ll this hamper, and hang to it, it will act as a floating
anchor, and bring her head up to the wind?"

"Very well thought of, Mr. Farrance," the captain shouted back; "by all
means do so."

The order was given and immediately carried out. The tangle of ropes and
spars, with the ship's strongest hawser attached, soon drifted past her,
and as the cable tightened the vessel's head began to come slowly up into
the wind.

"That will delay her fate for a bit," the captain said, "but we can't hope
that it will more than delay it, unless we can get up some sail and crawl
off the coast. Get ready the strongest try-sails we have in case they may
be wanted."

In a few minutes the sails were got ready, but for the present there was
nothing for it but to hang on to the wreckage. The shore was some miles
away, but in spite of the floating anchor the drift was great. The crew of
the _Furious_ had now time to breathe, but it was pitch dark and nothing
could be seen save the white heads of the waves which now every moment
threatened to overwhelm them. Not a trace of the frigate which had so
hotly pursued them could be seen.

"God rest their souls!" the captain said earnestly. "I am afraid she is
gone. In fair fight one strives to do as much damage as possible, but such
a catastrophe as this is awful. I trust the other two took warning in
time."

"I hope so too. They were under the lee of that island we passed shortly
before it began, so would be partially sheltered. There is no hope for the
first, and their fate is terrible indeed, sir; all the more awful,
perhaps, because we know that it may become ours before long."

"There is no doubt about that," the captain said. "Unless the wind drops
or chops round our fate is sealed, and a few hours will see the ship
grinding her bones on that rocky shore. It is too dark to see it, but we
know that we are most surely approaching it."

As day broke the shore was made out a little more than half a mile away.
The captain then called the crew together.

"My lads," he shouted, but in spite of his efforts his voice was heard but
a few yards away, "everything has been done for the ship that could be
done, but as you see for yourselves our efforts have been in vain. I trust
that you will all get ashore, but as far as we can see at present the
rocks are almost precipitous, and, high as they are, the spray flies right
over them. I thank you all for your good conduct while the ship has been
in c