The Morse Readers (Volume 3); Practical Graded Text

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 Excerpt: ...and it was a scene to make one quake with fear. Right in the midst of all this rage and roar of wind and sea, a great ship, with sails rent and helm gone, came in sight. It rode on the high, white waves, straight on to a reef of rocks, too far from the shore to be reached with a rope. The ship was full of young and old, whose cries for help could be heard, loud as was the voice of the storm. Their boats were gone like the shells of eggs. There was no wood or time to build a raft. The waves leaped on the ship like great, white wolves bent on their prey. How could one soul of them all be saved-! The men on shore could but look on the sad sight. They could give no help. They had no boat or raft, and their hearts were sick in them. Then the Dutch Boer was seen to draw near at full speed on his horse. Down he came to the beach, nor did he stop there for one breath of time. He spoke a word to her which she knew, and with no touch of whip or spur she dashed in, and, with a rope tied to her tail, swam the sea to the ship's side. She wheeled, and stamped her way on the white surge with a row of men to the shore. There she stayed but for a breath. At the soft touch she knew so well, she turned, and once more plowed through the surge to the ship, and brought back a load of old and young. Once more she stood on the beach, amidst tears of joy that fell from all eyes. She stood there weak, as wet with sweat as with the sea. The night fell fast down on the ship. There were still a few more left on it, and their cries for help came on the wind to the shore. The thoughts that tugged at the brave man's heart will not be known in this world. The cries from the ship pierced it through and through. He could not bear to hear them. He spoke a low, soft word to his horse. He put h...