dair ordered the men in the gig to come in, and he stood half in the
water holding her stem. He had no need to hurry Saint Maur and the
rest. One poor fellow was struck, but his companions did not wait for
him; they saw at a glance that he was killed. Another narrowly escaped,
and a huge block came near Saint Maur as he sprang over a wide gap.
With frantic haste they dashed along, and almost breathless reached the
beach.

"Spring in!" cried Adair; "I shall be the last to leave the shore!"

Roy and the other men followed. Adair now jumped on board, and made his
way to the stern sheets. The bow-men shoved, off without waiting for
orders, and bending to their oars the gig was soon across the bar.
Saint Maur and Roy were too much out of breath to speak. Indeed, Adair
himself forgot to ask the reason of the signals they had heard; as,
while steering for the bar, and casting a momentary glance over his
shoulders, he saw the whole island rocking to and fro, and not only
steam and smoke, but flames bursting forth from several fissures. Even
now neither he nor his men were in safety: for should the island sink,
the rafts and boats would be drawn into the vortex; or should it blow
up, as seemed very likely, the fragments would too probably fall down
and crush them, or create so violent a commotion of the ocean that they
would scarcely escape being overwhelmed. Steering for the heaviest
raft, he joined another boat in towing her. As yet they were under the
lee of the island, and their sails were of no use. Long paddles had
been formed for the use of the men on the rafts, who worked
energetically, as the boats, heavily laden as they were, were unable to
make much headway.

Roy, who had been hitherto panting too much to speak, now recovering
himself, exclaimed--

"A sail, sir! a sail! We saw her standing towards the island. She's a
steamer, I think, though I could not make out her funnel. I caught
sight of a wreath of white smoke hanging above her masthead."

"Too probably she's only passing," said Adair.

"No, sir, she was standing steadily this way; and the heads of her
courses had already risen above the horizon. We left the flag flying,
so if the hill doesn't come toppling down, she will see that, and know
that there is some one on the rock. Perhaps she is coming expressly to
look after us."

"Thank Heaven!" cried Adair, in a voice choking with emotion, for the
first time the calm composure he had hitherto