Page:Rover Boys on Land and Sea.djvu/79

Rh They could, only too plainly, and in a minute more the water seemed to be running all around them. The cries continued, but it was so black they could see next to nothing.

What happened in the next few minutes the Rover boys could scarcely tell, afterward. An effort was made to get out a lifeboat, and it disappeared almost as soon as it left the side, carrying some sailors with it.

Then some red-fire blazed up, lighting up the tragic scene, and revealing a schooner standing close by the steamer. The sailing vessel had her bowsprit broken and part of her forward rail torn away.

"If we must die, let us die together!" said Dick, and they kept together as well as they could. Old Jerry was with them, and said he should do all he could for them. He had al ready passed around life-preservers, and these they put on with all possible speed.

Then followed a sudden plunge of the steamer and all found themselves in the waves of the ocean. They went down together, each holding the hand of somebody else. When they came up, Tom was close to a life-line thrown from the sailhjg vessel and this he clutched madly.

"Haul us in!" he yelled. "Haul us in!" And the line was pulled in with care, and after ten minutes of extreme peril the boys and the