rs. Stand by your tackle, and keep your chin. Mr. Harry, tell the
ladies just to wrap up a bit, because--well, maybe, because----"

"Call me when it is time, Peterson," said I; and moved aft, holding
Jean Lafitte by the arm.

"Gee!" said he, as he dropped, wet and out of breath, into the cabin;
and "Gee!" remarked a very pale L'Olonnois in return, gamely as he
could. And Mrs. Daniver's moans went rhythmic with the pound of the
keel on the shoal.

"What shall we do?" asked Helena at last calmly. "Auntie is very sick.
I am beginning to fear for her, it is such a bad attack. This is as
rough as I ever saw it on the Channel."

"There is no danger," said I, "but Peterson and I just thought that if
she kept on pounding in this way, it might be better to go ashore."

I spoke lightly, but well enough I knew the risk of trying to launch a
boat in such a sea; and what the surf might be, none could say. Ah,
how I wished that my empty assurance might be the truth. For I knew
that, anyway we looked, only danger stared back at us now, on every
hand.

CHAPTER XXXI

IN WHICH WE TAKE TO THE BOATS

I looked at the woman I loved, and self-reproach was in my soul, as I
saw a shudder go across her form. She was pale, but beyond a swift
look at me made no sign connecting me, either with the wreck or the
rescue. I think she had even then abandoned all hope of safety; and in
my own heart, such, also, was the rising conviction which I concealed.
Under the inborn habit of self-preservation, under the cultivated
habit of the well born, to show no fear and to use the resources of a
calm mind to the last in time of danger, we stood now, at least, in
some human equality. And again I lied and said, "There is no danger,"
though I could see the white rollers and could hear their roar on the
shore.

The night grew wilder. The great gulf storm had not yet reached its
climax, and none could tell what pitch of fury that might mean. The
dull jar of the boat as she time and again was flung down by the
waves, the shiver and creak and groan of the sturdy craft, told us
that the end might come at any instant, though now the anchor held
firm and our crawl on to the shoal had ceased. All around us was water
only four or five feet deep, but water whose waves were twice as high.
Once the final crash came, and it would be too late to launch a boat,
and all of us, overboard in that welter, were gone.

Silently, I stepped on deck once more, and mo