wards Higson's boat, his crew hauling
away manfully at the tow-line.

Jack breathed more freely when he saw her alongside, and the blacks
being transferred to the large boat. The instant they were out of her,
she made her way once more to the shore. A second cargo was now
embarked, and the process was repeated, happily without any accident.
"She must make two more trips before they are all off," said Jack to the
surgeon, who was standing near him.

The third was accomplished as safely as the other two. "The rest will
have no difficulty in embarking, I hope," observed the surgeon.

"The sea has been rapidly getting up," replied Jack; "I wish that they
were all safe on board." The fourth and last trip was about to be made;
even the ship was much less steady than at first. As he took a glance
to the eastward, he observed that the foam-crested seas which rolled in
had increased in height. Every man on shore had embarked, and Higson's
crew now began to haul in on the line. As they were doing so, a huge
sea which came rushing on struck the boat, sending many a bucketful into
her, and then, with a thundering roar, hissing as it went rolling on,
caught the smaller boat, which had by that time performed half of her
passage. Down it came upon her; the next instant the men at the warp
were seen to come toppling down backwards--the rope had parted.

For an instant the boat had disappeared; the next, she was seen rolled
over in the surf, while those who had been in her were struggling
desperately to regain the shore. Jack felt more anxious than he had
ever before been in his life; fortunately, four of the Kroomen had gone
away in the boats. Numerous heads were seen amid the seething waters;
now one emerged, and now another, as the beach was gained, while the
gallant Kroomen, with the best swimmers of the party, went darting here
and there to assist their shipmates or the drowning blacks.

All eyes in the ship were fixed on them. By degrees they emerged from
the breakers, and Jack was in hopes that all had escaped, when he
observed three of the Kroomen and two of the sailors plunge once more
into the foaming waters. They returned dragging a body with them; then
they went in and brought out another and another. One of these, by his
dress, was seen to be a seamen, and the rest were blacks.

Then the party rushed down to save their boat, which was hurled on the
beach; but their efforts to preserve her were in vain. Do