y the
unremitting and strenuous exertions of the men with boat-hooks, oars,
and fenders that this was prevented. Now the boat surged up into the
chains as if about to leap on board the ship; anon it sank into a gulf
of spray, or sheered wildly to leeward, but by means of the hawser and
cable, and a "spring" attached to the latter, she was so handled that
one and another of the crew of the wreck were taken into her.

The first saved was a little child. It was too small and delicate to be
swung over the side by a rope, so the captain asked Jim Welton, as being
the most agile man in the ship and possessed of superabundant animal
courage, to take it in his arms and leap on board. Jim agreed at once,
handed over the care of his flare-lights to one of the men, and prepared
for action. The poor child, which was about a year old, clung to its
mother's neck with terror, and the distracted woman--a soldier's widow--
could scarce be prevailed on to let the little one out of her arms.

"Oh, let me go with him," she pleaded most earnestly, "he is all that is
left to me."

"You shall follow immediately; delay may be death," said the captain,
kindly, as he drew the child gently but firmly from her grasp.

It was securely bound to Jim's broad bosom by means of a shawl.
Watching his opportunity when the boat came surging up on the crest of a
billow almost to his feet, and was about to drop far down into the
trough of the sea, the young sailor sprang from the side and was caught
in the outstretched arms of the lifeboat men.

It had occurred to Stanley Hall, just before this happened, that there
was every probability of some of the passengers falling overboard during
the process of being transferred to the boat. Stanley was of a somewhat
eccentric turn of mind, and seldom allowed his thoughts to dissipate
without taking action of some kind. He therefore got into the mizzen
chains and quietly fastened a rope round his waist, the other end of
which he tied to a stanchion.

"You'll get crushed by the boat there," cried the captain, who observed
him.

"Perhaps not," was the reply.

He stood there and watched Jim Welton as he leaped. The mother of the
child, unable to restrain herself, climbed on the bulwarks of the
vessel. Just as she did so the boat surged up again,--so close that it
required but a short step to get into her. Some of the passengers
availed themselves of the chance--the poor widow among them. She sprang
wi