best there was no way to help matters. By and by she struck on a ledge. Snap went her mast and there she was a helpless wreck. The wild waves came leaping over her, battering at her with all their might, and sweeping us off into the raging sea. Many was the strong man that perished that day.”
“And were you drowned?” asked Dolly very much interested.
“Hardly,” laughed Andrew; “or I should not have been here.”
“Of course not,” said Dolly. “How stupid I was! you must have got safely ashore; tell us how you did it.”
“Well,” said Andrew, “I was swept off with the others, and at first I thought it was all up with me, and that I should never breathe again, for I was buried deep by the furious waves; but at last I came to the top; and there close by me was a spar, dashing about. I seized and clung to it, and the wind drove us slowly shore-ward.
“There were a crowd of men on the beach and they soon spied me. The surf was very heavy, so that no boat could be launched, but
