Though the sea had become much more calm, it was still raised by a tremendous swell whose waves crashed against the shore with a formidable noise. The pilot had ordered another sail to be put up, no doubt to augment the speed of the yacht. This was scarcely done when a frightful cry was heard from the bow, "Helm aport! We are on the breakers!" I never knew how the pilot obeyed this order, or how he managed the yacht; for, at the instant the cry of warning was heard, a horrible crash, followed by a loud, cracking sound, stopped the yacht short. The shock was so violent that I, Williams, and two of the sailors, were thrown on the deck. "The yacht is ashore!" cried Williams, as he got up. "Damn the pilot!" My wound prevented me from rising as quickly as Williams. I was still lying on the deck, when some one rushed past me rapidly, a heavy body fell into the sea, and the pilot was no longer to be seen at the helm or on the deck. Remembering my suspicion of the man, and forgetting the danger we were in, I rose up, and saw, at a gunshot's distance from us, the pilot-boat; its sailors were rowing hard towards a black spot, surrounded by foam, that I could easily see in the moonlight. It was the pilot, who was swimming to get back to his boat. "A gun! Give me a gun!" I cried out. "I knew it was he!" At this moment the yacht struck for the second time on the rocks, and the mainmast fell, with a terrific crash. Following the crash, there was a moment of silence and stupefaction, in which I heard these words in French, "Remember the mystic of Porquerolles!" It was the pirate,--the yacht was a wreck. The last scene of this drama was so confused, so hurried that I can scarcely recall it. Everything was confusion and chaos, frightful scenes followed one another, as thunder-claps succeed one another in a storm. At the third shock the yacht was raised up by an immense wave, and fell with all its weight on a ledge of sharp rocks. Already split in two, the keel went to pieces. I heard the water rushing into the ship's hold with a horrible sound. The ship had filled with water! In spite of my wound, which kept one of my hands bound to my side, I was about to jump into the sea, when I saw Falmouth come up from below; he was assisted by Williams. At this moment another great wave took the ship sideways, and completely engulfed it. I felt myself rolling to the edge of the ship, then I was lifted up and stunned by a crushing weight of water which passed over me roaring like thunder. From that moment I lost all perception of what was happening to me.