The second time he put down his feet he trod on the sand. Fearful that the beam which had carried him in safety might roll over and crush him, he let go, and making a last effort, struggled upwards. The foaming seas washed round his legs, and threatened to carry him back, but on he struggled, gasping for breath until the dry ground was reached, and then, by one strenuous effort, getting out of the reach of the water, his strength giving way, he sank to the ground, utterly exhausted. CHAPTER ELEVEN. DEATH OF VOULES--ALL LOST--DESPAIR OF LORD REGINALD--NEPTUNE--WATER FOUND--A MOURNFUL DUTY--BURYING THE DROWNED--REMORSE--THE RIVAL CRUSOES--THE LAST OF POOR BEN--STONE THROWING--NOTHING BUT CLAMS-- NEPTUNE AND THE PIGEON--THE BODY OF LUCAS DISCOVERED--GOOD INTENTIONS-- AN ANGRY MEETING--NEPTUNE'S DISLIKE TO SHELL-FISH--A PERILOUS SWIM-- LOOKING OVER THE ISLAND--ANOTHER STORMY ENCOUNTER--LABOUR IN VAIN--PRIDE AGAINST REASON--BOW-MAKING--NEP FINDS A TREASURE. Lord Reginald lay for some minutes on the beach utterly exhausted, but not senseless. He recollected vividly all that had occurred. So battered and bruised did he feel, it seemed to him that he had only escaped from drowning to die a more lingering death on the barren shore, or to be massacred by the savage inhabitants of the island on which he had been cast. "Is it my fate alone to have escaped among all the stout fellows who manned the ship?" he at length asked himself. "Perhaps even now some are struggling in the waves, and as I have been carried in safety to the shore, I ought to try and help them." This thought made him attempt to rise, and he found that he could do so with less difficulty than he had supposed possible. The wind had begun to fall almost directly after the ship had struck, but still the seas rolled in as heavily as before. He knew, weak as he was, should he venture into their power, that he might be lifted off his feet and carried away in their cruel embrace. On looking around he saw a mass of broken spars, torn canvas, and running rigging thrown up within his reach. On examining it he found that he could unreeve some of the rope. He set energetically to work. By using a knife which he fortunately had in his pocket, he was able to cut off several lengths, which, knotting together, formed a long rope. Taking three spars he forced them with all his might, in the form of a triangle, into the sand, and secured one end of the rope to the spar nearest the sea, while the other end he fastened round his waist. This done he was able to advance further into the water than he would otherwise have ventured to do.