Mr.Holmes was almost drowned, and, had not John seized one arm which he swung wildly above his head, he probably would have been washed overboard.

The vessel did not go down immediately as they thought it would, and Mr.Holmes, partially recovered, joined Stevens.
"The storm is terrible," said the old man.

"The ship is going down, and I will go with it." "Nay, nay; keep up a stout heart," urged John.
"Verily, how can I, when danger overwhelms even the captain ?" "If we must die, let us die like men, struggling for our lives," said John.
"Remember your pledge to me.

Care for her, for I will go.

The ship may be saved, but my end I feel is near." John promised to obey his request, and then, being one whom hope never entirely deserted, he turned upon the captain of the ship and once more urged him to make some manly exertion to save himself and the crew.
"Throw the guns overboard as well as much of the weighty cargo," he cried, "and set the pumps a-going." Mr.Holmes, having sufficiently recovered to realize the wisdom of the course pursued by Stevens, joined him in his entreaties, and they got the captain and some of his crew to make one more effort.