himself on his back, went in with a high
wave, and, on touching the sand, turned, dug all
his ten claws into it, clenched his teeth, and
scrambled like a cat at a wall: having more
power in his toes than the Europeans, and
luckily getting one hand on a firm stone, his
prodigious strength just enabled him to stick fast
while the wave went back; and then, seizing
the moment, he tore himself ashore, but bleeding
and bruised all over, and with a tooth
actually broken by clenching in the convulsive
struggle.

He found some natives dancing about in
violent agitation with a rope, but afraid to go in
and help him; and no wonder, not being
seagulls. By the light of their lanterns he saw
Fullalove washing in and out like a log. He
seized one end of the rope, dashed in and grabbed
his friend, and they were hauled ashore together,
both breathless, and Fullalove speechless.

The negro looked round for the sailor, but
could not see him. Soon, however, there was a
cry from some more natives about fifty yards off,
and lanterns held up; away he dashed with the
rope, just in time to see Jack make a last gallant
attempt to land. It ended in his being flung up
like a straw into the air on the very crest of a
wave fifteen feet high, and out to sea with his
arms whirling, and a death shriek which was
echoed by every woman within hearing.

In dashed Vespasian with the rope, and
gripped the drowning man's long hair with his
teeth: then jerked the rope, and they were both
pulled ashore with infinite difficulty. The good-
natured Frenchmen gave them all three lots of
vivats and brandy and pats on the back: and
carried the line for them to a flagstaff on the
rocks nearer the stern of the ship.

The ship began to show the first signs of
breaking up: hammered to death by the sea,
she discharged the oakum from her opening
seams, and her decks began to gape and grin
fore and aft. Corpses of drunken sailors drowned
between decks now floated up amidships, and
washed and rolled about among the survivors'
feet. These, seeing no hope, went about making
up all quarrels, and shaking hands in token of a
Christian end. One or two came to Dodd with
their hands out.

"Avast, ye lubbers!" said he, angrily; "do
you think I have time for nonsense? Folksel
ahoy! axes, and cut away the weather shrouds!"

It was done: the foremast went by the board
directly, and fell to leeward: a few blows of the
axe from Dodd's own hand sent the mainmast
after it.

The Agra rose a streak; and the next wave
carried her a little farther in shore.

And now the man in charge of the hawser
reported with joy that there was a strain on it.

This gave those on board a hope of life.
Dodd bustled and had the hawser carefully paid
out by two men, while he himself secured the
other end in the mizen top: he had left that
mast standing on purpose.

There was no fog here; but great heavy
black clouds flying about with amazing swiftness
extinguished the moon at intervals: at others
she glimmered through a dull mist in which she
was veiled, and gave the poor souls on the Agra
a dim peep of the frail and narrow bridge they
must pass to live. A thing like a black snake
went down from the mizen top, bellying towards
the yawning sea, and soon lost to sight: it was
seen rising again among some lanterns on the
rock ashore: but what became of it in the
middle? The darkness seemed to cut it in two;
the sea to swallow it. Yet, to get from a ship
going to pieces under them, the sailors
precipitated themselves eagerly on that black thread
bellying to the sea and flickering in the wind.
They went down it, one after another, and
anxious eyes straining after them saw them no
more: but this was seen, that scarce one in
three emerged into the lights ashore.

Then Dodd got an axe, and stood in the top,
and threatened to brain the first man who
attempted to go on the rope.

"We must make it taut first," said he;
"bear a hand here with a tackle."

Even while this was being done, the other rope,
whose end he had fired ashore, was seen moving
to windward. The natives, it seems, had found
it, half buried in sand.

Dodd unlashed the end from the bulwarks
and carried it into the top, and made it fast: and
soon there were two black snakes dipping
shorewards and waving in the air side by side.

The sailors scrambled for a place, and some
of them were lost by their own rashness.
Kenealy waited coolly: and went by himself.

Finally, Dodd was left in the ship with Mr.
Sharpe and the women, and little Murphy, and
Ramgolam, whom Robarts had liberated to show
his contempt of Dodd.

He now advised Mrs. Beresford to be lashed
to Sharpe and himself, and venture the passage;
but she screamed and clung to him, and said, "I
dare not, oh I dare not."

"Then I must lash you to a spar," said he,
"for she can't last much longer." He ordered
Sharpe ashore. Sharpe shook hands with him;
and went on the rope with tears in his eyes.

Dodd went hard to work, lashed Mrs. Beresford
to a piece of broken water-butt: filled Fred's
pockets with corks and sewed them up: (you
never caught Dodd without a needle; only,
unlike the women's, it was always kept threaded.)
Mrs. Beresford threw her arms round his neck
and kissed him wildly: a way women have in
mortal peril: it is but their homage to courage.
"All right!" said Dodd, interpreting it as an
appeal to his protection, and affecting cheerfulness:
"we'll get ashore together on the poop
awning, or somehow; never you fear. I'd give
a thousand pounds to know when high water is."

At this moment, with a report like a cannon,
the lower decks burst fore and aft: another
still louder, and the Agra's back broke. She
parted amidships with a fearful yawn, and the
waves went toppling and curling clean through
her.

At this appalling sound and sight, the few