ea like glass,
An' it gev' us all the creeps, O,
Wen the sun went down like a ball o' brass,
An' the pirate rigged 'is sweeps----"

"There she goes!" yelled the sailor in charge of the line; he began to
haul in the slack like a madman; Coke's fist fell heavily on the
singer's right ear.

"Wen your turn comes, I'll tie the rope round your bloomin' neck!" he
growled vindictively, though his eyes continued to search the dark
shroud overhead that inclosed them as in a tomb. A dark form loomed
downward through the mist. It was Hozier, alone, coming back to them.
A frenzied cheer broke from the lips of those overwrought men. They
knew what that meant. Somewhere, high above the black rocks and the
flying scud, was hope throned in the blessed sunshine. They drew him
in cautiously until Coke was able to grasp his hand. They were quick
to see that he brought a second rope and a spare whip.

"Two at a time on both ropes," was his inspiriting message. "They're
friendly Portuguese up there, but no one must be seen if a boat is sent
from the island to find out what has become of the ship. So step
lively! Now, Captain, tell 'em off in pairs."

Coke's method was characteristic. He literally fell on the two nearest
men and began to truss them. Hozier followed his example, and tied two
others back to back. They vanished, and the ropes returned, much more
speedily this time. Four, and four again, were drawn up to safety.
There were left the captain, Hozier, and the unhappy Watts, who was now
crying because the skipper had "set about" him, just for singin' a reel
ole wind-jammer song.

"You must take up this swine," said Coke to Hozier, dragging Watts to
his feet with scant ceremony. "If I lay me 'ands on 'im I'll be
tempted to throttle 'im."

Watts protested vigorously against being tied. He vowed that it was
contrary to articles for a chief officer to be treated in such a
fashion. He howled most dolorously during his transit through mid-air,
but was happily quieted by another sharp rap on the head resulting from
his inability to climb over the obstructing rock.

Before quitting the deck, Hozier helped to adjust the remaining rope
around the captain's portly person. They were lifted clear of the
trembling forecastle almost simultaneously, and in the very nick of
time. Already the skeleton of the ship's hull was beginning to slip
off into deep water. The deck was several feet lower than at the
m