and swamp the light
craft completely; but no matter how rude or sudden the shock, Mr. Mellen
neither betrayed any anxiety, nor gave any more sympathy to the toiling
boatman, than if he had been a wooden machine.

The disguised seaman now and then cast a furtive look at his passenger,
who seemed almost unconscious of the increasing gale. A heavy gust
sometimes seized his cloak and sent it sweeping out like the wings of a
great bird, but he only pulled it impatiently about him and sat quiet
again, looking out through the stern night.

This perilous voyage was a long one, and its difficulties grew fearfully
as they neared the end. The wind seemed to come from every point at
once, and tossed the boat about till it fairly leaped in the water, as
if trying to escape from its combined enemies.

Suddenly the rain almost ceased, the clouds parted, and the moon cast a
frightened glare over the scene. In the distance Mr. Mellen could see
his own dwelling, with the broad sweep of woods and waters in front;
then a sharp exclamation from his companion aroused him to the new
dangers that threatened him.

The boat had been swept in near the shore, where a ring of sunken rocks
girdled the beach, breaking the waves into whirlpools, and sending the
white foam out into the storm. In this spot that good ship had gone
down, yet the boatman made no effort to veer his little craft from the
awful danger, but with a furious light in his eyes and a horrid smile on
his lips, bore down upon the breakers. True, it required almost
superhuman strength to turn the course of that light craft, for the
blast was dashing it forward like a battalion of fiends.

They were close upon the breakers, when Mellen sprang up, pushed the
boatman back with a violence that sent him headlong into the bottom of
the boat, and seized the helm himself. Mr. Mellen struggled with all the
power desperation gives a man, but his efforts were futile as those of a
child. The boat spun round and round till they were fairly dizzy;
another fierce blast and they were blown directly into the breakers.

Mellen's agonized cry was answered by a hoarse murmur from his
companion, which sounded like a malediction. Before either could think
or act, a more violent blast raging up from the sea, struck the skiff
and whirled it in among the rocks.

Now Mellen's eyes kindled, and all the reserved force of his character
came out. He knew every inch of the coast for miles each way. Through