Two nights after this talk Jack Lesher was again in command of the ship, Captain Blossom having retired after an unusually hard day. It was hot and dark, and the air betokened a storm. The man at the wheel was following a course set by the captain, and the sailors whose watch was on deck lay around taking it as easy as they could. The mate had been drinking but little in the afternoon, but before coming on deck he took several draughts of rum. He was in a partiallarly bad humor and ready to find fault with anybody or anything. Some of the sails had been reefed, and these he ordered shaken out, although there was a stiff breeze blowing. Then he approached the man at the wheel and asked for the course. "Southwest by south," was the answer. "That aint right," growled the mate. "It should be south by west." "The captain gave it to me southwest by south," answered the man. "Don't talk back to me!" roared Jack Lesher. "I know the course as well as the captain. Make it south by west, or I'll flog you for disobeying orders." "Aye, aye, sir," answered the man at the wheel, and the course was changed, for the sailor stood greatly in fear of the mate. Then the mate sent below for another drink of rum. CHAPTER XII ANOTHER ACCIDENT AT SEA It was four hours later, and Captain Blossom was just preparing to come on deck, when there, came a fearful shock which threw the Golden Wave back and over on her side. "We have struck! We are on the rocks!" came a shrill cry from the deck, and immediately there was an uproar. The Rover boys were thrown to the floor from their berths, and it was several seconds before they could realize what had happened. "We have struck something, that is sure!" gasped Sam. As quickly as they could they donned their clothing and made their way to the large state-room occupied by the girls. "Oh, what a shock!" came from Nellie. "Are you safe?" asked Tom. "I am, but poor Grace struck her head on the wall, and is unconscious." Without ceremony Tom picked up the unconscious girl, wrapped her in a blanket, and, aided by Sam, carried her to the deck, the others following. A minute later Grace revived. On deck they found all in confusion. The bowsprit of the _Golden Wave_ was gone, and also the main topmast, while a mass of the rigging littered the forecastle. It was also announced that the rudder was broken and the vessel was pounding helplessly on the rocks, with a big hole in the bow directly below the waterline. "Who changed the course?" demanded Captain Blossom. "We should be fifty miles away from these rocks." "The first mate made me change the course," said the man who had been at the wheel. "I told him you had said southwest by south, and he made it south by west." "He don't know what he's talking about!" howled Jack Lesher. The shock had partly sobered him. "He was steering due south, and I told him to make it southwest by south."