Sam had already been down to the shore and had gone back to tell his father . As they jolted along , he screamed information at them over the shriek of the gale . `` Bad business , this ! She 's pounding on a reef ` bout a quarter of a mile out . They 're sure she 's going to break up -- old tub , you know -- leaky -- rotten . The sea 's tremenjus high , and the surfs going dean over her . There ca n't be no boat launched for hours yet -- they 'll all be drowned . Old Paul 's down there like a madman -- offering everything he 's got to the man who 'll save Oscar , but it ca n't be done . '' By this time they had reached the shore , which was black with excited people . Out on Gleeson 's Reef the ill-fated little schooner was visible amid the flying spray . A grizzled old Harbour fisherman , to whom Sam shouted a question , shook his head . `` No , ca n't do nothin ' ! No boat c 'd live in that surf f ' r a moment . The schooner 'll go to pieces mighty soon , I 'm feared . It 's turrible ! turrible ! to stan ' by an ' watch yer neighbours drown like this ! '' Curtis and Will elbowed their way down to the water 's edge . The relatives of the crew were all there in various stages of despair , but old Paul Stockton seemed like a man demented . He ran up and down the beach , crying and praying .
His only son was on the Amy Reade , and he could do nothing XXXXX save him !
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