Here was a heap of gear—­stay-sail, and jib-halyards, and other ropes, some of the ends swarming overboard.  I hauled in one of these ends, but found I could not clear the raffle; but looking round, I perceived a couple of coils of line—­spare stun’-sail tacks or halyards I took them to be—­lying close against the foot of the bowsprit.  I immediately seized the end of one of these coils, and flung it into the boat, telling them to drop clear of the wreck astern; and when they found they had backed as far as the length of the line permitted, I bent on the end of the other coil, and paid that out until the boat was some fathoms astern.  I then made my end fast, and sung out to one of the men to get on board by the starboard mizzen-chains, and to bring the end of the line with him.  After waiting a few minutes, the boat being hidden, I saw the fellow come scrambling over the side with a red face, his clothes and hair streaming, he having fallen overboard.  He shook himself like a dog, and crawled with the line, on his hands and knees, a short distance forward, then hauled the line taut and made it fast.

“Tell them to bring the boat round here,” I cried, “and lay off on their oars until we are ready.  And you get hold of this line and work yourself up to me.”

Saying which, I advanced along the deck, clinging tightly with both hands.  It very providentially happened that the door of the deck-house faced the forecastle within a few feet of where the remains of the galley stood.  There would be, therefore, less risk in opening it than had it faced beamwise:  for the water, as it broke against the sides of the house, disparted clear of the fore and after parts; that is, the great bulk of it ran clear, though of course a foot’s depth of it as least surged against the door.

I called out to the girl to open the door quickly, as it slid in grooves like a panel, and was not to be stirred from the outside.  The poor creature appeared mad; and I repeated my request three times without inducing her to leave the window.  Then, not believing that she understood me, I cried out, “Are you English?”

“Yes,” she replied.  “For God’s sake, save us!”

“I cannot get you through that window,” I exclaimed.  “Rouse yourself and open that door, and I will save you.”

She now seemed to comprehend, and drew in her head.  By this time the man out of the boat had succeeded in sliding along the rope to where I stood, though the poor devil was nearly drowned on the road; for when about half-way, the hull took in a lump of swell which swept him right off his legs, and he was swung hard a-starboard, holding on for his life.  However, he recovered himself smartly when the water was gone, and came along hand over fist, snorting and cursing in wonderful style.

Meanwhile, though I kept a firm hold of the life-line, I took care to stand where the inroads of water were not heavy, waiting impatiently for the door to open.  It shook in the grooves, tried by a feeble hand; then a desperate effort was made, and it slid a couple of inches.