ommission, and am sure that you will know how to die, and will
preserve your calm and courage till the end. Go to your stations and
remain there until she is about to strike; then each man must make the
best fight for life that he can."

The men went quietly off. Mr. Farrance stood watching the shore with his
telescope. Presently he exclaimed: "See, sir, there is a break in the
cliff! I do not know how far it goes in, but it looks to me as if it might
be the opening to an inlet. We are nearly opposite to it, so if we shift
the hawser from the bow to the stern she will swing round, and will
probably drift right into the creek if that is what it is."

"By all means let us make the attempt," the captain said. "Thank God,
there is a hope of escape for us all!"

The men sprang to their feet with alacrity when they heard the news.
Another hawser was brought up and firmly spliced to the one in use just
beyond the bulwark forward. Then it was led along outside the shrouds and
fastened to the bitts astern and then to the mizzen-mast. This done, the
first hawser was cut at the bulwark forward, and the ship swung round
almost instantly. As soon as she headed dead for shore the raffle that had
so long served for their floating anchor was cut adrift and the try-sail
was hoisted on the stump of the foremast, and with six good men at the
wheel the vessel surged shorewards under the force of the gale, every man
on board holding his breath. The opening was but a ship's-length across,
but driven by the wind and steered with the greatest care the _Furious_
shot into it as quickly and as surely as if she were propelled with oars.
A great shout of relief burst from the whole crew when, after proceeding
for a hundred yards along a narrow channel, the passage suddenly widened
out into a pool a quarter of a mile across.

"Let go the anchor!" the captain cried, and he had scarce spoken when the
great anchor went thundering down. "Pay out the chain gradually," was the
next order, "and check her when she gets half-way across." The order was
obeyed and the vessel's head swung round, and in less than a minute she
was riding quietly over great waves that came rolling in through the
entrance and broke in foam against the shore of the inlet. The quiet after
the roar and din was almost startling. Above, the clouds could be seen
flying past in rugged masses, but the breast of the pool, sheltered as it
was from the wind by its lofty sides, was scarcely