"Jump as far as you can!" shouted the captain.
Ralph placed a foot on the railing, and, looking back at Alfred, said: "Here goes! Come on!"
Both boys landed at almost the same time. The little girl was aroused by the cold water, and was wildly floundering about, but the cripple lay upon the surface of the water, with face upturned, limp and still. They glanced about; where were the boats? They could not be far away.
"I am afraid he's done for," said Alfred, as he glanced toward the cripple.
"Well, we might as well stay near him; he might be all right," replied Ralph.
"Move away from the ship quickly," said a voice in the water, not far away.
It was the captain. He was the last one to dive, after he had seen every passenger safely off the ship.
"We have no time to lose; take care of yourselves; I will help the little girl," he continued, as he threw the child on his back, and began to strike out.
The sea had been calm up to this time, but no sooner had the captain ceased speaking than a tremendous wave almost engulfed them; they seemed to be carried up, and then were forced down by a giant swell. Another wave followed and then another, until, finally, the oscillations of the waves seemed to be growing less and less.
"Where is the ship?" cried Alfred.