"Oh, Heaven, this is maddening!" exclaimed Willard, rushing to the beach like one demented; "to think they should perish thus, within reach of us almost, while we are here in safety. Carl, where is your boat? I will venture out, and see if I cannot save some one, at least."
"Oh, Marse Drummin'! for de dear Lord's sake, don't risk it!" cried Lem, in an agony of terror. "No boat could live two minutes in dem waves."
"You couldn't launch the boat in these breakers," said Carl, "much less pull, if you were into her."
"And they must perish before our very eyes! Oh, heavens, this is awful!"
Again he listened for the gun, but it came no more. Its voice was silenced in storm and death.
"They have gone down!" said Carl; "the signal gun will fire no more."
"Heaven have mercy on their souls!" said Willard, solemnly, lifting his hat.
"Amen!" said Lem, whose fears seemed swallowed up in awe.
"We may soon look out for the bodies," said Carl, straining his eyes over the black, seething waves.
Even as he spoke, by the blinding light of a glare of lightning they beheld two bodies, lashed to a spar, thrown violently on the sands near them. All sprang forward, and drew them up beyond the reach of the waves.