, and partly for the sake of having something to do, I helped her
up to her feet, held her up in that position, and told her to cling
to the shrouds, and stay by me as long as she possibly could.

"At length, in the midst of a flash of lightning, I happened to
notice that the jolly-boat was hanging from the davits astern. No one
was near: every one was running about forward. I determined to make
an effort for life. The woman was almost senseless, so I half
carried, half dragged her to the boat and got her in. Then I passed a
line around the seat of the boat and secured her to it; after which I
began to lower the boat down. This was a deuced hard job, but I
managed it at last. Then I jumped in, and cut the line that held us,
and away we went in the boat, which was sent spinning along like a
feather over the boiling sea. I don't know how we kept afloat, but we
did. The woman never spoke one word. So we passed a fearful night,
and at length morning came. Then the woman began to cry bitterly. I
soothed her as well as I could.

"We were in a terrible situation. The storm had nearly gone down, but
we were threatened with something worse, for we had neither water nor
provisions. I gave my companion some brandy, which revived her. We
were far away out of sight of land, and no sails were visible
anywhere. I had a couple of oars, and with these I pulled toward the
north. My companion soon regained her composure and her strength, and
we were able to discuss our prospects. She told me her name and
destination. She was on her way to Rome to join her father, in
company with an aged relative and her maid. Her father had been ill,
and had been living in Italy for his health. She was anxious about
him, but still more troubled about her relative, who had been left on
board the steamer.

"Miss Talbot was very beautiful, and the most unselfish person I ever
saw. She was perpetually trying to lighten my labor. She insisted on
taking an oar and trying to row. She bore up most uncomplainingly
against our hardships. In fact, she acted like a regular brick. Of
course, before I had talked with her half an hour I was head over
heels in love with her."

"But it's awfully nice to have your life saved, and be alone together
in a boat like that," said Katie. She spoke in an injured tone, as
though a shipwreck was something highly desirable, which a harsh fate
had cruelly kept away from her.

"Well," continued Harry, "we starved, and starved, an