eir
own against the treacherous under-tow.

By clinging to the sides of the craft, and straining every muscle, the
attempt was successful, and as the wave receded the little tender lay
across a sharp piece of coral, almost a total wreck.

"Take hold and shove her further up!" Jake shouted. "Work now as you
never did before, or we shall lose all our stores!"

During the next half minute the three struggled to the utmost of their
power, and then the fragments of the boat and the goods which had been
brought from the Sea Dream were high upon the beach beyond reach of the
next wave, which swept in with a yet louder roar as if enraged at having
been deprived of its prey.

Not until this had been done was it possible to look around for the
sailors, and Teddy cried as he gazed seaward without seeing any living
creature:

"Where are they?"

Jake watched the boiling waters several seconds before he replied
mournfully:

"It was as I feared. They either struck some of these jagged rocks as
they leaped from the boat or the under-tow was so strong that it dragged
them down."

"Do you mean that all three have been drowned?" Neal cried.

"If they were alive we should see them by this time," and Jake ran along
the shore hoping they might have succeeded in scrambling out at some
other point.

Teddy and Neal followed him, and when five minutes passed there could be
no further doubt.

"If they had waited until the boat struck, as we did, there would have
been little trouble to get ashore; but now we shall never see them
again."

The boys could hardly realize that three strong men had been taken from
this world so quickly, and when finally the fact stood out boldly
without the slightest possibility of mistake, a feeling of deepest
depression took possession of all.

Teddy threw himself face downward on the sand and gave way to grief,
while Neal and Jake stood by his side in silence, for this dreadful
catastrophe seemed to be a warning of their own fate.

CHAPTER VIII.

SUSPENSE.

How long they remained on the shore in an apathy of despair not one of
that party ever knew.

Jake was the first to arouse himself, and, understanding that work is
the best remedy for mental troubles, he said, with a great effort to
speak cheerily:

"See here, lads, this will never do if we want to get out of the scrape.
We've got to stay here till the other boats come along, and it is
necessary to make some preparations for livi