owever, scraped clear of it. "We shall get
through now," cried Owen; "paddle away, Nat."

In a few minutes more they reached the opening, which was just wide
enough to allow their small raft to pass through.

"Hurrah! we have done it," cried Nat, as they saw the white surf
breaking astern of them. The current, however, threatened to carry them
out to sea, but by great exertion they kept close to the rocks, and
paddled on. At length they reached the rock where their shipmates were
collected. As they scrambled up on the rock the first person they saw
was Mr Scoones.

"Well, youngsters, you little expected to find me here, I've an
opinion," he said; "you'll have to look out, and do as I order you."

Owen had expected a more friendly greeting from those who had escaped.
Neither he nor Nat made any reply. They at once carried up the tools
which they had brought for safety to the top of the rock. Several of
the men who had reached the rock congratulated them on their escape.
Owen inquired for Mr Grey and the other officers. No one had seen
them, and it was feared that they had been washed away by the seas which
broke over the ship when she first struck. The long-boat had been
driven against the rocks and dashed to pieces, although those in her had
managed to reach the rock. Owen was grieved also to hear that the
boatswain had been lost, with several of the men, when the raft turned
over. The only officer, indeed, who had escaped was Mr Scoones.

The position of the sufferers, numbering altogether twenty persons, was
still dangerous in the extreme, as at any moment the sea might rise and
sweep them all away. As the morning mists cleared off and the sun burst
forth, they saw, a couple of miles to the eastward and southward, a
sand-bank, which rose apparently some feet above the water. The
intervening space appeared to be filled up with rocks and sand, so that
it might be passed by wading, and perhaps occasionally swimming to get
over it. Mr Scoones pointed out to the men that their only chance of
safety was at once to get to the sand-bank, which was of considerable
extent.

"The youngsters raft will assist us to carry across the things which
have been saved," he observed.

Fortunately most of the casks which had been brought by the large raft
had been picked up, as well as a good many others. Those which would
not float of themselves were now placed on the small raft, and the mate,
taking a long spar in hi