as of consequence.

"Surely, sir, you're going to lower a boat," cried Desmond, who observed
the hesitation of his superiors; "you can't be after letting my uncle
and Tom Rogers drown without an attempt to save them; it's myself would
go in her, even if I go alone;" and without further remark he sprang to
the lee side, where several of the crew were already collected.

"I'll go also, at all risks," cried the boatswain. "Who'll go with me
and Mr Desmond?"

The crew were standing ready with the falls in their hands; he selected
six of the best men; but, as they were on the point of leaping into the
boat, a sea struck her, and, lifting her bows, unhooked the forward
fall, and the next instant she was dashed to fragments against the side.

"I should be throwing away your lives, my lads, to lower another boat,"
cried the first lieutenant, as he saw the crew running to the
after-quarter boat. "Very sad, but it can't be helped; we must look
after the ship, or she'll be in a scrape presently."

By this time the light from the lifebuoy was no longer visible, and even
had a boat been lowered, it would have been difficult, if not almost
impossible, to find it. The order was given to brace round the
headyards, the helm was put up, and the ship was kept on her course
running before the wind. Several seas struck her, carrying away two
more of her boats and committing further damage. Had not the hatches
been battened down, so tremendous was the quantity of water which
flooded her decks that she would in all probability have foundered.

Still the men talked and grumbled, and asked whether all had been done
that was possible to save their commander and the midshipman. Poor
Desmond was in a fearful state of grief; he declared, perhaps unjustly,
that all had not been done, and that the ship ought not to have left the
spot without, at all events, searching for the lifebuoy, and
endeavouring, should the commander and Tom have been found clinging to
it, to get them on board. The night was unusually dark, so that had the
light not continued burning this would have been impossible. The
weather, contrary to expectation, again moderated; Desmond thought that
even now they ought to put back, and try to find the lifebuoy. He
expressed his opinion very strongly to the first lieutenant.

"You are using very unwarrantable language, young gentleman," was the
answer; "I overlook it, as you naturally feel grieved at the loss of
your uncl