Each heart now beat high with joy. Deliverance
had come at last. The boat's head was directed toward the beach, but the
wind had freshened, and a heavy surf was beating on shore, and unless
the boat was skilfully handled there was great danger of swamping. Still
the boat was kept on, and in less than half an hour from the time the
beach was discovered the boat was plunging through the breakers.
On entering the surf an immense roller overtook the boat, lifted her
high up on its crest, and, owing to some unskilful management, she was
capsized. The crew were tossed into the boiling surf, and left to
struggle with the receding waves for their lives. Tite's first thought
was to secure the boat, and seizing hold of the line he made a desperate
effort to gain the beach, and was successful, as were two of the men.
The others were too weak to make much of a resistance, and were carried
away by the undercurrent, and nothing more was seen of them.
CHAPTER XXVII.
OLD DUNMAN AND THE PIRATE'S TREASURE.
With only the drenched clothes they stood in, no means of lighting a
fire, and death from starvation staring them in the face, these three
shipwrecked men stood upon the beach of this strange island, still
hoping and wondering what was to be the next change in their condition.
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