her course; for the commander would not waste an instant while the lives of
so many human beings depended upon his action.

"Can you make out what they are clinging to, Mr. Gaskette?" asked the
commander of the only person besides the two quartermasters who remained
with him in the pilot-house.

"Yes, sir; I am just getting an idea in regard to it, though the thing is
awash so that I can hardly make it out," replied the second officer. "I
think it is the bottom of a rather small vessel, upside down; for I see
something like a keel. The party have two ropes stretched the whole length
of the bottom, to which they are clinging."

"You are right; that is plainly the bottom of a vessel, and I wonder that
the craft has not gone down by this time. How she happens to be in that
situation, and why she has not sunk, are matters yet to be explained. Go
aft, if you please, and see that both cutters are ready to be lowered into
the water, Mr. Gaskette. It is not prudent to go much nearer to the wreck,
for the gale may drift us upon it."

The second officer left the pilot-house, and found the crews all seated in
their boats, with everything in readiness to obey the order to lower away;
and he reported the fact to his superior.

"Starboard the helm, Bangs, and steer small!" said Captain Ringgold as soon
as the officer returned with the information he had obtained.

To "steer small" is to move the rudder very gradually; for if the course
were suddenly changed a quarter of the circumference of the compass in such
a sea as was then raging, it would be liable to make the steamer engage in