The desire of life was strong in Helen. It was terrible to her to remain inactive and to watch the water gradually engulfing the ship. Sometimes she felt almost unable to endure it longer; but at her least movement Mrs. Desmond would start up, imploring her to remain.
"I would come back," she said once or twice. "I only want to find another place where we might be a little safer. The water is coming in upon us so fast."
But Mrs. Desmond was almost past fear itself now, and her only reply was to cling yet more closely to the lithe young figure by her side; and Helen could not steel her heart against such an appeal.
Still the ordeal was a terrible one. Awful as the scene had been when the vessel had first struck, it became more appalling now, as, gradually, cries were hushed, those few left upon the wreck reserving all their strength for their fight with death, and the cold dawn showed still only that vast expanse of gray, seething waters, unbroken by even a passing sail. Helen's heart sank within her. Must it come, this awful death? Was there no help anywhere? The strong life within her rebelled at the thought, and she looked round her, wondering whether her strength would enable her to drag Mrs. Desmond with her to a place of greater safety. Still holding her stepmother's hand, she managed to drag herself to her feet, and as she did so she caught sight of a rude raft, composed of a few planks hastily fastened together, on which two men were standing, having apparently just put off from the wreck.
"Help!" she cried.
The raft drifted on and there came no answer. With the courage of despair she repeated her cry, and the men looked round. Possibly the sight of the forlorn childish figure standing, as it appeared, utterly alone on the doomed vessel, touched them, for, notwithstanding the danger of returning to the fast-submerging wreck, they altered their course and came within hail.
"You must jump!" shouted one, throwing a rope to Helen, who stood with both hands outstretched, calling out words of encouragement to Mrs. Desmond, who still clung to her, and who was too dazed with terror and exhaustion to understand that help was at hand.
"Quick!" shouted their deliverers. "Pass the rope round you and trust to it. We can come no nearer."
"Quick!" they cried again as they saw Helen stooping down and adjusting the rope, not round herself, but round a figure that lay at her feet.
"Courage, mamma, courage!" she said. "Hold fast to the rope! We are saved, we are saved!"