be, had shifted. On the poop, which stood some seven
feet higher than the maindeck, matters were not quite so bad, the deck
fittings, such as the skylights, etcetera, remaining intact, although
much of the glass had been smashed. The wheel remained entire, and as
we drew nearer we could see it wildly spinning round, now to port and
now to starboard, as the sea acted on the rudder. There were ten men
clustered in this part of the wreck, six of whom were crouching under
the lee of the skylight, while four had lashed themselves to the stump
of the mizzenmast. They were all, of course, drenched to the skin, the
sea breaking over them constantly; and some of them were clad only in
shirt and trousers, seeming to indicate that they had turned out
hurriedly. As we drew close up to this pitiful victim of the relentless
power of the wind and sea, we saw a movement of some sort among the
figures crouching under the lee of the skylight; and presently, watching
their opportunity, they retreated aft, one or two to the wheel grating,
one to the standard of the binnacle, and others to positions where they
could secure themselves from being washed overboard by grasping
ringbolts, bollards, and the like, revealing the whole length of the
skylight, on the panelling of which was inscribed in chalk--

"We are fast sinking. For God's sake, take us off quickly!"

I was able to read this distinctly through my own binoculars; and I no
sooner made it out than I jumped on to the top of a hen-coop, and,
grasping the mizzen-rigging with one hand, waved the other encouragingly
to them, their response being a feeble cheer.

At this moment Sir Edgar Desmond, who with the rest of his party had
been absorbed spectators of everything that passed, stepped quickly to
my side, and, fairly panting with excitement, said--

"Captain, if there is _anything_ I can do to assist in this matter, I
shall take it as a very especial favour if you will command me."

"Thank you very much, Sir Edgar," I replied. "I do not know that you
can help us very materially at present, unless,"--as I saw a look of
deep disappointment come into his eyes--"you would kindly produce a
bottle or two of your remarkably fine port, and have it warmed ready for
those poor fellows when--or rather _if_--we get them on board. They
have been exposed for some hours at least to wind and sea, and--"

"Say no more, my dear fellow," he interrupted; "I understand perfectly."

And away h