one or two of
the seamen had preceded her, it seemed so appalling to be swung off the
mast into the black raging chaos beneath her feet, where the lifeboat,
shrouded partially in darkness and covered with driving spray, appeared
to her more like a phantom than a reality.

"Come, Miss Lucy," said Bax, tenderly, "I'll fasten the rope round
myself and be swung down with you in my arms."

Lucy would not hear of this. "No," said she, firmly, "I will conquer my
silly fears; here, put the rope round me."

At that moment a wave tossed the boat so high that it came up almost to
the level of the mast-head, and an involuntary cry rose from some of the
men, who thought she must infallibly be dashed against it and upset.
One of the men on the mast, seeing the boat at his very feet, made a
sudden spring towards it, but it plunged into the hollow of the passing
wave, and, missing his grasp, he fell with a wild shriek into the water.
He was swept away instantly. This so unnerved Lucy that she almost
fainted in her father's arms.

"Come," cried Bax, putting the end of the rope round his waist, "we must
not trifle thus."

"The rope won't bear ye both," said Bluenose. "You're too heavy, lad."

"True," interrupted Guy, "let me do it. I'm light, and strong enough."

Bax, at once admitting the force of the argument, undid the rope without
hesitation, and fastened it quickly round Guy's waist. The latter
seized Lucy in his arms, and in a moment they were both swinging in the
air over the wild sea.

Every incident in this thrilling scene now passed with the speed almost
of thought. The boat rose under them. Bax at once let the rope run.
Down they went, but a swirl in the treacherous waves swept the boat two
or three fathoms to leeward. Instantly they were both in the sea, but
Guy did not loosen his hold or lose his presence of mind for a moment.
Bax hauled on the rope and raised him half out of the water for a few
seconds; the boat made a wild sheer towards them, and the missionary
uttered a cry of agony as he fancied his child was about to be run down,
perhaps killed, before his eyes; but the cry was transformed into a
shout of joy and thanksgiving when he saw one of the lifeboat's crew
seize Guy by the hair, and another catch his daughter by a portion of
her dress. They were quickly pulled into the boat.

To save the remainder was now a matter of less difficulty. The
missionary was the only one left on the mast who was n