r himself to obey orders. On the other
hand, he remembered that he had deliberately resolved to throw off his
allegiance, and as he drew near the piece of wreck, he reflected that he
was at that moment assisting in an act which might cost the lives of all
on board.

Driven to and fro between doubts and fears, the poor boy kept changing
the course of the sloop in a way that would have soon rendered the
hitting of the wreck an impossibility, when a sudden and rather sharp
puff of wind caused the Nora to bend over, and the foam to curl on her
bow as she slipped swiftly through the water. Billy decided at that
moment to _miss_ the wreck when he was close upon it, and for that
purpose deliberately and smartly put the helm hard a-starboard.

Poor fellow, his seamanship was not equal to his courage! So badly did
he steer, that the very act which was meant to carry him past the wreck,
thrust him right upon it!

The shock, although a comparatively slight one, was sufficiently severe
to arouse the sleepers, to whom the unwonted sensation and sound carried
the idea of sudden disaster. Jim and Grundy rushed on deck, where they
found Morley Jones already on the bulwarks with a boat-hook, shouting
for aid, while Stanley Hall assisted him with an oar to push the sloop
off what appeared to be the topmast and cross-trees of a vessel, with
which she was entangled.

Jim and Grundy each seized an oar, and, exerting their strength, they
were soon clear of the wreck.

"Well," observed Jim, wiping his brow with the sleeve of his coat, "it's
lucky it was but a light topmast and a light breeze, it can't have done
us any damage worth speaking of."

"I don't know that," said Jones. "There are often iron bolts and sharp
points about such wreckage that don't require much force to drive 'em
through a ship's bottom. Take a look into the hold, Jim, and see that
all's right."

Jim descended into the hold, but immediately returned, exclaiming
wildly--

"Why, the sloop's sinkin'! Lend a hand here if you don't want to go
down with her," he cried, leaping towards the boat.

Stanley Hall and Grundy at once lent a hand to get out the boat, while
the fish-merchant, uttering a wild oath, jumped into the hold as if to
convince himself of the truth of Jim's statement. He returned quickly,
exclaiming--

"She must have started a plank. It's rushing in like a sluice. Look
alive, lads; out with her!"

The boat was shoved outside the bulwarks