It seemed to stop the whole boat for an instant, the timbers quivered and shook under its weight, and when the boat, which for a few seconds lay half-capsized, righted herself and went on her way again, it streamed out astern.

While this was happening, he fancied there were ghastly cries in the other boat.

But when it was over, his wife, who sat at the halliard, said in a voice that cut him to the heart: "Good God! Elias, that wave took Martha and Nils with it!"-- these were their youngest children, the former nine, the latter seven years old, who had been sitting in the bow, near Bernt.

To this Elias only answered: "Don't let go the rope, Karen, or you will lose more!" It was now necessary to take in the fourth reef, and, when that was done, Elias found that the fifth ought to be taken in too, for the storm was increasing; yet in order to sail the boat free of the ever-increasing seas he dared not, on the other hand, take in more sail than was absolutely necessary.

But the little sail they could carry became gradually less and less.