act, for had the horse slipped both beast
and rider would have fallen to certain death. Behind her, on his own
horse, rode the stockman, which of course made the danger greater.

But Grace Bussell made nothing of the danger she was undergoing, her
sole thought being to reach the drowning people as quickly as possible.
The passengers and crew of the Georgette, watching her with a strange
fascination, expected every minute to see her fall and be killed. To
their astonishment she reached the beach in safety, and rode straight
into the boiling surf. The waves broke over her, and it seemed
impossible that she would ever reach the upturned boat and rescue the
exhausted people clinging to it. Once the horse stumbled, but Grace
was a skilful rider and pulled him up quickly.

As she drew near to the boat, closely followed by the stockman, hope
revived in the hearts of the shivering women and children clinging to
it, and when at last she was alongside every mother besought her to
take her child. Quickly she placed two little ones before her on the
saddle, and grasping hold of a third she started for the shore. The
stockman, with as many children as he could hold, rode close behind her.

The journey outward had been difficult and dangerous, but now that her
horse was carrying an extra load it was infinitely more so. However,
she proceeded slowly, and although on one or two occasions they were
nearly swept away they reached the beach in safety.

Having carefully placed her living load on dry land, she rode again
into the raging sea. Her progress was slower this time, but she
returned to shore with children on her saddle and women clinging to her
skirt on each side.

Drenched to the skin and exhausted by the buffeting of the surf, Grace
Bussell might have pleaded that she had not the strength to make
another journey, but again and again, accompanied by the stockman, she
rode out into the dangerous sea, and not until four hours had passed,
and the last passenger was brought ashore, did she take a rest.

Hungry, tired, and shivering with cold, she sank to the ground; but she
soon noticed that many of those whom she had saved were more exhausted
than she, and that unless food and warm clothing were given them
quickly they would probably die.

So, rising from the ground, she mounted her dripping horse and galloped
off towards home. The twelve miles were covered quickly, but on
dismounting at her home Grace fainted, and i