinking, leddies, a spell at the pump will no harm you, and gie us a
better chance of our lives, while the men get a bit snack. Another six
hours will make or mar us; but it's no me as will disguise from any one
that she's sprung a leak. All the straining and strammashing she has
gone through would have foundered some score of fine boats, but she is a
good one, aye, a grand one. So weel ye just come?"

We were awfully startled at the announcement of a leak, but followed him
as well as we were able. Lashed to the pumps, we again worked hard, but
not as before to reap a reward of our labours in seeing the pumps become
dry. At the end of two hours, when we had worked turn and turn about,
the captain told us that the water did not gain on us, yet the pumps
must be kept going night and day to keep her afloat. How grieved we were
to see our kind-hearted merry Smart, who had always looked such a fine
handsome specimen of an English gamekeeper, worn down to a shadow, his
fine fresh colour gone, his cheeks shrunk and withered, his bright eyes
and frank smile vanished, and a care-worn, haggard, gaunt man in his
stead. The two dogs were near him, looking famished and subdued. But
throughout t