“He’s right!” the keeper exclaimed. “I must have lost my head when I thought they could come in hand-over-hand while there’s such a sea on. Buckle to the oars, boys! We’ll make the station if we can; but if not, beach this craft as near as possible. We’ve a poor crew indeed, if our comrades are allowed to drown while they’ve got so many timbers under them!” While speaking he had swung the boat around head on to the shore, and every man tugged and strained at his ashen blade, while Downey lent all possible assistance with the steering oar. “We’ll never make the station!” Benny heard Robbins, who was directly in front of him mutter, and almost at the same instant the keeper cried hoarsely: “We must take our chances in the cove, boys. No. 8, get hold of a cork jacket and come aft before we strike!” CHAPTER XVI. CAST ASHORE. Benny understood the command given by Keeper Downey, but could not make up his mind as to how it might be obeyed. It seemed to him in the highest degree important that he keep to work with the oar, and yet he could not lay hold of a life-preserver without dropping it. After having thus attended to the boy’s safety so far as was possible, the keeper turned all his attention to the work of so steering the life-boat that she would strike the shore at the least dangerous point. The huge lighter, on which could be seen indistinctly the forms of the four men, was being driven rapidly toward the stranded steamer, and it was not necessary one should have much experience in such matters to understand that if she struck the wreck there was little hope the four men could gain the shore alive. If the crew had been on the cliff with the beach-apparatus, watching others being swept down the coast in such fashion, it would not have appeared to be a particularly dangerous position, because a line could be fired across the wreck, or the surf-boat pulled to wheresoever the lighter might come to grief. Now, however, there was no one on shore to lend assistance, and, as a matter of fact, every member of the crew was in extreme peril. Benny watched his helpless comrades as he pulled at the oar while awaiting the opportunity to lay hold of a life-preserver, and, observing that he was not yet prepared for what lay before them, Robbins asked sharply: “Didn’t you hear what the keeper said?” “Yes, sir; but I can’t reach one of the jackets without dropping my oar.” “Let it go, then! None of us are doing very much good now while the wind has such a firm grip on us, and your strength won’t be missed. This is the time when you must have your wits well about you, lad, and it’s no easy matter to keep a clear head while floundering in the surf.” “Is it certain we’ll all be thrown out?” Benny asked as he took up one of the jackets and began adjusting it.