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sometimes with their heads under water, sometimes above it, among boxes and bales and furniture, and articles of all sorts.

They were now fully aroused, as well they might have been. True Blue exerted himself to help Paul, who, wounded as he had been, and now sore and bruised, was less able than usual to endure the hardships he was undergoing.

They were still in total darkness, and had to speak, to let each other know where they were. True Blue had worked his way close to the companion-hatch, and thought that Paul was following. He spoke, but there was no answer. His heart sunk within him. He swam and waded back, feeling about in every direction with frantic eagerness.

"Paul Pringle-godfather where are you?" he shouted.

Suddenly he felt an arm. It was Paul's. He lifted him up, and, with a strength few could have exerted, dragged him under the companion-hatch. The ladder had been unshipped, but True Blue having righted it dragged Paul up a few steps, when in a short time, recovering his breath, and Paul regaining his consciousness, they together made an effort to gain the deck.

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Fate of the Prize.

WHEN True Blue went below, to tell Paul how bad the weather had become, he left the schooner hove-to under her foresail, which being stretched out completely in the body of the vessel, is the best adapted for that object under all circumstances but two. One is, that being low down, it is apt to get becalmed when the waves run high; the other is, that should a heavy sea strike the vessel, it is likely to hold a dangerous quantity of water. The fore-yard had been sprung, or True Blue would have brought the vessel to under her foretopsail. True Blue had not long left the deck, when a tremendous sea, like a huge black hill, was observed rolling up on the weather-bow.

“Hold on, lads! hold on!" shouted Tom Marline.

Harry, who was at the helm, in an instant passed a rope round his waist, and stood at his post, hoping to luff the vessel up so as to receive the blow on her bows; but the roaring sea came on too rapidly; down it broke on board the vessel, driving against the foresail like a battering-ram. Over it passed; and the schooner in an instant, lay on her beam-ends, the water rushing in at each hatchway. The boats, guns, caboose, hencoops, all the things in short on deck, were swept away, with a great part of her bulwarks.

Tom and the rest secured themselves under the weather-bulwarks. They had not been there many seconds before they recollected their companions below. While Harry tried to reach the after-cabin, Tom did his best to get to the men in the fore-peak. Letting go his hold, he was working his way forward, when another sea struck the vessel.

"Oh, Tom is gone!" cried Fid.

No one could help him. Away the relentless sea washed him; but, just as he was being hurled to destruction, he grasped the fore-rigging hanging overboard, and dragged himself again on deck.

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Tim and the Dane dragged him up to the weather side, where they were joined by Harry, who reported that the cabin was full of water; and, he added, Oh, mates, it will break my heart—the boatswain and True Blue must both be drowned."

To help the poor fellows in the fore-peak was now impracticable, and, too probably, useless, as it was argued, that they must long ere this be drowned.

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Aye, and we shall be drowned, too," cried the Dane, who had been for some time complaining of pain. 'Our officers are gone, and we may as well go, too. There is no use living on in misery longer than can be helped. Good bye, mates."

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"Avast there, mate!" exclaimed Tom. "Be a man. Don't give in till the last. Let us hope as long as there is life. The day will come back, and the sun will shine out, and a vessel may heave in sight."

"No, no, I can't stand it," cried the poor unhappy Dane. "I have no hope-none. Good bye."

On this, before Tom could prevent him, he cast off the lashings by which he was secured to the bulwarks,

CUTTING AWAY THE RIGGING.

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and sliding down into the water, a roaring sea, as if exulting in its prize, carried him far away out of their sight.

Not a shriek was heard-not a cry did he utter; but voluntarily gave himself up to death.

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'Oh, mates, this is very sad," exclaimed Tom to his two younger companions; "that poor fellow now should have hung on till God thought fit to call him. How could he tell but what God may send us help before many hours are over."

"True, true," said Harry.

Don't you think now

we could do something to try and save the vessel. If we were to cut away the starboard rigging, the vessel might be freed from her masts and right herself."

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The suggestion was of a practical nature, and pleased Tom; and all three setting to work with their knives, with considerable labour, cut through the shrouds. Scarcely was the last strands severed than the masts with a loud crack, went by the board, and with a violent jerk the vessel righted.

"There, lads,” said Tom, "I told you things would mend, if we would but trust in Providence."

Tom wished to encourage his companions; for the state of the vessel was only apparently a degree improved.

"Ah, now, if we had had the bo'sun and True Blue with us, and the poor fellows for'ard, we might have I still done well. Howsomdever, daylight will come at last, and then we shall see better what to do."

As he ceased speaking, Tim Fid uttered a loud cry— "Why-oh mercy. There be their ghosts," he exclaimed. “Paul and Billy. It can't be them. They've been drowned this many an hour."

66 Heaven be Let us go aft and

"It's them though," cried Harry. praised. They are beckoning to us. help them."

He and his friends were soon grasping each other's hands, and describing what had occurred. Tom soon followed, and poor Tim, having recovered his wits, and being convinced that they were alive, joined them.

Their condition was sad indeed. There lay the vessel rolling and tumbling about in the stormy ocean, the seas constantly making a clear breach over her; the mainmast gone altogether; but the wreck of the foremast, still hanging on by the bowsprit, and violently striking her bows.

It was found that their best place for safety was inside the companion hatch, where they all collected, and being there partially free from the seas, endeavoured to get a little rest, to prepare for whatever they migh: have to do in the morning.

At length daylight broke; but it did little else than reveal more clearly their forlorn condition.

True Blue, having been preserved himself, was anxious to ascertain whether his companions might have escaped in a similar way. Tom assured him

that there was no hope; but he insisted on going for ward to see. The rest of the party watched him as he performed the dangerous passage, for the seas kept continually beating over the vessel, and might easily have washed him away. He reached the forehatch, and stooping down, called to the men. No answer was given. The water was much too high in the cabin to have allowed them to escape, and he returned aft convinced of their death.

For some hours no one had thought of eating; but

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