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me； and I turned aside to the harbor。 I was right； the harbor was
the place to go to。 A ship sailing for Lisbon that afternoon had
offered him the opportunity of taking a passage for himself and
his wife； and escaping me。 His answer to my challenge had served
its purpose of sending me out of the way into the interior of the
island。 Once more I had trusted in Fergus Ingleby； and once more
those sharp wits of his had been too much for me。
〃I asked my informant if Mr。 Blanchard was aware as yet of his
daughter's departure。 He had discovered it； but not until the
ship had sailed。 This time I took a lesson in cunning from
Ingleby。 Instead of showing myself at Mr。 Blanchard's house； I
went first and looked at Mr。 Blanchard's yacht。
〃The vessel told me what the vessel's master might have
concealedthe truth。 I found her in the confusion of a sudden
preparation for sea。 All the crew were on board； with the
exception of some few who had been allowed their leave on shore；
and who were away in the interior of the island； nobody knew
where。 When I discovered that the sailing…master was trying in；
to supply their places with the best men he could pick up at a
moment's notice； my resolution was instantly taken。 I knew the
duties on board a yacht well enough； having had a vessel of my
own； and having sailed her myself。 Hurrying into the town； I
changed my dress for a sailor's coat and hat； and； returning to
the harbor； I offered myself as one of the volunteer crew。 I
don't know what the sailing…master saw in my face。 My answers to
his questions satisfied him； and yet he looked at me and
hesitated。 But hands were scarce； and it ended in my being taken
on board。 An hour later Mr。 Blanchard joined us； and was assisted
into the cabin； suffering pitiably in mind and body both。 An hour
after that we were at sea； with a starless night overhead； and a
fresh breeze behind us。
〃As I had surmised； we were in pursuit of the vessel in which
Ingleby and his wife had left the island that afternoon。 The ship
was French； and was employed in the timber trade： her name was
_La Grace de Dieu。_ Nothing more was known of her than that she
was bound for Lisbon； that she had been driven out of her course；
and that she had touched at Madeira； short of men and short of
provisions。 The last want had been supplied； but not the first。
Sailors distrusted the sea…worthiness of the ship； and disliked
the look of the vagabond crew。 When those two serious facts had
been communicated to Mr。 Blanchard； the hard words he had spoken
to his child in the first shock of discovering that she had
helped to deceive him smote him to the heart。 He instantly
determined to give his daughter a refuge on board his own vessel；
and to quiet her by keeping her villain of a husband out of the
way of all harm at my hands。 The yacht sailed three feet and more
to the ship's one。 There was no doubt of our overtaking _La Grace
de Dieu_； the only fear was that we might pass her in the
darkness。
〃After we had been some little time out； the wind suddenly
dropped； and there fell on us an airless； sultry calm。 W hen the
order came to get the topmasts on deck； and to shift the large
sails； we all knew what to expect。 In little better than an hour
more； the storm was upon us； the thunder was pealing over our
heads； and the yacht was running for it。 She was a powerful
schooner…rigged vessel of three hundred tons； as strong as wood
and iron could make her； she was handled by a sailing…master who
thoroughly understood his work； and she behaved nobly。 As the new
morning came； the fury of the wind； blowing still from the
southwest quarter； subsided a little； and the sea was less heavy。
Just before daybreak we heard faintly； through the howling of the
gale； the report of a gun。 The men collected anxiously on deck；
looked at each other； and said： 'There she is！'
〃With the daybreak we saw the vessel； and the timber…ship it was。
She lay wallowing in the trough of the sea； her foremast and her
mainmast both gonea water…logged wreck。 The yacht carried three
boats； one amidships； and two slung to davits on the quarters；
and the sailing…master； seeing signs of the storm renewing its
fury before long； determined on lowering the quarter…boats while
the lull lasted。 Few as the people were on board the wreck； they
were too many for one boat； and the risk of trying two boats at
once was thought less； in the critical state of the weather； than
the risk of making two separate trips from the yacht to the ship。
There might be time to make one trip in safety； but no man could
look at the heavens and say there would be time enough for two。
〃The boats were manned by volunteers from the crew； I being in
the second of the two。 When the first boat was got alongside of
the timber…shipa service of difficulty and danger which no
words can describeall the men on board made a rash to leave the
wreck together。 If the boat had not been pulled off again before
the whole of them had crowded in； the lives of all must have been
sacrificed。 As our boat approached the vessel in its turn； we
arranged that four of us should get on boardtwo （I being one of
them） to see to the safety of Mr。 Blanchard's daughter； and two
to beat back the cowardly remnant of the crew if they tried to
crowd in first。 The other threethe coxswain and two
oarsmenwere left in the boat to keep her from being crushed by
the ship。 What the others saw when they first boarded _La Grace
de Dieu_ I don't know； what I saw was the woman whom I had lost；
the woman vilely stolen from me； lying in a swoon on the deck。 We
lowered her； insensible； into the boat。 The remnant of the
crewfive in numberwere compelled by main force to follow her
in an orderly manner； one by one； and minute by minute； as the
chance offered for safely taking them in。 I was the last who
left； and； at the next roll of the ship toward us； the empty
length of the deck； without a living creature on it from stem to
stern； told the boat's crew that their work was done。 With the
louder and louder howling of the fast…rising tempest to warn
them； they rowed for their lives back to the yacht。
〃A succession of heavy squalls had brought round the course of
the new storm that was coming； from the south to the north； and
the sailing…master； watching his opportunity； had wore the yacht
to be ready for it。 Before the last of our men had got on board
again； it burst on us with the fury of a hurricane。 Our boat was
swamped； but not a life was lost。 Once more we ran before it； due
south； at the mercy of the wind。 I was on deck with the rest；
watching the one rag of sail we could venture to set； and waiting
to supply its place with another； if it blew out of the
bolt…ropes； when the mate came close to me； and shouted in my ear
through the thunder of the storm： 'She has come to her senses in
the cabin； and has asked for her husband。 Where is he？' Not a man
on board knew。 The yacht was searched from one end to another
without finding him。 The men were mustered in defiance of the
weatherhe was not among them。 The crews of the two boats were
questioned。 All the first crew could say was that they had pulled
away f