Out they rowed--and they were soon so near the vessel, that they could hear the cries and voices of the crew. The boats hailed her, and she answered that she was Dutch, homeward bound--had mistaken the lights upon the coast--had struck on a rock--was filling with water--and must go down in half an hour. The moment the boats came alongside of her, the crew crowded into them so fast, and with such disorder and precipitation, that they were in great danger of being overset, which, Mr. Percy seeing, called out in a loud and commanding voice to stop several who were in the act of coming down the ship’s side, and promised to return for them if they would wait. But just as he gave the order for his boatmen to _push off_, a French voice called out “Monsieur!--Monsieur l’Anglois!--one moment.” Mr. Percy looked back and saw, as the moon shone full upon the wreck, a figure standing at the poop, leaning over with out-stretched arms. “I am Monsieur de Tourville, monsieur--a chargé d’affaires--with papers of the greatest importance--despatches.” “I will return for you, sir--it is impossible for me to take you now--our boat is loaded as much as it can bear,” cried Mr. Percy; and he repeated his order to the boatmen to _push off_. Whilst Godfrey and Mr. Percy were trimming the boat, M. de Tourville made an effort to jump into it. “Oh! don’t do it, sir!” cried a woman with a child in her arms; “the gentleman will come back for us: for God’s sake, don’t jump into it!” “Don’t attempt it, sir,” cried Mr. Percy, looking up, “or you’ll sink us all.” M. de Tourville threw down the poor woman who tried to stop him, and he leaped from the side of the ship. At the same moment Mr. Percy, seizing an oar, pushed the boat off, and saved it from being overset, as it must have been if M. de Tourville had scrambled into it. He fell into the water. Mr. Percy, without waiting to see the event, went off as fast as possible, justly considering that the lives of the number he had under his protection, including his son’s and his own, were not to be sacrificed for one man, whatever his name or office might be, especially when that man had persisted against all warning in his rash selfishness.