Whenever the waves receded I could see the
white foam all round, while the spray beat pitilessly upon me. I had
never seen the like before. It is an awful thing to watch a storm from
the shore; but to stand in the midst of it, to hear it all round you,
is more awful!

I heard a shout from beneath. "Do you see the wreck?" was the query.

I looked in the direction of the long prong and saw the outline of the
vessel.

"Yes," I replied, "but I shall want help to get to her. There! I've
fastened the rope to a rock, let Bill Tregargus come up."

Instantly, by the tugging of the rope, I knew that some one was coming,
and a little later the giant form of Bill Tregargus was beside me.

We made our way to the wreck, and as we drew nearer I was sure I saw
people clinging to the half broken mast. Nearer and nearer we came,
and then, to our joy, we saw that two men had got from the vessel and
were now trying to scale the rock.

"There's hope yet, Bill," I said. "Have you brought the rope with you?"

"Part on't, Maaster Roger, and part I tied to the rock."

I shouted as loud as I could, but I was unable to make them hear. The
thunder of the storm made my little shout of no avail. I called to the
people on the vessel, but there was no response.

Meanwhile the waves swept over the doomed vessel, and roared along the
cruel rocks. There seemed but little chance of our rendering help.
Even we, sheltered as we were by the great prongs of the rock, found it
difficult to stand.

I took the rope from Bill, and, holding one end in my hand, I threw it
straight to the men, who I could see were struggling below. The effort
succeeded. It was immediately caught, and soon we got a man on the top
of the rock.

"Many on board?" I asked.

"Twelve," he gasped.

"Can you make the other one tell the crew to do as you have done?"

We looked again, seeking for the best method to signal, and to our
delight saw that those on the vessel realised that help was come. In
the dim light I could see that they were leaving the vessel.

It was only a question of time. One by one, we pulled them up, some
bruised and beaten, but still hopeful, others gasping for life, and
others again dazed and faint.

We asked no questions; it was our work to save them first and question
them afterwards; and so, one after another, man by man, they reached
the summit of the rock.

At length we came to the last man. He was getting old and stiff. Even