The next minute, he was up on the bulwark, and as a wave surged up, plunged overboard, rose directly well clear of the vessel on the rocks, looked back, to see the Captain on the bridge, and then, holding the boy's head well above the water with his left arm, struck out with his right, for the shore.
* * * * * It was a hard fight to avoid the rocks, but the life-belts made the task easier, and Tom Jeffs swam and was carried on shore-ward, to where a dozen fishermen were on the look-out with ropes, one of whom ran in from the sands to the coxswain's help, and dragged him in to safety; but, in spite of all his efforts, the Skipper was insensible.

He soon roused, to stand with Jeffs, watching his father, lashed to the bright brass handrail on the bridge.
"Get a boat, Jack; oh, get a boat," cried the boy.
"You be a man and listen, youngster," cried the coxswain tenderly, but firmly.

"Hear what I says, and act like a man.

These here, as knows the coast, says no boat could be launched now, but the tide's a-falling fast, and bimeby they'll go and fetch the skipper off--if she don't go to pieces fust," he added to himself.
"And take me too!" cried the boy wildly.
"Well, we'll see, my lad, but one on us o' course.

But, Master Bob, do you know what you ought to do ?" "Save my father," panted the boy.
"But as you can't, my lad, ask Someone else." And, as the boy looked wonderingly at him, Tom Jeffs said in a whisper: "Climb up yonder on the cliff, where Cap'n can see you, and no one else, and go down on your knees, my lad--you knows what for." In three hours' time the sea had fallen so, that a fishing-lugger came round a headland from a mile farther west, to where the "Flash" lay fast wedged in a cleft, and amidst the cheers of the great crowd, now gathered, Captain Trevor was taken from his dangerous position, while the news was brought, that the three boats had reached the great bay to the east, without the loss of a man.
The next day at high tide, in a perfectly calm sea, the "Flash" was floated off, much injured, of course, but able to reach the harbour by the help of a tug.