"
A light wind was now blowing, and the sails began to fill.
Suddenly all rushed forward, falling upon the deck. Their trireme had
lost half her headway and was now crashing over rocks and trembling as
her bow rose. She stopped, all her timbers groaning in the shock, and
rolled sideways and lay with tilted deck above the water. Cries of
alarm rose from her galley. Men fought their way up the ladders and
scrambled like dripping rats to every place of vantage. After the
shock, Appius had leaped to the upper rail, and, rushing forward to the
door of Arria's deck-house, found her and the slave-girl within it,
unharmed. The two were crying with fear, and he bade them dress
quickly and await his orders. Then he took command. Soon a raft and
small boats were ready alongside the wreck. Within half an hour Appius
and the two maidens and part of the crew landed.
Before daylight all were safely carried to the bare, lonely rocks, with
a goodly store of food and water.
CHAPTER 22
It was a clear morning and the tenth day before the kalends of January.
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