this elevation were dark objects, that Captain
Rhines (at home) had made out, with his glass, to
be human beings.
"If they are people, father," said Ben, who,
confident to hold himself against the sea, had gone
into the bows, " they are dead ; for there's nothing
moves, only as the sea moves it."

"Perhaps not, Ben. They are lashed, chilled,
and most dead, but I've seen men brought to
that apparently had but a few more breaths
to draw."

In a few moments Ben shouted, " There's folks
there, four or six, I can't tell which. I see one
move his arm a little."

"What are we going to do?" asked Captain
Rhines. "I thought .there would be some one
able to take a line and make it fast, and then we
might tow them clear of the breakers and into
some lee, where we could get them off; but if
there's nobody to take a line, we've got to carry
one ourselves."

"Let the raft go by us," said Ben, "and fol-
low it up astern with the schooner. I'll take a
line in the canoe."

"I'll go with you," said Joe; but Charlie in-



THE WRECK AND THE RESCUE. 23

sisted upon sharing the peril with his father.
