ous seas which ever and anon swept over the deck might carry her
into the raging ocean.

"But the same fate might befall you," she said. "Oh, Ernst, how
fearful!"

I showed her that I was holding on to a ring-bolt in the deck, and that
the risk I ran when thus lying down was not so great as she had
supposed. As I was speaking, I saw a sea rising high above the bows of
the vessel. I had just time to grasp her in my arms, and to spring
under shelter of the companion-hatch, before it broke on board, and
rushed as others had done along our deck. Not without difficulty I
saved her from injury, and, descending the ladder, placed her in the
cabin, where her maiden was sitting crying bitterly with alarm. On the
other side was Sir Thomas, supporting poor Richard. He himself had been
too often at sea not to have been placed before in a like position,
though he seemed scarcely aware how furious was the gale then blowing,
nor had he been told, I found, how serious was the leak the vessel had
sprung. The crew continued working energetically at the pumps; and I
judged by the way the captain and mates urged them to persevere,
themselves working like the rest, that the water in the hold had in no
way been got under. The captain and his officers were brave men; but
their countenances grew pale with anxiety, and I saw them looking
constantly round the horizon in search of some vessel which might come
to our assistance. At length I asked Captain Davis what he thought of
our condition.

"To be frank with you, I think very bad of it, Master Verner," he said.
"If the gale abates, the ship may be kept afloat; but if not, all our
efforts will be unavailing; and then, unless some vessel comes to our
assistance, drowning must be our lot!"

My heart sank at these words, for I had not before realised our danger.
Should I go and tell those below to be prepared for death? I had not
the heart to do it. At that instant my post at the pumps was left by
another man. I rushed frantically at it, and worked away with might and
main. As long as I was in action, I could keep off the painful thoughts
which pressed on me. Was I prepared for death? Yes, I had settled that
matter as every man ought to settle it; if he does not, wretched is his
condition when the hour of trial arrives; but I thought of others,--my
kind patron, of his gentle son, but, more than all, of Aveline, so
young, so fair, thus to be summoned out of the world. Yet, surel