"You are to go, sir. Nay, I will hear of no objections. You are my prisoner, and I am bound to see you delivered safely. Go, colonel. I mean it; I will have you put aboard by a file of marines if you do not go at once."
Katharine awoke from her apathy and stretched out her hands with a piteous cry,—
"Father, father, oh, I cannot lose you too."
"Prisoner or no prisoner, sir," said the colonel, "let me say that I am proud of my connection with you and your officers and your men. If I live to reach the shore, the world shall hear of this noble ending. Good-by, captain; good-by, gentlemen. I would fain stay with you."
"No, no!" was the cry from this band of heroes; and then Hollins sprang forward and shouted,—
"Lads! Three cheers for the colonel and for our shipmates in the launch! Let them tell at home that we were glad to stay by the old ship."
The hearty cheers came with a roar from five hundred throats.
"Good-by, good-by; God bless you!" cried the colonel, choking and utterly overcome, as he got into the boat, and sank down in the stern sheets beside his daughter.
"Colonel, we have n't a moment of time," whispered Desborough, who saw that the ship was sinking.
"Shove off, men; pull hard!"