could not judge how long I was clinging to the
grating. Tossed about as I was--now lifted to the summit of a foaming
sea--now sinking down into the trough--I kept my eye constantly turning
towards my ship.

Suddenly I saw the fore-topsail thrown aback--a boat was lowered--my
shipmates were coming to my rescue. I felt even then that I was to be
saved. I forgot the distance they had to pull and the heavy sea which
might both endanger them and hide me from their sight. Still more
eagerly did I try to make out the boat, as she laboured among the
foaming seas. I caught a glimpse of her as I rose to the top of a wave,
but she was not pulling towards me. Those in her could not have seen
me.

Then suddenly the horrid thought came across me, that Iffley might have
pretended to have seen where I was and to have guided the boat wrongly.
Then I blamed myself for thinking even Iffley capable of an act so
atrocious. Still, I thought if he had purposely thrown me into the sea,
he would be as likely to play the foul trick of which I now suspected
him.

Again I sank down into a deep trough of the sea, and could only for a
time distinguish the topsails of the ship above the masses of foam which
flew around. When I next rose again, there was the boat pulling away
from me.

I shrieked out, I raised my voice louder and louder, as if I could by
possibility be heard. I might as well have tried to howl down the
hurricane in its fiercest mood. This was more trying than all that had
gone before.

At length, exhausted by my exertions, I threw myself back on the
grating, scarcely attempting to hold on. I was then in the trough of a
sea. In another moment I was raised again to the summit of a sea, and,
though hopeless, my eyes mechanically turned towards the boat.

Some one on board had seen me--she was pulling towards me. I felt
conscious in a moment how wrong I had been to despair. I again exerted
all my strength to keep myself on the grating. I saw some one standing
up in the bows looking out for me. He pointed to where I floated, that
the helmsman might steer the boat aright.

"Hurra! hurra!" A shout reached my ears. I knew that my shipmates had
given it to encourage me. A few minutes more, and I found myself hauled
into the boat.

The first person on whom my eyes rested was Iffley. He looked, I
fancied, conscience-struck and defeated.

"Charley said as how he thought he saw you away to the eastward there;
but T