Title: The South Sea Whaler
Author: Kingston, William Henry Giles, 1814-1880
Language: English
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THE SOUTH SEA WHALER, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON.

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A gripping story about two young children, a boy of about fourteen and
his sister of about twelve, who set off with their father, a south-sea
whaling captain, on what is intended to be his last voyage, their mother
having died during his previous three-year voyage.  Unfortunately some
of the crew, especially the bo'sun, are not very well-intentioned, and
after a chapter or two about the voyage out to the Pacific, and some
whale hunts of varying success, there is a mutiny.  The ship ends up on
fire and is abandoned with various rafts and ship's boats getting away
from her.

There is a well-written account of the children's drift on a raft with
two of the officers, and a wonderful and kind coloured man, though the
story is not quite as simple as that, since people lose one another, and
lose their rafts, with considerable drama.

Finally the children's father turns up, of course, and the story ends
with everybody happy, except the wicked bo'sun and his confederates, who
have gone to Davy Jones' Locker on account of their devotion to the
Demon Drink.

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THE SOUTH SEA WHALER, W.H.G. KINGSTON.



CHAPTER ONE.

THE CHAMPION WHALER--THE CAPTAIN AND HIS CHILDREN--SIGHTS AT SEA--
FRIGATE-BIRDS AND FLYING-FISH--A BONITO--CATCHING ALBATROSSES--MUTINOUS
MUTTERINGS--A TIMELY WARNING.

"A prosperous voyage, and a quick return, Captain Tredeagle," said the
old pilot as he bade farewell to the commander of the _Champion_, which
ship he had piloted down the Mersey on her voyage to the Pacific.

"Thank you, pilot.  I suppose it will be pretty nearly three years
before we are back again,--with a full cargo, I hope, and plenty of
dollars to keep the pot boiling at home.  It's the last voyage I intend
to make; for thirty years knocking about at sea is enough for any man."

"Many say that, captain; but when the time comes they generally find a
reason for making one voyage more, to help them to start with a better
capital.  But as you have got your young ones aboard, you will have
their company to cheer you."

As the old pilot stepped along the deck he shook hands with two young
people, a boy and a girl, who were standing near the gangway.

"Good-bye, Walter; good-bye, Miss Alice; look after father, and obey
him, and God will bless you.  If we are all spared, I hope to see you,
Walter, grown into a tall young man; and you, Miss Alice, I suppose I
shan't know you again.  Good-bye; Heaven protect you."  Saying this, the
old pilot lowered himself into his boat alongside, and pulled away for
his cutter, which lay hove-to at a little distance.

The _Champion_ was a South Sea whaler of about four hundred tons burden;
with a crew, including Mr Andrew Lawrie, the surgeon, of fifty officers
and men.  The chief object of the voyage was the capture of the sperm
whale,--which creature is found in various parts of the Pacific Ocean;
but as the war in which England had been engaged since the commencement
of the century was not over, she carried eight guns, which would serve
to defend her both against civilised enemies and the savage inhabitants
of the islands she was likely to visit.  The usual license for carrying
guns, or "Letters of Marque," had been obtained for her by the owners;
she was thus able not only to defend herself, but to attack and capture,
if she could, any vessels of the enemy she might meet with.  Captain
Tredeagle, being a peace-loving man, had no intention of exercising this
privilege,--his only wish being to dispose of the ventures he carried,
and to obtain by honest exertions a full cargo of sperm oil.

Walter and Alice waved their hands to the old pilot, as his little
vessel, close-hauled, stood away towards the mouth of the river.  It
seemed to them that in parting from him the last link which bound them
to their native land was severed.  They left many friends behind them;
but it was their father's wish that they should accompany him, and they
eagerly looked forward to the pleasure of seeing the beautiful islands
they were likely to visit, and witnessing the strange sights they
expected to meet with during the voyage.

While the pilot vessel was standing away, the head-yards of the
_Champion_ were swung round, the sails sheeted home; with a brisk
northerly wind, and under all the canvas she could carry, she ran
quickly down the Irish Channel.

"Here we are away at last," said Captain Tredeagle, as his children
stood by his side; "and now, Walter, we must make a sailor of you as
fast as possible.  Don't be ashamed to ask questions, and get
information from any one who is ready to give it.  Our old mate, Jacob
Shobbrok, who has sailed with me pretty nearly since I came to sea, is
as anxious to teach you as you can be to get instruction; but remember,
Walter, you must begin at the beginning, and learn how to knot and
splice, and reef, and steer, and box the compass, before you begin on
the higher branches of seamanship.  You will learn fast enough, however,
if you keep your eyes and ears open and your wits about you, and try to
get at the why and wherefore of everything.  Many fail to be worth much
at sea as well as on shore, because they are too proud to learn their A
B C.  Just think of that, my son."

"I will do my best, father, to follow your advice," answered Walter, a
fine lad between fourteen and fifteen years of age.  His sister Alice
was two years younger,--a fair, pretty-looking girl, with the hue of
health on her cheeks, which showed that she was well able to endure the
vicissitudes of climate, or any hardships to which she might possibly be
subjected at sea.

When Captain Tredeagle resolved to take his children with him, he had no
expectation of exposing them to dangers or hardships.  He had been
thirty years afloat, and had never been wrecked, and he did not suppose
that such an occurrence was ever likely to happen to him.  He forgot the
old adage, that "the pitcher which goes often to the well is liable to
be broken at last."  He had lost his wife during his previous voyage,
and had no one on whom he could rely to take care of his motherless
children while he was absent from home.  Walter had expressed a strong
wish to go to sea, so he naturally took him; and with regard to Alice,
of two evils he chose that which he considered the least.  He had seen
the dangers to which girls deprived of a mother's watchful care are
exposed on shore, and he knew that on board his ship, at all events,
Alice would be safe from them.  Having no great respect for the ordinary
female accomplishments of music and dancing, he felt himself fully
competent to instruct her in most other matters, while he rightly
believed that her mind would be expanded by visiting the strange and
interesting scenes to which during the voyage he hoped to introduce her.
"As for needle-work and embroidery, why, Jacob and I can teach you as
well as can most women; and our black fellow Nub will cut out your
dresses with all the skill and taste of a practised mantua-maker," he
had said when talking to Alice on the subject of her going.

Alice was delighted to accompany her father, and hoped to be a real
comfort to him.  She would take charge of his cabin and keep it in
beautiful order, and repair his clothes, and take care that a button was
never wanting; and would pour out his coffee and tea, and write out his
journal and keep his accounts, she hoped.  And should he fall sick, how
carefully she would watch over him; indeed, she flattered herself that
she could be of no slight use.  Then, she might be a companion to
Walter, who might otherwise become as rough and rude as some ship-boys
she had seen; not that it was his nature to be rough, she thought, but
she had often written in her copy-book, "Evil communications corrupt
good manners," and Walter's truly good manners might deteriorate among
the rough crew of the whaler.  Alice also intended to be very diligent
with her books, and she could learn geography in a practical way few
young ladies are able to enjoy.  And, lastly, she had a sketch-book and
a colour-box, by means of which she hoped to make numberless drawings of
the scenery and people she was to visit.  Altogether, she was not likely
to find the time hang heavy on her hands.

In many respects she was not disappointed in her expectations.  As soon
as the ship was clear of the Channel and fairly at sea, her father began
the course of instruction he intended to pursue during the voyage.  Mr
Jacob Shobbrok the mate, and Nub, delighted to impart such feminine
accomplishments as they possessed; and it amused her to see how deftly
their strong hands plied their needles.

Nub, as the black steward was generally called, had been for the best
part of his life at sea with her father.  He had been christened Nubia,
which name was abridged into Nub; and sometimes she and Walter, when
they were little children, had been accustomed, as a term of endearment,
to call him "Nubby," and even now they frequently so called him.  He was
truly devoted to his captain's children, but more especially were the
affections of the big warm heart which beat in his black bosom bestowed
upon Alice.  It is no exaggeration to say that he would gladly have died
to save her from harm.

Alice, indeed, was perfectly happy, not feeling the slightest regret at
having left England.  The weather was fine, the sea generally smooth,
and the ship glided so rapidly on her course that Alice persuaded
herself she was not likely to encounter the storms and dangers she had
heard of.  She carried out her intentions with exemplary perseverance.
Never had the captain's cabin been in such good order.  She learned all
the lessons he set her, and read whenever she had time; she plied her
needle diligently; and Mr Shobbrok took especial delight in teaching
her embroidery, in which, notwithstanding the roughness of his hands, he
was an adept.  Indeed, not a moment of her time was idly spent.  She
took her walks regularly on deck during the day, with her father or
Walter: and when they were engaged, Nub followed her about like her
shadow; not that he often spoke to her, but he seemed to think that it
was his duty ever to be on the watch to shield her from harm.

Walter, in the meantime, was picking up a large amount of nautical
knowledge: for he, like his sister, was always diligent, and, following
his father's advice, never hesitated to ask for information from those
about him; and as he was always good-natured and good-tempered, and
grateful for help received, it was willingly given.  He was as active
and daring as any of the crew, and he could soon lay out on the yards
and assist in reefing topsails as well as anybody on board.  He could
soon, also, take his trick at the helm in fine weather; indeed, it was
generally acknowledged that he gave good promise of becoming a prime
seaman.  The crew were constantly exercised at their guns; and Walter,
though not strong enough to work at them himself, soon thoroughly
understood their management, and could have commanded them as well as
any of the officers.  He also studied navigation under his father in the
cabin, and could take an observation and work a day's work with perfect
accuracy.  He advanced thus rapidly in his professional knowledge, not
because he possessed any wonderful talent except the very important one
of being able to give his mind to the subject, and in being diligent in
all he undertook.  He was happy and contented, because he really felt
that he was making progress, and every day adding to his stock of
knowledge.  He had also the satisfaction of being conscious that he was
doing his duty in the sight of God as well as in that of man: he was
obedient, loving, and attentive to his father, from the highest of
motives,--because God told him to be so, not in any way from fear, or
because he felt that it was his interest to obey one on whom he depended
for support.  Captain Tredeagle himself was a truly religious,
God-fearing man; that is to say, he feared to offend One who, he knew,
loved him and had done so much for him--an all-pure and all-holy God, in
whose sight he ever lived--and therefore did his best to bring up his
children in the fear and nurture of the Lord; and he had reason to be
thankful that his efforts were not in vain.

Had all his crew been like Captain Tredeagle, his would have been a
happy ship.  His good mate, Jacob Shobbrok, was in some respects like
him; that is to say, he was a Christian man, though somewhat rough in
his outward manner and appearance, for he had been at sea all his Life.
He was an old bachelor, and had never enjoyed the softening influence of
female society.  Still his heart was kind and gentle.  Both Alice and
Walter, having discernment enough to discover that, were accordingly
much attached to him.  There were several other worthy men on board.
Andrew Lawrie, the surgeon, was in most respects like Jacob, possessing
a kind, honest heart, with a rough outside.  Nub has been described.  He
made himself generally popular with the men by his good temper and
jokes, and by bearing patiently the ill-treatment to which he was often
subjected by the badly disposed among them.  But though kicked,
rope's-ended, and made to perform tasks which it was not his duty to do,
he never complained or showed any vindictive feeling.  His chief friend
was Dan Tidy.  Dan, who had not been long at sea, and consequently was
not much of a sailor, was quite as badly treated as Nub, but did not
take it with nearly the same equanimity.  He generally retaliated, and
many a tough battle he had to fight in consequence.  But though he was
often beaten, his spirit had not given way.  A common suffering united
him and Nub, and when they could they helped each other.

A large portion of the crew were rough, ignorant, and disorderly.  The
war had kept all the best men employed, and even a well-known commander
like Captain Tredeagle had a difficulty in getting good men; so that the
few only who had constantly sailed with him could be depended on.  The
rest would remain with him and do their duty only so long as they
thought it their interest.  And though he did his utmost to keep up
strict discipline, he was obliged to humour them more than he would have
been justified in doing under other circumstances.  Though he might have
used the lash,--very common in those days,--to flog men was repugnant to
his feelings, and he preferred trying to keep them in order by kindness.
Unhappily, many of them were of too brutal a nature to understand his
object, so they fancied that he treated them as he did from timidity.
Old Jacob Shobbrok urged stronger measures when some of the men refused
to turn out to keep their watch, or went lazily about their work.

"We shall have the masts whipped out of the ship, if we don't trice up
some of these fellows before long," he observed one day to the captain.

"Wait a bit, Jacob," answered Captain Tredeagle; "I will try them a
little longer; but you can just let them know that if any of them again
show a mutinous disposition, they will be flogged as surely as they are
living men."

"They don't understand threats, captain," answered Jacob.  "There's
nothing like the practical teaching the cat affords with fellows of this
description.  I'll warn them, however, pretty clearly; and if that don't
succeed, I must trust to you to show them that you will stand it no
longer."

Jacob did not fail to speak to the men as he promised, and for a time
they went on better; but the spirit of insubordination still existed
among them, and gave the good captain much concern.

The boatswain, Jonah Capstick, who ought to have been the first to
preserve discipline, was among the worst.  It was the first voyage he
had made with Captain Tredeagle, to whom he had been recommended as a
steady man.  One of his mates, Tom Hulk,--well named, for he was a big
hulking ruffian,--was quite as bad, and with several others supported
the boatswain.

Alice knew nothing of what was going forward, though Walter suspected
that things were not quite right.

The great delight of Alice, as the ship entered the tropics, was to
watch the strange fish which swam about the ship as she glided calmly
on; to observe the ocean bathed in the silvery light of the moon, or the
sun as it sank into its ocean bed, suffusing a rich glow over the sky
and waters.

She and Walter were one day standing on deck together, when, looking up,
they saw a small black dot in the blue sky.

"What can that be?" asked Alice.  "It seems as if some one had thrown a
ball up there.  Surely it cannot be a balloon such as I have read of,
though I never saw one."

"That is not a balloon, but a living creature," observed Jacob, who had
overheard her.  "It is a frigate-bird watching for its prey; and before
long we shall see it pounce down to the surface of the ocean if it
observes anything to pick up, though it is a good many hundred feet
above our heads just now."

"See! see! what are those curious creatures which have just come out of
the water?  Why, they have wings!  Can they be birds?" she exclaimed.

"No; those are flying-fish," said Walter, who knew better than his
sister.

"And the frigate-bird has espied them too," exclaimed the mate.  "Here
he comes."

As he spoke, a large bird came swooping down like a flash of lightning
from the heavens; and before the flying-fish, with their wings dried by
the air, had again fallen into the water, it had caught one of them in
its mouth.  Swallowing the fish, the bird rapidly ascended, to be ready
for another pounce on its prey.  The flying-fish had evidently other
enemies below the surface, for soon afterwards they were seen to rise at
a short distance ahead; and once more the bird, descending with the same
rapid flight as before, seized another, which it bore off.

"Poor fish! how cruel of the bird to eat them up," cried Alice.

"It is its way of getting its dinner," said the mate, laughing.  "You
would not object to eat the fish were they placed before you nicely
fried at breakfast.  Many seamen have been thankful enough to get them,
when their ship has gone down and they have been sailing in their boats
across the ocean, hard pressed by hunger."

"I was foolish to make the remark," said Alice; "and yet I cannot help
pitying the beautiful flying-fish, snapped up so suddenly.  But how can
the bird come out here, so far away from land?  Where can it rest at
night?"

"It can keep on the wing for days and days together," answered the mate.
"It is enabled to do this by having the muscles of its breast, which
work the wings, of wonderful strength, while the rest of the body is
exceedingly light.  Its feet are so formed that it cannot rest on the
surface of the water as do most other sea-birds; which proves what I say
about its powers of flying."

The bird which he was describing was of a rich black plumage, the throat
being white and the beak red.  Nothing could be more graceful than the
way it hovered above the ship in beautiful undulations, or the rapidity
with which it darted on its prey.  Alice and Walter stood admiring it.

"It is a determined pirate," observed the mate.  "When it cannot catch
fish for itself, it watches for the gannets and sea-swallows after they
have been out fishing all day, and darting down upon them, compels them
in their fright to throw some of their prey out of their crops, when it
is caught by the plunderer before it reaches the water.  The gannets are
such gluttons, they generally fly home so full of fish that they are
unable to close their beaks.  If the gannet does not let some of the
fish fall, the frigate-bird darts rapidly down and strikes it on the
back of the head; on which it never fails to give up its prey to the
marauder."

"Though I cannot, I must confess, help admiring the beauty of the
frigate-bird, robber as he is, my sympathy is all with the flying-fish,"
said Alice.

"They are certainly to be pitied," said the mate; "for they have enemies
in the water and out of it.  Several of those we saw just now are by
this time down the throats of the albicores or bonitoes, which are
following them.  To try to escape from their foes, they rise out of the
water, and fly fifty yards or more, till, their wings becoming dry, they
cannot longer support themselves, when they fall back again into the
sea, if they are not in the meantime picked up by a frigate-bird or some
other winged enemy.  I have known a dozen or more fly into a boat, or
even on to the deck of a ship; and very delicate they are when cooked,
though hungry people are glad enough to eat them raw."

Sometimes at night Alice came on deck, when the stars were shining
brightly and the ship was bounding over the waves, to watch the foam as
it was dashed from off the bows to pass hissing by, covered with sparks
of phosphorescent light, while the summits of the dark waves in every
direction shone with the utmost brilliancy.  The strange light, her
father told her, was produced by countless millions of minute creatures,
or, as some supposed, by decomposed animal matter.  She delighted most,
however, in going on deck on a calm night, when the moonbeams cast their
soft light upon the ocean, and the ship seemed to be gliding across a
sea of burnished silver.  Walter now regularly took his watch, and never
failed to call her when he knew she would be interested in any of the
varied beauties which the changing ocean presented.

Frequently the ship was surrounded by bonitoes, moving through the
waters much like porpoises; and the seamen got their harpoons ready, to
strike any which might come near.

As the ship one day was gliding smoothly on, the boatswain descended to
the end of the dolphin-striker, a spar which reaches from the bowsprit
down almost to the water.  Here he stood, ready to dart his harpoon at
any unwary fish which might approach.  Walter and Alice were on the
forecastle watching him.  They had not long to wait before a bonito came
gambolling by.  Quick as lightning the harpoon flew from his hand, and
was buried deeply in the body of the fish.  A noose was then dexterously
slipped over its head and another over its tail, and it was quickly
hauled up on deck by the crew.  It was a beautiful creature, rather more
than three feet long, with a sharp head, a small mouth, large gills,
silvery eyes, and a crescent-shaped tail.  Its back and sides were
greenish, but below it was of a silvery white.  The body was destitute
of scales, except on the middle of the sides, where a line of gold ran
from the head to the tail.

Alice was inclined to bemoan its death; but Walter assured her
afterwards that she need not expend her pity on it, as three flying-fish
had been found in its inside.  Several other bonitoes were caught which
had swallowed even a greater number.  Indeed, they are the chief foes of
the flying-fish, which, had not the latter the power of rising out of
the water to escape them, would quickly be exterminated.

Some of the officers got out lines and hooks baited with pieces of pork;
not to attract fish, however, but to catch some of the numerous birds
flying astern and round the ship.  Several flights of stormy petrels had
long been following in the wake of the ship, with other birds,--such as
albatrosses, cape-pigeons, and whale-birds.  No sooner did a pigeon see
the bait than it pounced down and seized it in its mouth, when a sharp
tug secured the hook in its bill, and it was rapidly drawn on board.
Several stormy petrels, which the sailors call "Mother Carey's
chickens," were also captured.  They are among the smallest of the
web-footed birds, being only about six inches in length.  Most of the
body is black, glossed with bluish reflections; their tails are of a
sooty-brown intermingled with white.  In their mode of flight, Walter
remarked that they resembled swallows: rapidly as they darted here and
there, now resting on the wing, now rising again in the air; uttering
their clamorous, piercing cries, as they flocked together in increasing
numbers.

"We shall have rough weather before long, or those birds would not
shriek so loudly," observed Jacob to Walter.  "I don't mind a few of
them; but when they come in numbers about a ship, it is a sure sign of a
storm."

"We have had so much fine weather, that I suppose it is what we may
expect," answered Walter.  "We cannot hope to make a long voyage without
a gale now and then!"

"It is not always the case," said the mate.  "I have been round the
world some voyages with scarcely a gale to speak of; and at other times
we have not been many weeks together without hard weather."

Though the stormy petrel shrieked, the wind still remained moderate, and
the sailors continued their bird-catching and fishing.

Among those who most eagerly followed the cruel sport was Tom Hulk, the
boatswain's mate.  He had got a long line and a strong hook, which he
threw overboard from the end of the main-yard.

"I don't care for those small birds," he cried out.  "I have made up my
mind to have one of the big albatrosses.  I want his wings to carry home
with me, and show what sort of game we pick up at sea."

Several of his messmates, who had a superstitious dread of catching an
albatross, shouted out to him not to make the attempt, declaring that he
would bring ill-luck to himself, or perhaps to the ship.  Though not
free from superstition himself, he persevered from very bravado.

"I am not to be frightened by any such notions," he answered scornfully.
"If I can catch an albatross I will, and wring his neck too."

Before long, a huge white albatross, with wide-extended wings, which had
been hovering about the ship, espying the bait darted down and swallowed
it at a gulp, hook and all.  In an instant it was secured, and the bold
seaman came running in along the yard to descend on deck; while the
bird, rising in the air, endeavoured to escape.  Its efforts were in
vain; for several other men aiding Hulk, in spite of its struggles it
was quickly drawn on board.  Even then it fought bravely, though
hopelessly, for victory; but its captor despatched it with a blow on the
head.

"It would have been better for you if you had let that bird enjoy its
liberty," said the boatswain with a growl.  "I have never seen any good
come from catching one of them."

"Did you ever see any harm come?" innocently asked Walter, who had come
forward to look at the bird.

"As to that, youngster, it's not to every question you will get an
answer," growled the boatswain, turning away.  Walter, though liked by
most on board, was not a favourite of the surly boatswain, who, for his
own reasons, objected to have the keen eyes of the sharp-witted boy
observing his proceedings.

Walter, begging Hulk to stretch out the bird's wings, went to bring
Alice to look at it.  He told her what the boatswain had said about the
ill-luck which would pursue those who killed an albatross.

"Depend on it, God would not allow what He has ordained to be interfered
with by any such occurrence," observed the captain to his children.  "It
may be a cruel act to kill a bird without any reason; but though persons
who have caught or shot albatrosses may afterwards have met with
accidents, it does not at all follow that such is the result of their
former acts.  I have seen many albatrosses killed, and the people who
killed them have returned home in safety; though possibly accidents may
have occurred in other instances to those who have killed one of the
birds.  Still seamen have got the notion into their heads, and it is
very hard to drive it out."

"I am sure of that," said Walter, "though the boatswain was quite angry
with me for doubting what he asserted."

While he was speaking, another large albatross came sweeping by.

"For my part, I am not afraid of catching a second," exclaimed Hulk;
"and if there is ill-luck in killing one, there may be good luck in
catching two."  Saying this, he prepared his hook and line, and was
ascending to the yard to let it tow overboard as before.

"It will be a good thing for you if you do catch two," exclaimed the
boatswain.  "We want good luck for the ship, for little enough of it we
have had as yet."  But before Hulk could get out his line the albatross
was seen to swoop downwards, and immediately afterwards it rose with a
huge fish in its talons, into which it plunged its powerful beak with a
force which must have speedily put an end to its prey.  Powerful,
however, as were its wings, it could not rise with so great a weight,
but commenced tearing away at the flesh of its victim as it floated on
the surface.  It thus offered a fair mark to any who might wish to shoot
it.  Three of the ship's muskets were brought up by some of the younger
officers, who were about to fire.

"Let me have a shot," said the boatswain, taking one of them.  "I seldom
miss my aim."

The captain, who had been below, just then coming on deck, observing
what they were about, ordered them to desist, observing--

"I don't wish to lower a boat to pick up the bird, and I consider it
wanton cruelty to shoot at it."

The boatswain pretended not to hear him, and taking aim, he fired.  The
bird was seen to let go its prey, and, after rising a few feet, to fall
back with wings extended into the water, where it lay fluttering
helplessly.  The ship gliding on, soon left it astern.

"I consider that a piece of wanton cruelty, Mr Capstick," exclaimed the
captain.  "I must prohibit the ship's muskets being made use of for such
a purpose; they are intended to be used against our enemies, not
employed in slaughtering harmless birds."

The boatswain returned the musket to the rack, muttering as he did so;
but what he said neither the captain nor his mates were able to
understand.

The ship had now nearly reached the latitude of the Falkland Islands,
and in a short time she would be round Cape Horn, and traversing the
broad waters of the Pacific.  Hitherto few ships had been seen, either
friends or foes; a lookout had been kept for the latter, as the crew
hoped that, should they fall in with an enemy's merchantman of inferior
size, the captain would capture her to give them some much coveted
prize-money.  Two had been seen which were supposed to be small enough
to attack, but the captain had declined going in chase of them, greatly
to the annoyance of the crew; and the boatswain and others vowed they
would not longer stand that sort of thing.

Walter was walking the deck during his middle watch the next night, when
Dan Tidy came up to him.

"Hist, Mr Walter," he said in a low voice.  "Will you plaise just step
to the weather-gangway, out of earshot of the man at the helm?  I have
got something I would like to say to you."

Walter stepped to the gangway, and, seeing no one near, asked Tidy what
he had to communicate.

"I wouldn't wish to be an eavesdropper or a tale-bearer, Mr Walter; but
when the lives of you and your father and most of the officers are at
stake, it's time to speak out.  I happened to be awake during my watch
below when the boatswain came for'ard, and I heard him and Tom Hulk and
about a dozen others talking in whispers together.  I lay still,
pretending to be asleep, as, of course, they thought were the rest of
the watch.  Capstick began grumbling at the chance there was that we
should take no prizes; and declared that, for his part, he was not going
to submit to that sort of thing.  The others agreed with him, and swore
that they would stand by him, and do whatever he proposed.  Some said
that the best thing would be to go to the captain, and insist that he
should attack the first enemy's merchantman they could fall in with.
`And the captain will tell you to mind your own business, and that he
intends to act as he considers is most for his own interest and that of
the owners,' said Hulk, with an oath.  `I tell you, the only thing we
can do is to make him and his young fry, and the old mate and some of
the rest of them, prisoners; or, better still, knock them on the head
and heave them overboard, and then we will make the boatswain captain,
and live a life of independence, just taking as many prizes as we want,
and never troubling ourselves to give an account of them to the owners.'
Some agreed to this, and some didn't seem to like the thought of it;
but they were talked over by the boatswain and Hulk, and agreed to what
they proposed.  I cannot say, however, when they intend to carry out
their plan.  They talked on for some time longer, and then they all
turned into their hammocks.  I lay as quiet as a mouse in a cheese, and
when I thought they were all asleep slipped up on deck to tell you or
the mate, if I could manage to speak to either of you unobserved, that
you might let the captain know of their intentions towards him."

Walter, though considerably agitated at this information, acted with
much discretion, telling Tidy to keep the matter to himself, and to
behave towards the intended mutineers as he had always done, without
letting them have a shade of suspicion that he had discovered their
plot.  Having no fear, from what Tidy said, that they intended carrying
it out immediately, he waited till his watch was over to inform his
father and the chief mate.  Bidding Tidy go below and turn in again, he
resumed his walk on deck.

They would probably, he thought, wait for a change of weather and a dark
night to execute their project which, it was evident, was not as yet
fully matured.

The second mate had charge of the watch, but Walter was unwilling to
communicate the information to him; for, though an honest man, he
somewhat doubted his discretion.  It was an anxious time for the young
boy, but his courage did not quail, as he felt sure that his father and
Mr Shobbrok, aided by the other officers and the better-disposed part
of the crew, would be able to counteract the designs of the mutineers.



CHAPTER TWO.

PRECAUTIONS--A MUTINY--MUTINEERS DEFEATED--ATTEMPT TO ROUND CAPE HORN--
DRIVEN BACK--A FEARFUL GALE--AMIDST ICEBERGS--A MAGNIFICENT SIGHT--MAN
OVERBOARD--MUTINEER KILLED BY AN ALBATROSS.

Walter was thankful to hear eight bells strike, when Mr Shobbrok coming
on deck, sent the second mate below.

"Why don't you turn in, Walter?" asked the first mate, on seeing him
still lingering on deck.

"I should like to speak a word to you," said Walter.

"If it's a short one, my lad, say it, but I don't wish to keep you out
of your berth."

As several of the mutineers were on deck, Walter thought he might be
observed, and therefore merely whispered to the mate, "Be on your guard.
I have information that the boatswain is at the head of a conspiracy to
take possession of the ship.  I will go below and tell my father how
matters stand.  Be careful not to be taken at a disadvantage, and let
none of the men come near you."

"I am not surprised.  I will be on my guard," answered the mate in a low
tone; adding in a higher one--

"Now go below, youngster, and turn in."

Walter, hurrying to the cabin, found his father asleep.  A touch on the
arm awoke him.

"I want to speak to you about something important," he said; and then
told him all he had heard from Dan Tidy.

"It does not surprise me," he observed, repeating almost the words of
the mate.  "We of course must take precautions to counteract the designs
of the misguided men without letting them suspect that we are aware of
their intentions.  Call Mr Lawrie, that I may tell him what to do; and
then I will go on deck and speak to the first mate."

"I have told him already.  I thought it better to put him on his guard,"
said Walter.

"You did right," said the captain.  "We must let the other officers
know.  Bring me two brace of pistols from the rack."  The captain
quickly loaded the firearms.  "Now, Walter, do you go and wake up Nub;
then bring all the muskets into my cabin while I am on deck."

The captain's appearance would not excite suspicion, as it is customary
for a commander to go on deck at all hours of the night, especially when
there is a change of weather; and the mate was heard at that moment
ordering the watch on deck to shorten sail.  Captain Tredeagle did not
interfere, but allowing the mate to give the necessary orders, waited
till the topgallant-sails were furled and two reefs taken in the
topsails.  He then went across to where Mr Shobbrok was standing.

"Walter has told me what the men intend doing," he said in a low voice.
"Do you try and find out who are likely to prove stanch to us."

"I think we may trust nearly half the crew," answered the mate; "and I
will try and speak to those on whom we can most certainly rely.  Tidy
will be able to point them out."

"In case they should attempt anything immediately, here are the means of
defending yourself," said the captain; and finding that none of the men
were observing him, he put a brace of pistols into the mate's hands.

"Who is at the helm?" he asked.

"Tom Hulk," answered the mate.

"He is among the ringleaders," said the captain; "he will be suspicious
if he sees us talking together.  I'll warn Beak, that he may be on the
alert, and will send him to speak with you."

The captain crossed the deck to where Mr Beak, the fourth mate, was
standing.  Telling him of the conspiracy which had been discovered, he
put a pistol into his hand, and desired him to go over and speak with
the first mate, who would direct him what to do.  On returning below, he
found that Walter and Nub had carried out his orders, and that Mr
Lawrie had awakened the other two mates, who soon made their appearance
in the cabin.  Two midshipmen, or rather apprentices, who slept further
forward, had now to be warned.  Nub undertook to do this without
exciting the suspicion of the mutineers.  The captain in the meantime
gave the officers the information he had received, and told them the
plan he proposed following,--assuring them that they had only to be on
the alert and to remain firm, and that he had no doubt, should the
mutineers proceed to extremities, they would soon be put down; no one,
however, felt inclined to turn in again, not knowing at what moment the
mutiny might break out.  Had the boatswain and his companions guessed
that Tidy had overheard their conversation, they would have lost no time
in carrying out their plan, and would probably have caught the captain
unprepared.

The night passed quietly away, and when morning came the mutineers went
about their duty as usual.  Notwithstanding the threatenings of a gale
on the previous evening, the wind continued fair and moderate, and the
ship was standing on under all sail.

Breakfast was over, and the captain and mate, with Walter, were standing
with their sextants in hand taking an observation to ascertain the
ship's latitude.  Mr Lawrie having been in his surgery mixing some
medicines for two men who were on the sick-list, was going forward when
he observed a number of the crew with capstan-bars, boat-stretchers, and
other weapons in their hands, the boatswain and Tom Hulk being among
them.  He at once hurried to the captain and told him what he had seen.

"Call aft the men whom we selected as a guard, Mr Shobbrok," whispered
the captain--"Let the officers arm themselves, but keep out of sight in
the cabin, ready to act if necessary."

The mate had agreed on a private signal with the trustworthy men.  He
was to let fly the mizzen-royal, when they were to come aft on the
pretence of hauling in the sheet.  This would give them the start of the
mutineers, and allow them time to obtain arms,--though of course the
object of the device would quickly be perceived.

The captain and Walter went on taking their observation full in sight of
the crew forward, as if there were nothing to trouble them.  The mate
made the signal agreed on.  As the sail fluttered in the wind, Dan Tidy
and eight others came running aft, and immediately the muskets, which
had already been loaded, were handed up from below and placed in their
hands.  So quick had been their movements that the mutineers, who had
been looking at the captain, had not observed them; and, confiding in
their numbers, and not knowing that the officers were armed or prepared
for them, came rushing aft, led by the boatswain, uttering loud shouts,
to intimidate their opponents.  The captain stood perfectly calm, with
Walter by his side.

"What does this strange conduct mean, my men?" he asked, turning round.

"We will show you, captain," answered the boatswain.  "We want a captain
who understands his own interest and ours, and won't let the prizes we
might have got hold of slip through our fingers as you have done."

"You are under a mistake, my friends, in more ways than one," answered
the captain.  "I call on all true men on board to stand by me."

As he spoke, Tidy and the men who had come aft showed themselves with
muskets in their hands; and at the same moment the officers sprang on
deck, fully armed.

"Now I will speak to you," said the captain, handing his sextant to
Walter, and drawing his pistols.  "The first man who advances another
step must take the consequences.  I shall be justified in shooting him,
and I intend to do so.  His blood be upon his own head.  Now lay down
these capstan-bars and stretchers, and tell me, had you overpowered us,
what you intended to do."

The mutineers were dumbfounded, and even the boldest could make no
reply.  Most of them, indeed, did as they were ordered and threw their
weapons on the deck, hanging down their heads and looking ashamed of
themselves.  The boatswain and Hulk, and a few of the more daring, tried
to brazen it out.

"All we want is justice," blustered out the boatswain.  "We shipped
aboard here to fight our enemies, like brave Englishmen, and to take as
many prizes as we could fall in with; but there does not seem much
chance of our doing so this voyage."

"You shipped on board to do as I ordered you, and not to act the part of
sea-robbers and pirates, which is what you would wish to be," answered
the captain.  "Those who intend to act like honest men, and obey orders,
go over to the starboard side; the rest stand on the other."

The greater number of the crew--with the exception of the boatswain and
Hulk and two others--went over to starboard.  The captain then ordered
the remainder of the crew to be piped on deck.  They quickly came up.

"Now, my lads, those who wish to obey me and do their duty, join their
shipmates on the starboard side; those who are inclined the other way,
stand on one side with Mr Capstick and his mate."

Two or three cast a look at the boatswain, but one and all went over to
the starboard side.  The boatswain looked greatly disconcerted, for he
had evidently counted on being joined by the greater part of his
shipmates.

"Now," said the captain, "I am averse to putting men in irons, but as
these have shown a spirit of insubordination which would have been
destructive, if successful, to all on board, they must take the
consequences.  Mr Shobbrok, seize the fellows and put them in
confinement below."

The three mates, calling six other men, sprang on the mutineers, who,
drawing their knives, attempted to defend themselves; but they were
quickly disarmed, and their weapons being thrown overboard, their hands
were lashed behind them, and they were carried below, to have the irons
put on by the armourer, who was among those who could be trusted.  None
of the rest of the crew attempting to interfere, order was speedily
restored on board the _Champion_.

Though the captain had quelled the mutiny, he lost the services of four
of the most active of the hands; but he hoped that reflection would
bring them to reason, and that, repenting of their folly, they would be
willing to return to their duty.

While these events had been occurring a dark bank of clouds had been
gathering to the southward; and though the ship still sailed with a fair
wind, it was evident that a change was about to take place.  The
cloud-bank rose higher and higher in the sky.

"All hands shorten sail," cried the captain.  The crew flew aloft to
obey the order and lay out on the yards, each man striving to get in the
sail as rapidly as possible.  Sail after sail was taken in, but before
the work could be completed the gale was upon them--not a soft breeze,
such as they had been accustomed to, but a sharp cutting wind, with hail
and sleet, which struck their faces and hands with fearful force,
benumbing their bodies, dressed only in light summer clothing.  It
seemed as if on a sudden the ship had gone out of one climate into
another.

"This is regular Cape Horn weather," observed the mate to Walter, who
stood shivering on deck.  "You had better go below and get on your
winter clothing.  It may be many a day before we are in summer again, if
the wind comes from the westward."

Walter hesitated, for he thought it manly to stand the cold; but his
father told him to do as the mate advised, so he hastened into the
cabin.  He found Alice looking very much alarmed, not having been able
to make out all that had been occurring.  She had seen the officers come
down and arm themselves, and the muskets loaded and handed out, and had
supposed that they were about to encounter an enemy.  Walter quieted her
fears, by assuring her that though there had been danger it was all
over, and that they had now only to battle with a storm, such as all
good sailors are ready to encounter and overcome.

Walter was soon equipped and ready to go on deck again, and Alice wanted
to accompany him.

"Why, you will be frozen if you do, so pray don't think about it," he
answered.  "I am sure father will wish you to remain in the cabin."

The gale increased, however, and the ship rolled, pitched, tossed, and
tumbled about, in a way Alice had never before experienced.  She sat
holding on to the sofa trying to read, and wondering why neither her
father nor Walter again came below.  "What could have occurred?"  She
heard loud peals of thunder, the sea dashing against the ship's sides,
the howling of the wind in the rigging, the stamp of the men's feet
overhead, and other noises sounding terrific in her ears.  The uproar
continued to increase, and the ship seemed to tumble about more and
more.  At last she could endure it no longer.

"I must go on deck and see what is the matter," she said to herself
putting on her cloak and hat.  She endeavoured to make her way to the
companion-ladder, first being thrown on one side and then on the other,
and running a great risk of hurting herself.  At length, however, she
managed to reach the foot of the ladder.  Just at that moment Walter
appeared at the top of it, looking down at her.  She felt greatly
relieved on seeing him.

"Oh, what has happened?" she exclaimed as he came below.

"Only a regular Cape Horn gale," he answered.  "We have got the ship
under close-reefed fore and main topsails, and she is behaving nobly.
It is cold, to be sure; but the men have been sent below, as they could
be spared, to put on warmer clothing, and we shall get out of it some
day or other."

Walter's remarks greatly restored Alice's spirits.  She had expected to
see him with alarm on his countenance, bringing her the announcement
that the ship was in fearful danger.  The time had not been quite so
long as Alice had supposed.  Nub brought in dinner for her and Walter,
which he advised them to take on the deck of the cabin, as there would
be little use in placing it on the table, in spite of puddings and
fiddles to keep the dishes in their places.

"You see, Missie Alice, if de ship gib a roll on one side den half de
soup go out, and den when she gib a roll on de oder side de oder half go
out, and you get none; and de 'taties come flying ober in de same way;
den de meat jump out of de dish, and before you can stop it will be on
de oder side of de cabin; and de mustard and pepper pots dey go cruising
about by demselves.  Now, if you sit on de deck, you put de tings in one
corner and you sit round dem, and when dey jump up you catch dem and put
dem back, and tell dem to stop till you want to eat dem."

Nub's graphic description of the effects likely to be produced by the
storm induced Alice and Walter to agree to his proposal, and they
partook of their meal in a corner of the cabin.  The latter enjoyed it,
for he was very hungry.  Alice could eat but little; she was, however,
very anxious that her father should come down, or that he would allow
her to send him up some food.

Walter laughed.  "I am sure he will not do that," he answered.  "He is
too much occupied at present to come below."

When Walter went on deck again, Alice felt very forlorn.  Nub, however,
now and then looked in to cheer her up.

"It's all right, Miss Alice, only de wind it blow bery hard,--enough to
shave a man in half a minute.  The captain told me to keep below or I
turn into one icicle."  Towards the evening Nub brought in a pot of hot
coffee, which he had managed to boil at the galley-fire; and presently
the captain and Walter came down.  The captain had no time to eat
anything, but he drank two cupfuls of the coffee scalding hot.

"Bless you, my child," he said to Alice.  "We have a stormy night before
us; but God looks after us, and I wish you to turn in and try and go to
sleep.  We are doing our best, and the ship behaves well, so keep up a
good heart and all will be right."

The mates and Mr Lawrie came down, and Nub supplied them also with
coffee.  The surgeon declared he could stand it no longer, and as he was
not required on deck he sat down in the cabin and tried to read; but he
had to give it up and stagger off to his berth.  Walter at last came
below again, saying that his father would not allow him to remain longer
on deck; though, like a gallant young sailor, he had wished to share
whatever the rest had to endure.  In a very few minutes, notwithstanding
the tossing of the ship and the uproar of the elements, he was fast
asleep.

All night long the ship stood on close-hauled, battling bravely with the
gale, showers of sleet, snow, and hail driving furiously against the
faces of the crew.  The captain, with his mates and both watches,
remained on deck, to be ready for any emergency.

The topgallant-masts and royal-masts had been sent down; the
studding-sail-booms and gear unrove, to lighten the ship as much as
possible of all top hamper.

It was still dark when Walter awoke.  The ship was pitching into the
seas as heavily as before, and the wind roaring as loudly.  He longed to
go on deck to ascertain the state of things; but the captain had told
him to remain in his berth till summoned, and he had learned the
important duty of implicit obedience to his father's commands.  At
length the light of day came down through the bull's-eye overhead into
his little berth.  He quickly dressed, and entering the main cabin,
found that his father had just come below.  He was taking off his wet
outer clothing preparatory to throwing himself on his bed.

"You go on deck now, Walter; but don't remain long, or you will be
well-nigh frozen," he said.  "I am to be called should any change in the
weather take place."

Walter sprang on deck, but he had need of all his courage to stand the
keen cutting south-westerly wind, which seemed sufficient to blow his
teeth down his throat.  The ship looked as if made of glass, for every
rope and spar was coated over with ice.  The men were beating their
hands to keep them warm; and when they moved about the deck they had to
keep close to the bulwarks, and catch hold of belaying-pins, ropes, or
stanchions, to prevent themselves from slipping away to leeward.  The
sea, as it broke on board, froze on the deck, till it became one mass of
ice.  Walter, who had thought only of smooth seas and summer gales, was
little prepared for this sort of weather.

"Cheer up, my lad, never mind it; we shall be in summer again, and find
it pretty hot too, when we round the Horn," observed the first mate.

"I don't mind it," answered Walter, his teeth chattering.  "Do you think
it will last long?"

"That depends on the way the wind blows," answered the first mate.

Dark seas rose up on every side, higher than he had ever seen them
before; the foam driven aft in white sheets, their combing crests
shining brilliantly as the sun burst forth from the driving clouds.

"Now you have seen enough of it; you had better go below," said the
mate.  "One of those seas might break aboard and sweep you off the deck.
As you can do nothing now, it is useless to expose your life to
danger."

Walter, who would have wished to remain had the wind been less cutting,
thought the mate right, and obeyed him.  He had been for some time in
the cabin when the fourth mate came down.

"Come on deck, Walter," he said, "and see something you have never
before set eyes on."  Walter followed the mate up the companion-ladder.

As far as the eye could reach, the sea was of a dark-blue tint; the
waves still high and foam-crested, sparkling in the rays of the sun,
while at some distance on the larboard bow rose a vast mountain-island,
its numerous pinnacles glittering in the sun like the finest alabaster,
and its deep valleys thrown into the darkest shade.  The summit of the
mighty mass was covered with snow, and its centre of a deep indigo tint.

"What island is that?" asked Walter.

"It's an island, though it's afloat.  That is an iceberg," answered the
mate.  "It's little less, I judge, than three miles in circumference,
and is several hundred feet in height."

The vast mass rose and fell in the water with a slow motion, while its
higher points seemed to reach to the sky, and often to bend towards each
other as if they were about to topple over.  The waves furiously dashed
against its base, breaking into masses of foam; while ever and anon
thundering sounds, louder than any artillery, reached the ears of the
voyagers, as from the mighty berg, cracking in all directions, huge
pieces came tumbling down into the water.  Above the thick fringe of
white foam appeared an indigo tint, which grew lighter and lighter, till
it shaded off from a dark-blue to the pile of pure snow which rested on
the summit.

Walter could not resist the temptation of bringing Alice to see the
strange and beautiful sight.  Hurrying below, he wrapped her up in a
warm cloak, and, calling Nub to his assistance, they brought her on
deck.

"That is beautiful," she exclaimed; "but how dreadful it would be to run
against it in the dark!" she added, after a minute's silence.

"We hope to keep too bright a lookout for anything of that sort," said
the mate; "and, happily, at night we know when we are approaching an
iceberg by the peculiar coldness of the air and the white appearance
which it always presents even in the darkest nights.  However, there can
be no doubt that many a stout ship has been cast away on such a berg as
that; or on what is more dangerous still, a floating mass of sheet-ice
just flush with the water."

The mate would not allow Alice to remain long on deck for fear of her
suffering from the cold, and Walter and Nub hurried her below.  Walter
was soon again on deck.  The ship was passing the iceberg, leaving it a
mile to leeward.  As it drew over the quarter there was a cry from
forward of "Ice ahead!"  The captain was immediately called.

"Hard up with the helm!" he shouted; and the ship passed a huge mass of
ice, such as the mate had before described, flush with the water.  Had
the ship struck against it, her fate would have been sealed.  The
sharpest eyes in the ship were kept on the lookout: one man on each bow,
and another in the bunt of the fore-yard; the third mate forward, and
one on each quarter.  Two of the best hands were at the wheel; while the
captain and first mate were moving about with their eyes everywhere.
All knew that the slightest inattention might cause the destruction of
the ship.

Hour after hour went by.  No one spoke except those on the lookout or
the officer in command, when the cry came from forward, "Ice on the
weather bow," "Another island ahead," "Ice on the lee bow," and so on.
Evening at length approached.  Walter for the first time became aware of
the perilous position in which the ship was placed; yet his father stood
calm and unmoved, as he had ever been, and not by look or gesture did he
betray what he must have felt; indeed, he had too long been inured to
peril of all sorts to be moved as those are who first experience it.
Gradually, however, the sea began to go down and the wind to decrease,
shifting more to the southward.  A clear space appearing, the captain
eagerly wore ship, and then hauling up on the other tack, stood to the
southward, hoping to weather the icebergs among which he had before
passed.  The cold was as intense as before, but it could be better borne
as hopes were entertained that the gale would abate, and that at length
Cape Horn would be doubled.

That night, however, was one of the greatest anxiety; for, owing to the
darkness, the ice-field could not be seen at any distance, and it might
be impossible to escape running on it.  Captain Tredeagle could
therefore only commit himself and ship to the care of Heaven, and exert
his utmost vigilance to avoid the surrounding dangers.

He and all on board breathed more freely when daylight returned, and the
field of ice they had just weathered was seen over the quarter, with
clear water ahead.  A few more icebergs were passed; some near, shining
brilliantly in the sun, and others appearing like clouds floating on the
surface.

In two days more there was a cry of "Land on the starboard bow!"  The
ship rapidly neared it.  The wind coming from the eastward, the reefs
were shaken out of the topsails, the courses set, and she stood towards
the west.  The land became more and more distinct.

"Now," said the first mate to Walter, "if Alice would like to see Cape
Horn, bring her on deck.  There it is, broad on our starboard beam."

Alice quickly had on her cloak.  "Is that Cape Horn?" she asked,
pointing to a dark rugged headland which rose, scarcely a mile off, out
of the water.  "What a wild, barren spot!  Can any human beings live
there?"

"I have heard that some do," answered the mate; "and what is very
strange, that they manage to exist with little or no clothing to shield
their bodies from the piercing winds!  It's a wonder they can stand it;
but then they are savages who have been accustomed to the life since
they were born, and know no better."

Scarcely was the ship round Cape Horn when the wind moderated, and the
sea went down till it was almost calm.  The order was now given to get
up the topgallant and royal-masts and rig out studding-sail-booms.

The mutineers had long been kept in irons, and some of the men declared
that they were better off than themselves during the bitter weather to
which they had been exposed; but the boatswain and the rest had more
than once petitioned to be set free, promising to be obedient in the
future.  The captain, willing to try them, at length liberated them, and
they were now doing duty as if nothing had happened, though the captain
was too wise a man not to keep a watchful eye on them.

Alice, after being so long shut up in the cabin, was glad to be on deck
as much as she could during the day, watching the various operations
going on.  The men were aloft rigging out studding-sail-booms, when, to
her horror, she saw one of them fall from the fore-yard.  Her
instinctive cry was, "Save him! save him!"

"A man overboard!" shouted those who saw the accident.  The ship was
running rapidly before the wind, and under such circumstances
considerable time elapsed before sail could be shortened and the ship
hove-to.  Preparations had in the meantime been made to lower a boat,
and willing hands jumped into her, under the command of the second mate,
to go to the rescue of the drowning man.  The captain had kept an eye on
the spot where he had fallen, so as to direct the boat in what direction
to pull.  Away dashed the hardy crew, straining every muscle to go to
the rescue of their fellow-creature.

A moment before not a bird had been in sight, but just then a huge
albatross was seen soaring high in the air.  Its keen eye had caught
sight of the unfortunate man.  The boat dashed on, the mate and the crew
shouting loudly in the hope of scaring off the bird; but heeding not
their cries, downwards it flew with a fearful swoop.  In vain the
wretched man, who was a strong swimmer, endeavoured to defend himself
with his hands; its sharp beak pierced his head, and in another instant
he floated a lifeless corpse on the surface of the water.

"Who is he?" asked several voices.

"Tom Hulk," answered the mate.  "I caught sight of his face just as the
bird struck him, and I hope I may never again see such a look of horror
in the countenance of a fellow-creature as his presented."

"It was a bad ending to a bad life," said one of the men.  "A greater
villain never came to sea, and it's the belief of some of us that he
would have worked more mischief aboard before long."

"That he would," said another.  "He was always jeering at the boatswain
for his cowardice, and telling him he ought to act like a man.  We knew
pretty well what he meant by that."  Similar remarks were made by
others; for all the men in the boat were honest and true, and had been
among those who had at once sided with the captain and officers.  Such
are always found the most ready to go to the aid of a fellow-creature,
and they had been the first to spring into the boat.

By this time they were nearly up to the body of the dead man.  The
albatross, on seeing them coming, had flown away.  Just then, either
some ravenous fish had seized it from below, or the body, no longer
supported by the talons of the bird, lost its buoyancy, or from some
other cause, it began to sink; and before the boatman could catch it
with his boat-hook it had disappeared from sight, sinking down to the
depths of the ocean, there to remain till the sea gives up its dead.
When the mate returned on board, he did not fail to tell the captain
what the men had said.  "We must nevertheless keep a watchful eye on the
boatswain and others who associated with him," was the answer.  "If
Hulk, however, was the chief malcontent, we have little reason to fear
them."

The ship, with her lighter canvas set, was now making rapid progress
towards the warm latitudes of the Pacific.



CHAPTER THREE.

THE "CHAMPION" IN THE PACIFIC--FIRST WHALES CAUGHT--CUTTING IN AND
TRYING OUT--VARIOUS PLACES VISITED--A CHASE AND BATTLE--A PRIZE TAKEN--
THE PRIZE PARTS COMPANY--THE BOATS IN CHASE OF WHALES--WALTER'S BOAT
DESTROYED--THE MATE AND WALTER ON THE WRECKED BOAT--A FIRE SEEN.

Walter had been rapidly gaining a knowledge of navigation and
seamanship; he had now to learn something of the business of
whale-catching.  The _Champion_ carried six boats, which were so built
as to possess the greatest amount possible of buoyancy and stability as
well as to be able to move swiftly.  They were about twenty-seven feet
long by four wide, and sharp at both ends, so that they could move both
ways.  At one end, considered the stem, was a strong, upright, rounded
piece of wood, called the loggerhead; at the other, or bow, a deep
groove for the purpose of allowing the harpoon-line to run through it.

The most experienced hands among the crew were busy in preparing the
boats for active work.  In each boat were stowed two lines, two hundred
fathoms in length, coiled away in their respective tubs ready for use;
four harpoons, and as many lances; a keg, containing several articles,
among which were a lantern and tinder-box; three small flags,
denominated whifts, for the purpose of inserting into a dead whale, when
the boats might have to leave it in chase of others; and two cirougues--
pieces of board of a square form with a handle in the centre, so that
they could be secured to the end of the harpoon-line, to check the speed
of the whale when running or sounding.  Six men formed the crew of each
boat: four for pulling, and two being officers; one called the
boat-steerer, and the other the headsman.

Hitherto not a whale had been caught; but they were in hourly
expectation of falling in with some.  A sharp lookout was kept for them;
a man for the purpose being placed at each masthead, while one of the
officers took post on the fore-topgallant-yard.  Day after day passed
by, and still no whales were seen, till the men began to grumble at
their ill-luck.  Still they could not blame the captain, for he was
doing the utmost in his power to fall in with them.  The boatswain,
however, took the opportunity of urging the rest of the crew that, since
they could not find whales, they should go in search of an enemy, and
try and pick up a prize.  Tidy, as before, managed to hear what was
going forward, and informed the captain.  Notwithstanding this, he kept
to his resolution to search for whales, and not to attack any of the
enemy's merchant-vessels, unless they should fall directly in his way,
or come in chase of him.  He trusted to the number of true men on board,
and cared very little for the grumbling of the rest.

At length, one forenoon--the ship being only a few degrees south of the
line, off the coast of Peru, as she was standing on under easy sail, the
crew engaged in their various occupations, or moving listlessly about
the decks overcome by the heat of the sun, which was very great, some
grumbling, and nearly all out of spirits at the ill success of the
voyage--the voice of one of the lookouts was heard shouting--

"There she spouts!"

The words acted like a talisman.  In one moment, from the extreme of
apathy, the crew were aroused into the utmost activity.

"Where away?" asked the captain in an animated tone.

"On the weather bow," was the answer.  "There again! there again!" came
the cry from aloft, indicating that other whales were spouting in the
same direction.

The crew were rushing with eager haste to the boats, each man to the one
to which he belonged.  The captain went away in one; the whale-master
and two of the officers in the others,--for five only were lowered.

Walter and Alice were on deck, as eager as any one.  Walter was about to
slip into one of the boats when the first mate saw him.

"No, no, my lad; the danger is too great for you.  The captain has not
ordered you not to go; but I am right sure he would not allow it."

Walter felt much disappointed, as he was very anxious to see the sport.
He would not have called it sport for the poor whales, had he witnessed
the mighty monsters writhing in agony as harpoons and spears were
plunged into their bodies.

Away dashed the boats as fast as the hardy crews could lay their backs
to the oars, the captain's boat leading, while the ship was heading up
towards them.  All hands on deck watched their progress, till they
looked mere specks on the ocean, although the backs of the whales and
their heads could be seen above the surface as they spouted up jets of
breath and spray.

Walter was surprised to see the third mate and surgeon with pistols in
their belts and cutlasses by their sides, while Nub and Tidy and several
other trustworthy men gathered aft, also with cutlasses, pistols, and
muskets in their hands.

"Why are you all armed?" asked Walter.  "I thought there was no fear of
the mutineers playing any tricks."

"We obey the captain's orders," answered Mr Lawrie.

"I thought that as Hulk is dead, and the boatswain is away, none of the
rest would venture to mutiny."

"The boatswain is cunning as well as daring, and while the captain and
most of the other officers are away, he might come back and induce those
he has won over to take possession of the ship," answered the surgeon.
"Your father is right to take precautions, though there may be but
little chance of anything of the sort happening."

"We must not tell Alice, or she may be alarmed," observed Walter.  "If
she observes that you are armed, I will tell her that our father
directed it should be so."

The captain's boat had in the meantime reached one of the whales, just
at the moment that the monster, rising above water, had begun to spout.
Two of the boats remained with him, while two others went in search of
another whale.  The captain's boat dashing up rapidly towards the
creature, he stepped to the bows, harpoon in hand.  Hurling it with all
his force, he fixed it deeply into the body of the whale; while one of
the other boats coming up, a second harpoon was struck into its body.

"Back off, all!" was the cry, and the crews pulled away with might and
main.  The lines were run out to get to a distance from the now
infuriated creature, which, seeing its foes, gave signs of making at
them with open mouth; but they, pulling round towards the tail, avoided
it; and the whale, no longer seeing them, lifting its flukes, dived far
down into the depths of the ocean.  The first lines being nearly run
out, others were added on, which also rapidly ran out--a few fathoms
only remaining.  A third boat, which had been keeping pace with them,
was now called up, that her lines might be added to those already out.
Just then, however, the lines slackened, and the crews quickly hauled
them in.  It was a sign that the whale was once more coming to the
surface.  The mighty creature soon appeared, sending out from its
spout-holes jets of blood and foam, and dyeing the water around with a
ruddy hue.  Again the boats approached, hauling themselves along by the
lines made fast to its body, to inflict further wounds with the spears
ready in the officers' hands, when the whale again made towards them.
It soon stopped, and began to lash the water furiously with its flukes,
writhing and rolling in agony.  Once more it ceased struggling,
apparently exhausted; and the boats dashing up, more spears were struck
into its body.  The pain caused by the fresh wounds made it leap above
the surface, and roll and lash the water with its flukes with greater
violence than before, till the whole sea around was a mass of foam
tinged with blood.  The whale was in its "flurry."  These mighty
exertions could not last long, and at length it lay an inert mass on the
surface.  Another whale was captured much in the same manner; when the
boats, taking the creatures in tow, pulled towards the ship, the crews
singing in chorus a song of triumph.

All on board had been eagerly looking out for their arrival.  At length
both were towed up, one being firmly secured by lashings to one side of
the ship, and one to the other side, preparatory to the work of cutting
in and trying out; that is, taking off the blubber or fat which
surrounds the body, and boiling it in huge caldrons on deck.

Walter eagerly examined the monsters which had been brought alongside.
They were sperm whales, which produce the oil so much valued for making
candles.  The head, as it was lifted out of the water, looked very much
like the bottom end of a gigantic black bottle.  This, the mate told
him, was called the snout, or nose, and formed one-third of the whole
length of the animal.  At its junction with the body was a huge
protuberance, which the mate called the "bunch" of the neck; immediately
behind this was the thickest part of the body, which, from this point,
gradually tapered off to the tail, or "small."  At this point was
another protuberance, of a pyramidal form, called the "lump," with
several other small elevations, denominated the "ridge."  The end of the
small was not thicker than the body of a man; it then expanded into the
flukes, or, familiarly speaking, the tail,--the two flukes forming a
triangular fin somewhat like the tail of a fish, but differing from it
inasmuch as it was placed horizontally.  The two flukes were about
twelve feet or rather more in breadth, and six or seven in length.  The
whole animal was about eighty-four feet long, and the extreme breadth of
the body between twelve and fourteen feet; thus the whole of the
circumference did not exceed thirty-six feet.  The mate said he had
seldom seen whales larger.  Though the upper part of the head was very
broad, it decreased greatly below, so that it resembled somewhat the
cutwater of a ship; thus, as the animal when moving along the surface
raises its head out of the water, it is enabled to go at a great speed,
the sharp lower part of the jaw performing the service of the stem of a
ship.  The mouth extended the whole length of the head, the lower jaw
being very narrow and pointed,--no thicker in proportion than the lid of
a box, supposing the box to be inverted.  It had but a single blow-hole,
about twelve inches in length, resembling a long S in shape.  In the
upper part of the head, the mate told him, there is a large
triangular-shaped cavity called the "case," which contains oil of great
lightness, thus giving buoyancy to the enormous head.  This oil is the
spermaceti; and from the whale alongside, the mate said that probably no
less than a ton, or upwards of ten large barrels of spermaceti, would be
taken out.  The throat, he asserted, was large enough to swallow a man,
though the tongue was very small.  The mouth was lined throughout with a
pearly white membrane, which, when the whale lies below the surface with
its lower jaw dropped down, attracts the unwary fish and other
sea-creatures on which it feeds.  When a number swim into the trap, it
closes its jaw, and swallows the whole at a gulp.

"You see, Walter," observed the mate, "the sperm whale differs very much
in this respect from the Greenland whale, which has a remarkably small
gullet, and a quantity of whalebone in its gills, through which it
strains its food, so that nothing can get into its mouth which it cannot
swallow.  Now, the sperm whale has no whalebone in its jaws, and could
manage to take in a fish of fifty pounds, or, for that matter, one of a
hundred pounds, provided it had no sharp prickles on its back.

"Now, look at the eyes, how small they are, compared to the size of the
animal.  They have got eyelids, though; and they are placed in the most
convenient spot, at the widest part of the head, so that it can see
around it in every direction.  Just behind the eyes are the openings of
the ears; but they are very small,--not big enough to put in the tip of
your little finger.  Just astern of the mouth are the swimming paws; not
that the whale makes much use of them, for it works itself on by its
flukes, but they serve to balance the body, and assist the female in
supporting her young."

While Walter had been looking at the whales, the crew had been busy in
preparing for the operation of "cutting in," or taking off the blubber.
Huge caldrons, or "try-pots," had been got up on deck, with pans below
them for holding the fire.

The first operation was to cut off the head; which being done, it was
hauled astern and carefully secured with the snout downwards.  Tackles
being secured to the maintop, were brought to the windlass, when one of
the crew being lowered on to the body of the whale with a huge hook in
his hand, he fixed it into a hole cut for the purpose in the "blanket,"
or outer covering, near the head.  Others being lowered to assist him,
they commenced cutting with sharp spades a strip between two and three
feet broad, in a spiral direction round the body.  This strip, as it was
hoisted up by the tackles, caused the body to perform a rotatory motion,
till the whole of the strip or "blanket-piece" was cut off to the
flukes; which "blanket-piece," by-the-by, the mate told Walter, was so
called because it kept the whale warm.  As soon as this was done, the
shapeless mass, deprived of its fat, was allowed to float away, to
become the prey of numberless seafowl and various fish.  A hole being
now cut into the case of the head, a bucket was fixed to a long pole and
thrust down, and the valuable spermaceti bailed out till the case was
emptied, when the head was let go, and, deprived of its buoyant
property, quickly sank from view.

The next operation was to boil the spermaceti, and to stow it away in
casks.  The blanket-piece being cut up into small portions, they were
thrown into the try-pots; the crisp pieces which remained after the oil
was extracted, called "scraps," serving for fuel.  This last operation
is called "trying out."

Four days elapsed before both the carcasses were got rid of, and the oil
stowed away in casks in the hold.  Fortunately the weather remained
calm, or the operation would have taken much longer.  This was
considered a very good beginning, and the captain hoped he should hear
no more grumbling.

We must rapidly pass over the events of several weeks.  Two ports in the
northern part of Peru were visited, in order to dispose of to the
inhabitants some of the goods brought out, and to obtain fresh
provisions.  It was a work of some risk, as the _Champion_ would have to
defend herself against any Spanish men-of-war which might fall in with
her.  After this, she touched at the volcanic-formed Galapagos Islands,
situated on the line, at some distance from the continent.  Here a
number of huge tortoises were captured,--a welcome addition to the
provisions on board.  The ship remained some time in port, that the
rigging might be set up, and that she might undergo several necessary
repairs.  From this place she sailed northward, touching at the Sandwich
Islands,--then in almost as barbarous a condition as when discovered by
Captain Cook.  The inhabitants, however, had learned to respect their
white visitors, and willingly brought them an abundance of fresh
provisions.  Captain Tredeagle was too wise not to take precautions
against surprise.  Some of the worst of the crew, however, grumbled
greatly at not being allowed to visit the shore, and showed signs of
mutinous intentions; their ringleader, as before, being the boatswain.
By constant watchfulness and firmness the captain managed to prevent an
actual outbreak; and having taken on board an ample supply of fresh
provisions, and filled up with wood and water, he sailed for the
south-west,--intending to try the fishing-grounds off the Kingsmill and
Ellis's groups, and thence to proceed to New Guinea and the adjacent
islands.

After the _Champion_ had been some weeks at sea, a sail was seen to the
westward: whether a friend or a foe, could not be discovered; but she
was apparently of no great size.  The crew loudly insisted that chase
should be given, and that she should be overhauled, many even of the
better-disposed joining in the cry.

"I warn you, my men, that if a foe, though small she may be strongly
armed, and you may have to fight hard for victory--not probably to be
gained till several lives have been lost."

"We want prize-money, and are ready to fight for it," shouted the crew.

"I am willing to please you, though it is my belief that we shall be
better off in the end if we keep to our proper calling.  Even if we come
off victorious, our crew will be weakened; and while we are repairing
the damage we receive we might be filling our casks with oil."

"One rich prize will be worth all the whales we can catch," shouted the
crew.

The captain yielded, and all sail was made in chase of the vessel in
sight.  The stranger soon discovered that she was pursued, and set all
the canvas she could carry to escape.

The _Champion_ sailed well, and carried a strong breeze with her, while
the vessel ahead had but a light wind.  The former soon came up with the
chase, which hoisted French colours.  She was a brig, and from her
appearance many thought that she was a man-of-war.  If so, though much
smaller, she might prove a formidable antagonist, or turn out a Tartar.
It was too late, however, to escape, and their best chance of gaining
the victory was to put a bold face on the matter.  Shot and ammunition
were got up from below, the guns were run out, and the crew went to
their quarters ready for battle.  Many surmises were hazarded as to the
character of the vessel.  It soon became evident that she was not a
man-of-war; but she might be a privateer, and if so, would prove a tough
customer.  That such was the case was soon evident.  She now got the
breeze; but instead of setting all sail to escape, she hauled her wind,
and stood away on a bowline, manoeuvring to obtain the weather-gage.
This Captain Tredeagle was too good a sailor to let her obtain; and
seeing that she could not do so, she stood boldly towards her
antagonist.

Captain Tredeagle told Walter and Nub to carry Alice down below, to
remain in the lower hold, the safest part of the ship.  She was very
unwilling to go, and begged that she might stay on deck to share the
danger to which he might be exposed.

"It is impossible," he answered.  "I should have my thoughts fixed on
you instead of on the enemy; and should you be wounded, I should never
forgive myself."

"Come, Miss Alice.  Enemy soon begin to fire, and time you out of harm's
way," said Nub, taking her hand to lead her below.

"May I return, father?" asked Walter.  "I cannot bear the idea of hiding
away while there is fighting going forward."

Captain Tredeagle hesitated.  "I must not place my son out of the way of
dangers to which the rest of the crew are exposed.  They will look down
upon him if I did."

"You may return," he answered.

"Thank you, father, thank you," said Walter, springing after his sister
and Nub.

He soon came back.  "Alice is now all right," he said.  "Nub has been
telling her that we probably shall not have much fighting, as the battle
will soon be over, and we shall no doubt take the enemy."

The brig was soon within range of the whaler's guns, and showed her
readiness for the fight by firing the first shot, which came crashing
through the bulwarks, and striking one man to the deck.

"Give it to them, my lads!" cried Captain Tredeagle; and the whaler's
broadside was fired at her opponent with an effect scarcely expected--
one of the shot going right through the brig's foretopmast, sending it
with all its sail and rigging overboard.  The English crew cheered
lustily.  Captain Tredeagle ordered the helm to be put down, intending
to shoot ahead of the brig and rake her; but before he could do so, she
fired her broadside, which came sweeping across the deck, killing two
men and wounding three others.  It was her last effort, however; for the
whaler, passing ahead of her, poured in her broadside in return, rending
her mainmast, and killing several of her crew.  Finding that all
resistance was useless, the French colours were hauled down.

Walter's first impulse was to rush below to Alice.  "Good news! good
news!" he exclaimed; "we have taken a prize!  Hurrah! hurrah!  You may
come up into the cabin; but you had better not go on deck, for there are
sights there you would not wish to see."

Walter was right, for the three men lately killed lay stark and stiff on
the deck, which was sprinkled in many places with blood; while three
others severely wounded were under the doctor's hands.  Besides this, a
portion of the bulwarks was knocked away; and, what was of still more
consequence, two of her boats were almost irretrievably damaged.

A boat was lowered, and the first mate pulled away to board the prize.
The damage she had received was severe; besides which, a number of her
crew had been killed and wounded.  The captain and two of his officers
had also lost their lives.  The prize was of less value than was
expected, as she had only a small assortment of articles on board, for
the purpose of trading with the natives.  Captain Tredeagle's own crew
would of necessity be weakened to carry her into port; the nearest to
which he could send her being Sydney in New South Wales.  Some time must
also be spent in rigging jury-masts and refitting her for the voyage: so
that, whatever others might have thought, he very much regretted having
fallen in with the brig, the battle proving, as in most instances when
nations or people fall out, a loss to both parties.  He gave the command
to the third mate and six hands, all that could be spared; and they
would have, besides navigating the brig, to look after the prisoners,
most of whom remained on board.

Fortunately the weather remained calm, though even then it took three
days to prepare the brig for the voyage.  A third of her crew were
received on board the _Champion_, they having volunteered to join her.
Both vessels then made sail, the _Champion_ accompanying the prize.
They had not got far, however, when the lookout at the masthead gave the
welcome cry of "There they spout! there they spout!"

"Where away?" asked the captain.

"On the weather bow," was the answer.

The captain made the signal for the brig to proceed on her voyage, and
ordered the _Champion's_ sails to be braced sharp up, to stand towards
the whales which were seen to windward.  There was a fresh breeze, which
seemed likely to increase.  After making a couple of tacks the ship was
hove-to, and the captain ordered two boats to be lowered,--he going in
one, and the second mate in the other.  Away they pulled after the
whales, which, however, caught sight of them, and went off in all
directions.  The captain made chase after one, which, taking several
turns, at length came towards him.  Ordering his men to lie on their
oars, he stepped forward, waiting till the whale, a huge bull, came near
enough, when with unerring aim he struck his harpoon deep into its side.
The whale, smarting with pain, turned round, almost upsetting the boat,
and away it went dead to windward at a tremendous speed right against
the sea, which flew from the bows, covering her with showers of foam.

The second mate, who had gone away after another whale, observing the
course the first was taking as it came by, dashed up and fixed his
harpoon into the other side of the monster.  Away went both the boats,
towed with undiminished speed, till in a short time neither could be
seen from the _Champion's_ deck.  Scarcely had they disappeared when
several more whales were seen spouting at no considerable distance to
windward.  The opportunity of catching them was not to be lost, and Mr
Shobbrok ordered the two remaining boats to be lowered,--he going in one
and the fourth mate in the other, leaving the ship in charge of the
surgeon.

Walter had long been anxious to see a whale actually caught; and not
allowing the mate time to refuse him, he jumped into his boat.

"Do let me go," he exclaimed.  "The whales are not far off, and we shall
soon be back with a prize."  The men in their eagerness had shoved off
and were giving way.  Walter sprang aft to the side of the mate, who was
steering.  "You won't be angry with me, Mr Shobbrok," he said; "I
promise not to come again, if you object."

"I trust that no accident will happen, my boy," answered the mate.  "It
was for your own good alone that I wished you to remain on board,
otherwise I should have been glad of your company, and given you the
opportunity of seeing a whale caught."

A whole school of whales was in sight, several of them spouting
together.  The mates steered for them, making sure of getting hold of a
couple at least.  Some were spouting, others sounding, and others just
coming up again to breathe.  Mr Shobbrok steered for one which had just
made its appearance above water; while the fourth mate's boat made way
towards another huge monster which had already been blowing for some
seconds.

The first mate's boat approached the whale he had selected.  Stepping to
the bows, he plunged his harpoon into the creature's side; and then
taking one of the lances he thrust it deep into its body, singing out as
he did so, "Back off, all!"

At that instant Walter heard a cry from the direction of the other boat.
He looked round, when what was his horror to see that the boat had been
struck by the whale and lifted into the air!  The next instant down it
came, dashed into fragments, while those in it were sent flying in all
directions.  The first mate, in his desire to go to the rescue of his
shipmates, was on the point of heaving his own line overboard with a
drogue fastened to it, when the whale he had struck, lifting up its huge
flukes, sounded, nearly dragging him overboard as he let out the line.
The men were backing out of its way, when suddenly it slewed round its
tail.  The men, well knowing their danger, made every effort to escape,
and believing that they had got to a safe distance, and that the whale
had gone down, pulled back to the assistance of their drowning
shipmates.  Just then a tremendous blow was felt, and the boat, struck
amidships, was thrown into the air as the other had been, and smashed to
fragments.  The two men in the centre of the boat must have been killed
instantaneously.  Walter felt stunned for a moment, but, recovering his
senses, found himself struggling in the water, and close to the broken
stern of the boat, to which he clung fast.  Only one person remained
floating above the surface.  Walter called to him; and Mr Shobbrok's
voice answered, "Hold on, my lad; I'll be with you anon."

Walter saw that he was towing some of the fragments of the boat.  The
whale had disappeared, possibly having carried down some of the men in
his mighty jaws.  The first mate, after considerable exertion, reached
Walter.

"Thank Heaven, you have escaped!" he said, helping him up on to the
wreck of the boat.  Fortunately the second line remained attached to it.

"We must put together a raft, Walter, and try to get back to the ship,"
said the mate.  By means of the line he set to work, and lashed together
the different pieces of the boat which he managed to pick up, till he
had formed a raft sufficient to support Walter.  The fragments of the
other boat still remained floating at no great distance.  Pushing the
raft before him, he shoved it on till he reached the spot, when,
collecting them, with the assistance of four oars he had picked up he
formed a still larger raft, on which he, as well as Walter, could sit
securely.  He had also got two other oars with which to urge on the
raft.  Thus a considerable time was occupied, and it was now evening;
before long it would be quite dark, and the difficulty of finding the
ship much increased; they had less chance, also, of being picked up by
either of the two other boats on their return to the ship.

Walter had not uttered a word of complaint, and had done his utmost to
assist the mate.  He could not help feeling how wrong he had been in
getting into the boat, knowing, as he did, that his father would
certainly have objected; and should he not find them, how grieved he
would be on getting on board the ship to discover that they had not
returned.  The accident had occurred at too great a distance for those
remaining on board to see what had happened, though they might, perhaps,
conjecture that the boats had been destroyed.

The sun soon set, and darkness rapidly coming on, shrouded the
far-distant ship from sight.  The mate and Walter had done their utmost
to impel the raft towards her; but gathering clouds obscured the sky,
and they had no longer the means of directing their course.

"It will be impossible to reach her during the night," said the mate at
length.  "We are as likely to be pulling away from her as towards her;
and I have a notion that the wind has shifted more than once.  The best
thing we can do is to lie on our oars and to wait patiently till the
morning.  Take care, however, my boy, that you do not drop asleep and
fall off.  Here, make a couple of beckets, and slip your arms through
them; they will awake you if you move in your sleep."

"I have no wish to go to sleep," said Walter; "I feel too anxious to do
that."

"You must not trust too much to that," said the mate.  "Nature may be
too powerful for you; and you will be all the better for the rest."

Still Walter insisted on endeavouring to keep awake.  He was sitting up
trying to pass the time with talking, when suddenly he exclaimed, "Look!
look, Mr Shobbrok!  Where can that light come from?"

The mate gazed for some time, and then said solemnly, "Walter, I am
afraid the ship is on fire."



CHAPTER FOUR.

ALICE LEFT ON BOARD--MUTINEERS AND PRISONERS ATTEMPT TO TAKE THE SHIP--
GALLANTRY OF THE SURGEON--FIRE BREAKS OUT--NUB SAVES ALICE ON A RAFT--
WATCH THE BURNING SHIP--VOYAGE OF ALICE AND NUB ON THE RAFT--LOOK OUT
FOR A SAIL--A TERRIFIC THUNDERSTORM--A SAIL IN SIGHT.

After the boats had left the ship, Alice remained on deck, attended by
Nub, watching their progress.  Now and then Mr Lawrie came and spoke to
her, but she was so eager that she could scarcely reply to what he said.
Away dashed the two boats dancing over the waves, and were soon almost
lost to sight, though Alice saw that they had reached the spot where the
whales had been seen spouting.  They had been gone some time when she
saw Tidy come from below and speak in a hurried, anxious tone to Mr
Lawrie.  He then hastened away, as if not wishing to be seen by his
shipmates.  Soon after the surgeon came to her, and begged that she
would go into the cabin.

"Let me help you, Missie Alice," said Nub.  "Better aff dere dan on
deck."

Alice saw that something was wrong, but could not make out exactly what
it was.  She went, however, as Mr Lawrie requested her; and taking up a
book endeavoured to read, but not with much success.  She saw Mr Lawrie
come in and put a brace of pistols in his belt.  Nub and Tidy, with
three or four of the other men, did the same.  This, of course, made her
very anxious.  Several times she asked Nub if the boats were in sight,
but always got the same answer: "No signs of boats yet, Missie Alice."
Poor girl, she felt very forlorn with both her father and Walter away.
Nub came in and placed the tea-things on the table, and she made tea.
At last Mr Lawrie came in, apparently in a great hurry, and somewhat
agitated.  Of course she asked him if the boats were in sight.

"I hope they soon will be," he answered.

"Is there anything the matter?" she asked.

"I hope it will not be of much consequence," he replied evasively; and
without saying more, quickly went again on deck.

It was now getting quite dark.  Nub lighted the cabin-lamp.

"You had better take a book and read, Miss Alice, and dat pass your time
till de captain return."  Alice found it almost impossible to keep her
eyes on the page.  Presently she heard some loud shouts and cries, and
the stamping of feet, and pistol-shots.

That there was fighting going forward on deck she felt sure, but she
dared not go up to ascertain.  The noise increased--there was more
firing--then Nub rushed into the cabin.

"Oh, what has happened?" she asked.

"I come to take care of you, Miss Alice," he answered.  "De prisoners
and de bad men who mutiny before try to take de ship from de surgeon and
us, and dey are now fighting; and Mr Lawrie told me to come to take
care of you."

"Oh, thank you, Nub.  How I wish my father was on board, to help poor
Mr Lawrie.  What will he do?"

"He fight like brave Scotchman," answered Nub; "and he soon make de
mutineers ask pardon.  Don't be afraid, Miss Alice; de captain soon
come, and all go right."

Nub, however, was more sanguine than the state of the case warranted.
Mr Lawrie, aided by the true men, had managed to drive the mutineers
forward; but they were too numerous to allow him to hope for victory,
unless the loyal part of the crew away in the boats should speedily
return.  For a short time all was again quiet; but the mutineers were
merely gathering to make another rush aft.  Several who had before been
faithful joined them; and now again began to utter the most savage
cries, this time shouting out, "Overboard with all who oppose us!  Down
with the officers!  Death to our enemies!"  They were already on the
point of dashing aft to execute their threats; when thick smoke was seen
ascending from the fore-hatchway, a bright flame shooting up directly
afterwards in the midst of it.

"Fire! fire! fire!" shouted both parties of the crew.

"My lads, we must try and put it out, if we don't want to be burned
alive," exclaimed the surgeon, addressing those about him.  Then turning
to the mutineers, he shouted out, "You men who are about to attack us,--
if you have any sense left in you, I entreat you for your own sakes to
assist in extinguishing the fire."

"Ay, ay, sir," cried the boatswain; and then addressing his own party,
he exclaimed, "There's sense in what the doctor says.  Let's put the
fire out first, and settle our differences afterwards."

All hands turned to and tried to save the ship; but the fire had already
made so much progress below that there appeared little probability of
their succeeding.  The buckets were collected and filled; the hatches
torn off; and the boatswain, heading a party of the boldest, went below,
while the others passed the buckets to them.  Mr Lawrie and the other
officers exerted themselves to the utmost, he setting a good example by
his courage and activity.  Dense volumes of smoke, however, continued to
ascend both from the fore and main hatchway; while flames which had at
first only flickered up occasionally now burst forth through the
fore-hatchway, circling round the foremast and catching the rigging and
sails.

Nub, in the meantime, who would have willingly worked with the rest,
considered it his duty to remain with Alice, every now and then putting
his head out of the companion-hatch to see how matters were proceeding.
At last he came back, his countenance exhibiting anxiety rather than
terror.  "De ship will be burned; no doubt about dat, Missie Alice," he
said; "and de sooner we get away de better.  You help me, and we make
raft on which we float till de captain comes back to take us.  Don't be
afraid, Missie Alice; no harm will come to you, for God will take care
of us better dan we can take care of ourselves.  Still, we do what we
can."

"I will do whatever you advise, Nub," answered Alice, endeavouring to
overcome her alarm.  She did what every truly wise person under such
circumstances would do--she commended herself and her companion to the
care of God.  She then took Nub's hand, who led her up the
companion-ladder to the poop.  Having obtained an axe, he immediately
began to cut loose the hen-coops, spars, and gratings, and the lighter
part of the woodwork of that part of the ship.  Securing them to ropes,
he forthwith lowered them over the side.  Fortunately at this time the
wind had fallen completely, so that the ship was making no way through
the water.  Placing Alice in one of the ports, from which she could leap
if necessary into his arms, he descended, and began lashing together the
spars and gratings and pieces of woodwork which he had thrown overboard.
He could only do this in a very rough manner, as he knew that from the
rapid progress the fire was making there was no time to be lost.  He
would have called the surgeon and Tidy to his assistance, but he was
afraid if he did so that the rest of the crew would take possession of
the raft he had commenced.  His great object was to save Alice, leaving
the others to do the best they could for themselves.  He had put
materials together sufficient to bear his and her weight.  While he was
working, it occurred to him that it would be necessary to get some
provisions; and securing the raft, he sprang on deck by means of some
ropes he had hung overboard for the purpose, and rushing into the cabin,
he got hold of a small box of biscuit, a bottle of wine, and an earthen
jar full of water.  With these prizes he again descended to the raft.
On his way he observed that the surgeon and the rest of the people were
still labouring in vain endeavours to put out the fire, and he could not
help shouting to Mr Lawrie, "You had better build a raft, sir; no use
trying to put out the fire."

Whether or not Mr Lawrie heard him he could not tell.  As he was
getting over the quarter, he caught sight of a boat's sail, which he
threw on the raft.  Having deposited his provisions in a hen-coop in
which a couple of fowls still remained, he sprang up again to assist
Alice down, as he had a feeling that she would be safer on the raft than
on board the ship.  He had secured a boat-hook for the purpose of
catching hold of the articles he threw overboard, and was stretching out
his arm to reach a piece of timber which had floated away, while Alice
was holding on to a rope close to him, when a thundering sound echoed in
their ears.

"O Nub, what is that?" cried Alice in a terrified tone, gazing at the
fearful scene before her.

"Ship blow up, I s'pose," answered Nub, working away energetically.
"Hold on, Missie Alice; no harm come to you,--we shove off directly."

An explosion had, indeed, taken place in the fore-part of the ship,
scattering destruction around, blowing up the deck, and sending all on
that part into the water, killing some and fearfully mangling others.
The fire now burst forth with increased fury, enveloping in flames the
whole of the fore-part of the ship.  Nub, fearing that another explosion
of still more terrific character would occur should the fire reach the
chief magazine, which it would do, he thought, before long, shoved off
with his young charge, so precious in his sight, to put as great a
distance as possible between her and the danger he apprehended.  He had
already fastened together several pieces of wood, which he had not time
to secure as perfectly as he desired; and on his way he picked up many
more such fragments, as well as some casks which had been on deck, and
were sent overboard by the explosion.  Without loss of time he began
lashing them together, soon forming a raft which he considered would be
able to withstand a tolerable amount of knocking about should the sea
get up.

Nub was not destitute of humanity, but though he heard the cries of his
shipmates as they struggled in the water, he continued labouring away at
the raft without attempting to go to the rescue.

"Oh, poor men! cannot we help them?" exclaimed Alice.

"Dey take care of demselves, Missie Alice," answered Nub.  "My business
is to sabe you."

"Oh, don't think of me," exclaimed Alice.  "I cannot bear the thoughts
of their perishing if it is possible to save them."

"It not possible, den," answered Nub; "unless I run de risk ob losing
you."  And he worked away as before.

The flames had now burst forth from all sides of the ship, affording him
sufficient light for the purpose.  Having preserved a stout spar to
serve as a mast, he fixed it firmly at one end of the raft, staying it
up with the remainder of the rope, with the exception of a piece which
he kept for halyards.  The sail was already attached to a light yard, so
that he had only to secure it to his halyards and hoist it up.  This he
did, bringing the sheet aft, where he placed himself, with an oar to
serve as a rudder.

His great object was to get to a sufficient distance from the ship, to
avoid the danger of another explosion.  By this time the cries from the
drowning men had ceased; and had he thought it safe to venture back to
the ship, it would probably have been too late to save them.  What had
become of the rest of his shipmates he could not tell.  He fancied,
indeed, that he heard the sound of voices; but if so, they must have
been on the other side of the ship, and were thus shut out from view.

A light breeze having now got up, the raft made tolerable way, and soon
got to some distance from the ship; but still fearing that the fragments
might reach them and injure Alice, Nub stood on.  Now and then he cast a
look at the ship.  It appeared to him that the flames were not making
such rapid progress as at first.  "After de fire burn out, we go back,
Missie Alice; but still I tink we safer here dan on board de ship," he
observed.  "S'pose we near and de ship go down, den de oder men get on
de raft and sink her."

Nub, indeed, knew that there were two dangers to be apprehended.  Should
the ship blow up, he and Alice might be injured by the fragments, which
would probably be sent to a great distance from her; while, should she
go down, the raft might be drawn into the vortex: and sink with her.  He
could not tell at what distance they would be free from either of these
two dangers; and this made him stand on much further than was in reality
necessary.

On and on he went.  It seemed foolish to him to stop short of a spot of
positive safety.  The fierce flames were blazing up from every part of
the ship, making her appear much nearer than she really was.  The wind
was increasing, driving the raft rapidly before it; and as the sea got
up and rolled under the raft, Nub saw that the only means of preserving
it from being swamped was to continue on his course.

On and on he sailed.  The sea rose higher and higher, and the clouds
gathered thickly in the sky.  His great fear was that the seas would
break aboard and sweep Alice off.  To prevent so fearful a catastrophe,
he begged her to let him fasten her to a hen-coop, which he lashed
tightly down in the centre of the raft.  "Don't be afraid, Missie Alice;
don't be afraid," he kept continually saying.

"I am not afraid for myself," answered Alice; "but I am thinking how
miserable poor papa and Walter will be when they get back to the ship
and find that I am gone.  They will not know that you are taking care of
me, and that we are safe on a raft.  And then, if Mr Lawrie and Dan
Tidy should escape, they will not be able to say where we are gone, as
they did not see us get away.  For their sakes, I wish that we could go
back."

"Dat we can't do, Missie Alice; for, if I try eber so hard, I not pull
against such a gale as dis," answered Nub.

Alice was silent; she saw that Nub's reason was a true one.  Though she
had assured him that she was not frightened, she felt very anxious and
alarmed about her own fate and his.

The thunder rolled, the lightning flashed, and the seas tumbled the raft
so fearfully about, that had it not been put strongly together it would
speedily have been broken into fragments, and she and her companion left
without any support on which to preserve their lives.  The burning ship
appeared further and further off, and even should the storm cease it
would be almost impossible to get back to her.  At length there came a
loud roar which sounded above the noise of the thunder.  The flames
seemed to rise higher than before in the sky; and even at that distance
the masts, spars, and rigging could be discerned, broken into fragments,
and hanging, as it were, above the fire.  Then after a few minutes all
became dark!

"Dere goes de ship to de bottom," exclaimed Nub; "I hope no one on board
her.  De people had time to get away on a raft if dey got deir senses
about dem."

"Indeed, I hope that Mr Lawrie, and honest Dan Tidy and the others,
managed to escape," cried Alice.  "But oh, Nub, do you think papa and
Walter can have been on board?"

"No, I tink not, Missie Alice," answered Nub.  "Dey too wise to stay
when de ship was burning like dat.  Dey knew well enough dat she would
go up in de air when de fire reach de magazine, which has just happened.
Dey eider not get back, or put off again in time."

"But they will think that we were blown up, should they not have visited
the ship first," said Alice; "and that will break their hearts."

"I hope not, Missie Alice.  Dey know dat I had got to take care of you,
and dat I got head on my shoulders, and would not do so foolish a ting
as to stay on board and be blown up if I could get away.  Don't be
unhappy, derefore, about dat."

"I will try not," said Alice, "though it is very, very terrible."

"No doubt about dat, Missie Alice," answered Nub; "but tings might be
worse, and if de raft hold together in dis sea it will swim through any
we are likely to have.  Already de wind down, and it grow calmer.
Suppose now we had been close to de ship when she blow up, we much worse
off dan we are now.  Suppose de people had made me work to put out de
fire, den I had not built a raft, and we blown up,--dat much worse dan
we are now; or suppose de sea had washed over de raft and carried us
away, den also we much worse off dan we are now; or suppose I had not
got de biscuits and de water, den we starve, and much worse off dan we
are now: so you see, Missie Alice, we bery fortunate, and hab no right
to complain."

"Oh no, I am not complaining," exclaimed Alice; "I feel that we have
been very mercifully preserved, and I trust that we shall be saved,
though I cannot say how that is to be."

"No more can I, Missie Alice, 'cept the captain find us, or one of de
oder boats; and den we have a long way to go before we reach land, I
s'pose; but dere are many islands in dese seas, and perhaps we get to
one of dem where we find cocoanuts, yams, bananas, and plenty of oder
tings to eat; and den perhaps de captain build ship, and we get back
some day to Old England."

By such like remarks honest Nub tried to amuse the mind of the young
girl, and draw her thoughts from the fearful dangers which he saw
clearly enough surrounded them.  He knew perfectly well how difficult it
would be for the boats to find them in that wide sea, low down as they
were on the surface of the ocean.  Though they might float many days,
their provisions must come to an end, while their supply of water was
fearfully limited, and would soon be exhausted.  He resolved to touch
but the smallest drop himself, that he might have more for her.

Nub was unwilling to increase his distance from the place where the ship
had gone down, as the further he went away the less chance there was of
the boats coming up with them.  Still there was too much sea, he
considered, to make it safe to lower the sail; for though the raft
floated lightly over the waves, should its progress be stopped he feared
that they would break on board.  The wind, which had subsided for some
time, again increased, and the danger he had apprehended became greater.
He had stepped the mast in a hurried, and therefore imperfect manner,
while he had not stayed it up as he could have wished.  As it was very
necessary to remain at the helm, he could do nothing to strengthen it.
All he could say was, "Hold on, good mast! hold on!" as he saw it
straining and bending before the breeze.  In what direction he was going
he could not tell.  Land had been seen the day before, and he might be
running towards it; but then, again, the attempt to get on shore might
be more dangerous than to remain on the raft.  He also knew well that
the inhabitants of the islands in that part of the world were generally
savage cannibals, who would murder Alice and him without the slightest
compunction; or if their lives were spared, that they would probably be
reduced to the most abject slavery.  Though he could not keep these
thoughts from entering his own mind, he did his best to cheer up the
little girl by assuming a confidence which he himself did not feel.

The sky still looked wild and threatening, the wind blew stronger than
ever.  Suddenly there came a sharp report and a cracking sound, and in
an instant the mast was broken off, the shrouds torn away, and, with the
sail, carried overboard.  Nub sprang forward to secure it, but it was
too late; the raft, with the impetus it had received, drove on, and the
sail was irretrievably lost.  Happily at the same instant the wind
suddenly dropped, and though the seas dashed the raft alarmingly about,
none washed over it.

Alice, hearing the noise, and seeing Nub's agitation, became frightened.
"Oh, what has, happened?" she exclaimed, for the first time giving way
to tears.  Nub did his utmost to quiet her alarm by assuring her that
they were in no greater danger than before, and begged her to hold fast
to the hen-coop, lest any of the seas which were tumbling about around
them should break on the raft and sweep her overboard.  Nub did his best
with the long oar he had fixed as a rudder in the after part of the raft
to keep it before the wind, so that it still drove on, though at much
less speed than when the sail was set.  Happily, soon after the last
violent blast, the gale began sensibly to abate and the sea to go down,
and when at length the long wished-for morning came it was almost calm.
As soon as it was light enough Nub looked anxiously around in the hopes
of seeing some of the boats approaching from the direction of the ship;
but no object was visible on the wild waste of waters, the raft
appearing to float in the midst of a vast circle bounded by the concave
sky, without a break on either side.

Alice felt very tired and sleepy, for she had not closed her eyes all
the night; and Nub himself began to get excessively hungry.  This
reminded him of the provisions he had stowed away in the hen-coop, and
he bethought him that Alice would also want some breakfast.  He could
now venture to leave the helm; and going to the hen-coop, he got out
some biscuits and the wine and water.

"Here, Missie Alice," he said; "will you take some breakfast?  It will
do you good and raise your spirits.  When people hungry dey always
melancholy."

"But I am not melancholy, Nub, though I cannot say that I am merry; and
I am not especially hungry, but if you think I ought to eat I will do
so."

"Yes, yes; you will get ill if you don't eat," said Nub, offering the
biscuits, and pouring out a little wine and water into a cup, which he
had slipped into his pocket as he left the cabin.

Alice thanked him, and was going to eat.  "Stop!" she murmured.  "I have
not said my prayers this morning, and I was going to begin breakfast
without saying grace."

"Oh, Missie Alice, you are an angel," exclaimed Nub.

"I forgot all about saying my prayers, and I am sure an angel would not
have done that," she answered.  "Oh, how ungrateful I was; but it is not
too late."  Before she would touch anything, she knelt down and offered
up her short morning prayer, adding a petition that she and Nub, and all
others she loved or was interested in, might be preserved from the
dangers which surrounded them.  Rising from her knees, she then
reverently said grace, and ate some of the biscuit with a better
appetite than she had supposed she possessed.  Nub took a very small
portion, and merely wetted his lips with the wine and water to quench
the thirst he was already beginning to feel.  He gave Alice, indeed, but
a small allowance, wishing to make it last as long as possible, as he
knew that they might have to remain on the raft for a long time.  Again
and again he looked round to see if anyone was coming to their rescue;
but no object being in sight, he sank down, intending to watch over
Alice, who, overcome with weariness, at length fell asleep.  Though he
himself wished to keep awake, before long his eyelids closed, the slow
up and down movement of the raft having the effect of making both the
occupants sleep soundly.

The solitary raft lay on the waste of waters.  Hour after hour passed
by, and still the little girl and faithful black slept on, watched over
by One who ever cares for the helpless and distressed who trust in Him.
Hungry sharks might have jumped up and seized them in their maws; huge
whales might have struck the raft with their snouts, and upset it as
they rose above the water; or birds of prey might have pounced down and
struck them with their sharp beaks;--but from all such dangers they were
preserved, while a veil of clouds covered the sky and sheltered them
from the burning rays of the hot sun of that latitude.

At length Nub started up.  He had been dreaming that Alice had fallen
overboard, and that he had plunged in after her to save her from a
hungry shark.  For a few moments, so confused were his senses, he could
not tell what had happened; then finding himself on the raft, and Alice
sleeping close to him, he recollected all about it.  His first impulse
was to stand up and look round, in the hope of seeing the boats; but, as
before, not an object was in sight.

"Well, well, I s'pose de boats come in good time," he said to himself,
sitting down again with a sigh.  "We must wait patiently.  If any land
was in sight I would row to it, for though de raft might move very
slowly, we should get dere at last; but now, though I pull on all day, I
get nowhere.  Better wait till God sends some one to help us.  Perhaps
when de breeze gets up again another whaler come dis way and take us on
board."  Nub looked at Alice.  She was sleeping calmly; and knowing that
the more she slept the better, he would not awake her.  He himself felt
very hungry, but he did not like to eat except she was sharing the meal.
He could not, however, refrain from nibbling a piece of biscuit, to try
and stop the gnawings of hunger.  Several times he stood up and gazed
anxiously around; sitting down, however, on each occasion with a sigh,
and saying to himself, as before, "No sail, no boat.  Well, well, help
come in good time."

At length Alice awoke, and seemed even more surprised than Nub had been
to find herself on the raft.  He at once got out the biscuits, and
begged her to eat several, and to take a little wine and water.

"But you are not eating any yourself, Nub," she said.

"I have had some; but I take a little more to keep you company," he
answered, not telling her that he had before merely nibbled a small
piece.  In the same way he merely wetted his lips with the liquid,
though he would gladly have taken a cupful.

Another night was coming on.  Just before the sun sank beneath the
horizon, Nub took a last look round.  Alice glanced up in his face.

"Can you see anything?" she asked in an anxious tone.

"No, noting, Missie Alice.  Perhaps to-morrow de boats come," he
answered.  "We not despair; we got food and water, and we tank God for
dem."

"I will say my evening prayer," said Alice, kneeling down with her arms
on the hen-coop.  Nub reverently placed himself on his knees by her
side, and repeated the words she used.

"I will now sing a hymn," she said, reseating herself on the hen-coop.
From that solitary spot on the desert ocean arose to heaven a sweet hymn
of praise, Nub, who, like many negroes, could sing well, joining with
his voice.

Darkness came down over the deep, shrouding the raft with its sable
canopy.  Alice, having slept so much during the day, could not for some
time close her eyes; so Nub did his best to amuse her.  She talked to
him not only of the past but of the future, and of the hope of
deliverance.  Nub calculated that their stock of provisions would last,
if he could manage to exist without eating more than he had hitherto
done, at least for four or five days; this would give Alice enough to
keep up her strength.  But should help not come at the end of that time
he must, he knew, die of hunger; and though she might live a few days
longer, what could she do all alone on the raft?  This thought made him
very sad, but he tried to put it from him.

At last Alice fell asleep, and the sea remaining calm, he thought it
best to follow her example, that he might endure his hunger and obtain
the refreshment which sleep would give him.

Another day broke.  It was spent almost as the previous one had been.
No sail hove in sight, and the raft floated calmly as at first.  He had
thought the loss of the sail a great misfortune, but for the last two
days it would have been of no use except to afford some shelter to
Alice; and perhaps, like other things which people at first look on as
misfortunes, the loss might prove ultimately advantageous.

With Nub's assistance Alice could move about a little on the raft, to
prevent her limbs from becoming benumbed.  Frequently she begged him to
let her stand upon the hen-coop, that she might look around to watch for
any sail which might heave in sight; each time, however, only meeting
with disappointment.  The arching sky and circling expanse of water
were, as before, alone visible.

Towards evening Nub became more anxious.  He did not like the look of
the weather.  Dark clouds were gathering overhead, and the sea rose and
fell in ominous undulations, which he fancied betokened a storm.  Still
he could do nothing.  He felt his own helplessness; and this God often
designs should be the case, that men may place their entire dependence
on Him who alone can afford help in time of need.

Nub did not speak of his fears to Alice, who at length fell asleep while
he sat watching by her side, ready to hold her fast should the sea get
up as he expected it would do.  He was mistaken, however, in his
anticipations of evil; for though the threatening appearance of the
weather did not go off, the ocean remained as calm as before.

Another day came round.  Nub was constantly on his feet looking about
for the expected sail, as there was a light breeze, which might have
brought one towards them.  Hour after hour passed by and no sail
appeared.

"Will a ship neber come?" frequently ejaculated Nub.  He was losing
patience, and it was but natural.  "The biscuits and water will soon be
all gone, and den what shall we do?" he thought to himself; but he did
not say that aloud, lest Alice might be alarmed.

"I am sure that the boats, or a ship, will find us to-morrow," said
Alice.

"Why do you tink dat?" asked Nub.

"Because our biscuits are coming to an end," said Alice calmly; "and,
Nub, I see that you eat very few of them, and you are growing weak and
thin.  You ought to take twice as many as I do, as you are twice as big;
and yet I am sure that you eat much fewer."

"How you know dat, Missie Alice?" asked Nub.

"Because the last time you served them out I counted the number you
took; and while you gave me four, you only ate two yourself."

"Well, you bery cunning girl," said Nub, trying to laugh.  "But den
remember you are growing, and want food more dan I do.  I have only to
eat enough to keep body and soul togeder; and you have not been
accustomed to hardships as I have since I can remember; so you see dat
it's right I should give you more dan I take myself."

Alice did not quite understand Nub's reasoning, but she felt very
hungry, and was thankful to obtain the food.

"Now, Missie Alice, I am not going to eat any more of de biscuits," said
Nub.  "De next food I take will be one of de fowls."

"But how can you light a fire to cook them?" asked Alice.

"I eat dem raw!  Much better eat dem dan die."

Poor Alice shuddered.  Nub knew that it was high time to kill one of the
fowls, for though their troughs were full of food when he lowered the
coop on to the raft, it had long since been exhausted.  Alice turned her
head aside when Nub put one of the fowls out of its misery, and eagerly
drank up the blood to quench the burning thirst from which he was
suffering.  He did not offer her any, as he knew that while any wine and
water remained she would not touch it.  He felt in better spirits, and
much stronger, after this meal.

He also imbibed some of the hope which inspired Alice, that they might
be relieved before long.  Still, when the sun went down again, and the
night once more began, his spirits drooped.  He could no longer keep
awake as he had done on the previous night, and as soon as she had
closed her eyes his head began to nod, and he fell asleep.  He slept
soundly, for the raft moved quietly about.  Nothing occurred for several
hours to disturb him.  At length he was startled by a loud peal of
thunder.  He looked up.  The sky was overcast; a vivid flash of
lightning darted from the clouds, followed by another terrific peal,
which awoke Alice.

"Oh! what is the matter?" she exclaimed.

"A thunderstorm," he answered.  "But de sea calm, and de lightning not
hurt us."  It required firm faith, however, to believe that such would
not be the case.

At times the whole heavens were lighted with vivid flashes, while the
thunder roared and crashed on every side.  This continued for some time.
Nub stood up and looked around him, Alice saw him gazing intently to
windward; she rose and took his hand.

"What is it you see?" she asked.

"It may be only de white top of a wave," he answered.

There was a cessation of the lightning in that part of the heavens for a
minute or more, but Nub kept looking steadily in the same direction.
Presently another vivid flash darted across the sky, lighting up a wide
portion of the ocean.

"Dere! dere now!  I see it again!" exclaimed Nub.  "Yes, Missie Alice,
yes, dat is a sail; I am sure of it.  Dere it gone again; but you will
see it soon, if you look with all your eyes."  Alice did look with might
and main, waiting for another flash.  Presently the heavens were lighted
up more brilliantly than before, the glare falling fully on a white
sail, which seemed at no great distance off.  Once more all was dark;
but Alice and Nub continued to gaze in the direction where they had seen
the sail, in the expectation that it would reappear.  They waited in
vain.  They raised their voices together, and shouted, in the hope of
being heard by those on board.  Nub's voice, however, was weak and
hollow; Alice's was almost as loud, and far shriller.

"Dey cannot hear us," said Nub at length.  "Dey too far off."  Still he
stood and gazed, and again and again shouted out.  His fear was that the
boat, (for such, he conjectured, was the object he had seen, and which
appeared to be running before the wind), might pass in the darkness
either on one side or the other, and that he and his beloved charge
might be left to perish on the waste of waters.  He waited for some
time.

"Dey must be bit nearer now," he said at length.  "We try to make dem
hear."  He and Alice again lifted up their voices, and shouted till they
could shout no more.

"Hark!" cried Nub, "I tink I hear a voice."



CHAPTER FIVE.

WALTER AND THE MATE VISIT THE SHIP--THE "CHAMPION" BLOWS UP--CONSTRUCT A
RAFT--THE VOYAGE ON IT--SUFFERINGS FROM WANT OF WATER--A SHOWER OF
RAIN--LOOKING OUT FOR THE BOATS--NO SAIL IN SIGHT.

We left Walter and Mr Shobbrok on their hastily-constructed raft at the
moment they had discovered that the ship was on fire.  Having now a
light from the burning ship to direct their course, they got out their
oars and urged on the raft with all the strength they could exert.  They
had succeeded in fixing the bow of the shattered boat to one end of it,
and they were thus able, in the calm water, to make far better way than
they would otherwise have done.  They were in a terrible state of
anxiety.  Walter more than ever blamed himself for having left the ship.
Had he remained on board, he might have been able to assist Alice; and
should she perish, he could never forgive himself.  There were no boats
on board, they knew, and the people would scarcely have time to
construct a raft without an officer of experience to direct them.  They
rowed and rowed with all their power, and it was evident that they were
approaching the ship.

"The fire seems at present to be confined to the fore-part of the ship,"
observed Mr Shobbrok.  "If so, we may have time to assist in forming a
raft for saving ourselves and the rest.  If I had been on board, I would
have set every man with axes to cut away the upper works and
mizzen-mast, and we should soon have materials for the purpose."

"I am thinking of poor, dear Alice," exclaimed Walter.  "How dreadfully
frightened she will be!  Oh, what shall I do should anything happen to
her?"

"We must trust to Him who will, if He thinks fit, find the means of
preserving her," said the mate.  "Row away, Walter; we must not think
about what may happen, but exert ourselves to the utmost to do our duty,
and that is to get on board as soon as possible.  Row away, my boy, row
away."

Walter did not need any incitement to labour; but, though he was not
aware of it, while he was talking he had actually relaxed his
efforts.--(Not an unusual circumstance.  People, when talking, too often
forget to do.  There is no lack of talkers in the world.  Doers are much
rarer.  We want our readers to belong to the latter class.)--Taking Mr
Shobbrok's advice, Walter did not utter another word, but rowed away as
hard as he could.  Their united exertions made the raft move at a
considerable rate through the water.  They were still at some distance,
when Mr Shobbrok, who was guiding the raft, and in order to do so had
to look towards the ship, uttered an exclamation of grief.

"O Walter, the fore-part has blown up!" he cried out, "and must have
sent many of the poor fellows to the bottom.  But pull on! pull on! we
may yet be in time to save your young sister."

Walter said nothing, but his heart was almost breaking with anxiety.

"The flames are not spreading as fast as I thought they would," said Mr
Shobbrok.  "We may still be in time."

On they rowed, till at length they got near enough to have seen anyone
remaining on the deck of the ship; but not a person appeared, although
the mizzen-mast was still standing, and the flames had not yet reached
the poop.

At length they got under the quarter, and making fast their raft by
means of a rope which hung down, they hauled themselves on board.
Walter rushed into the cabin, but Alice was not there, and no one was to
be seen.

"Don't be cast down, Walter," said Mr Shobbrok.  "It is evident that
they must have built a raft and left the ship.  We must do what we can,
while time is allowed us, to build one for ourselves.  We must be quick
about it, for before long the fire will reach the magazine, and we must
take care to be at a safe distance before then."  Saying this, he rushed
into the cabin, and returned with a couple of axes.  One he gave to
Walter, and the other he took himself, and they both began cutting away
at the taffrail and quarter rail.  He then sprang aloft, and telling
Walter to stand from under, with a few strokes brought the gaff, the
cross-jack, and mizzen-topsail yards down on deck, while he at the same
time cleared the mass of the running rigging, preserving the most
perfect coolness and exhibiting the most wonderful activity.  He soon
collected ample materials for the purpose he had in view.  The spars
were light, and were soon cut into the lengths he required; and ably
seconded by Walter he quickly hove them overboard, secured to ropes to
prevent them from floating away from the ship as she moved through the
water.  Having collected their materials, they descended upon their
former raft and began at once to lash the pieces of timber closely
together, so as to form an oblong and compact raft.

"Take care, Walter, to secure every lashing properly," said Mr
Shobbrok; "it is better to spend a little more time about it now, than
to find our raft come to pieces in the first heavy sea we encounter."

The mizzen-royal, which had been sent down at nightfall, remained on
deck, and the mate had lowered it on to their first raft.  The framework
having been formed, he once more sprang up on deck.

"You remain, Walter; I will be back in a moment," he sang out.

Walter was very anxious while he was gone, for he had not forgotten what
Mr Shobbrok had said about the magazine.  He soon heard him crying
out,--"Take hold of this, and see it does not capsize."  Looking up, he
found that a basket was being lowered.  He placed it on the most secure
part of the raft.  Directly afterwards Mr Shobbrok lowered down a
hammer and a large bag of nails.

"I must see what more can be got," he cried out.  Directly afterwards he
sprang over the side and descended rapidly on to the raft.

"Shove off, my boy, shove off! there's not an instant to be lost!" he
exclaimed; and he and Walter, seizing the oars, pulled away on their
former raft, towing the one they had just formed after them.  As it
floated lightly, they managed to make fair way, though by this time the
sea had somewhat increased, the wind having suddenly got up.  They had
not got more than two cables length from the ship when a loud roar
announced that the magazine had exploded; the foremast and mainmast,
which had hitherto stood, fell over the side, while the mizzen-mast shot
up into the air.  They narrowly escaped from some of the smaller pieces
of the burnt fragments of the ship, which came down on the raft.

"There goes the _Champion_," cried Mr Shobbrok.  "It's a sad ending;
but sadder for those will it be who come to look for her, and find only
a blackened wreck floating on the water."

As he spoke, the stern of the ship lifted out of the water, while the
burning bows dipping beneath the surface, she gradually descended into
the depths of the ocean, and ere a minute was over, had disappeared from
sight.

"We may be thankful that we got away in time," sighed the old mate.
"Well, well, I thought we should have got home safely in her; but it was
God's will.  We must trust to Him, and not despair, whatever happens."

"I try to do so," said Walter; "but I wish I knew what had become of
dear Alice and our father.  If he has not yet visited the ship, it will
well-nigh break his heart when he does come back, to find her gone.  He
will think we are all lost."

"If he has not visited the ship, he will not be certain whether she has
gone down,--though, to be sure, that would be almost as bad; for he will
suppose that the scoundrel of a boatswain and the French prisoners have
got possession of her and made off,--knowing to a certainty that we
should never have left the spot till he had returned," answered the
mate.

"Then I hope that he has visited the ship," said Walter; "and now I
think of it, he must have seen the fire at a great distance, and would
have come back as fast as he could.  He might easily have passed us in
the dark without seeing us.  Perhaps his boat and the other took the
people off, and he has Alice safe with him."

"I don't think that," said the mate; "for from what I observed when I
was on board, I am sure that they must have made a raft.  The main and
main-topsail-yards, and all the spare spars on deck, and a good part of
the bulwarks and the hatches and gratings, were gone; had they been
left, I should at all events have seen the burnt ends.  I took it in at
a glance, though I did not tell you so at the time."

"But that does not prove that the boats did not visit the ship,"
observed Walter.  "They could not carry all the people.  I rather think
that my father did come back, and had the raft built under his orders."

"Well, well, lad," answered the mate, "as I said before, we will hope
for the best; and as soon as it is daylight we must set to work and
secure our raft better than it is at present, or it will not stand the
sea we are likely to have on before long."

By this time the wind had greatly increased, and the sea was tumbling
the raft about from side to side in a way which would have made it
impossible for any one but a practised seaman, as was the mate, and an
active boy like Walter, to keep their footing.  Dark clouds had gathered
in the sky; the lightning flashed and the thunder roared.  Still the
mate and Walter did not lose courage, but exerted themselves to keep the
materials with which they intended to complete their raft, together.
Happily, however, though the weather was so threatening, the sea did not
continue to increase, and towards dawn it once more sensibly abated.

"Now, Walter, while we have got a lull, let us set to work to finish
this raft of ours," said Mr Shobbrok.

"Ay, ay," answered Walter; "tell me what to do, and I will do it as soon
as we have got light enough to see with."

"We shall have that before long: the first streaks of dawn are appearing
in the sky," observed the mate.

"Then I hope we may get a sight of the boats, for they are not likely to
have run far from the ship," said Walter.

As the light increased sufficiently to enable them to see objects at a
distance, they stood up and took an anxious glance around; but the
horizon on all sides was unusually obscured, and their view consequently
limited.  Walter, whose young eyes were keener than those of the mate,
fancied that he caught sight of an object which looked like a boat's
sail away to leeward, but if such was the case it soon disappeared.  He
made out, however, on the part of the ocean where the ship had gone
down, numerous pieces of wreck, casks, and spars, and other articles,
which, escaping burning, had floated; but they were too far off to
enable him to distinguish clearly what they were.

"Come, lad, let's turn to and work," said the mate.

The first thing they did was more completely to secure the spars and
pieces of timber which formed the framework of their raft.  They then
took the wreck of the boat to pieces and nailed the planks down on the
centre, so as to make a thick flooring, which enabled them to walk about
and keep their feet out of the water, though it here and there still
spouted up through the interstices of the planks.  They also gave it
greater buoyancy by sinking some of the casks they had secured under the
framework, and firmly securing them.  They then fixed two oars at either
side of one end of the raft, and stayed them up, so that a sail might be
hoisted between them.  Some time was thus spent, for the sea tumbled
them about a good deal, and it was no easy matter to work.  It was
necessary, indeed, to keep all the articles lashed together till they
were wanted, or they would have been washed away.

They had been too eagerly employed to think of eating; at length,
however, when their task was accomplished, Walter looked up and said,
"Are you hungry, Mr Shobbrok?"

"I think you must be," answered the mate.  "We will see what the basket
contains, for I tumbled into it whatever I could get hold of in a hurry,
and I am greatly afraid that there is not as much food as we could wish
for."

The mate and Walter sat down on the centre of their raft and anxiously
examined the contents of their basket.  There was a small piece of
cooked salt beef, a few biscuits, and part of a Dutch cheese; a scanty
supply for two persons with little prospect of obtaining more till they
could reach land.  There were, however, several bottles, but what they
contained it was difficult to say without opening them: one certainly
had oil in it, two were full of red wine, and two others of a clear
liquid, as it appeared when they were held up to the sun.

"I hope it may be water," exclaimed Walter; "for I am very thirsty
already."

"I am sorry to say that it's not," answered the mate; "for they are
tightly corked up.  It must be gin, which is at all events better than
nothing."

"I would give both of them for a bottle of water," said Walter.

"We must try to do without it, however, and endure thirst as long as we
can," said the mate.  "Let us be thankful for what we have got."

Walter and the mate each ate one of the biscuits and a small piece of
the meat and cheese; but they did not take much meat, for fear of
exciting thirst.  Walter took a very little wine.

"We must husband our stores, to make them last longer.  I will tell you
what we will do to prevent ourselves suffering from thirst--I have known
the plan to succeed, and enable people to go many days without drinking,
without being much the worse for it.  We will dip our clothes twice a
day in the water, and our skins will thus soak up as much moisture as we
absolutely require; though I will allow it would be pleasanter if we had
a little cold water to pour down our throats."

They both did as the mate advised, and found much benefit from it.  It
has been known, indeed, under similar circumstances, to preserve the
lives of people who might otherwise have perished.  The mate, however,
cautioned Walter on no account to drink the salt water, however tempted
by thirst, as it has a powerful effect, and in many instances has
produced madness.  Walter promised strictly to follow the mate's advice.

"I give it to you now," said the mate, "because there is no saying what
may happen to me.  You are young, and may survive, while I may knock
under from the hardships we may have to endure.  I would give my few
remaining years of life to know that you were safe, and restored to your
father."

"Oh, don't talk thus, Mr Shobbrok," said Walter; "I hope that you may
live and get back safely to Old England."

The mate had waited near to the spot where the ship had gone down, on
the possibility of the boats returning, but the day was now drawing on,
and they did not appear.

"There's no use in remaining here longer, I am afraid," he said at
length.  "We will make sail, and run before the breeze.  There's land
away to the eastward, though I'm afraid it's a long way off; however, if
we can get there, we may obtain food and water, at all events.  As far
as I can judge, it's the only thing we can do under present
circumstances.  Perhaps we may be picked up by a ship, as whalers
frequent these seas."

Walter of course agreed to the mate's proposal, and accordingly the sail
was hoisted between two oars, a third oar serving as a rudder.  The
breeze freshened, and the raft ran swiftly over the water.  Night at
length approached.  Walter felt very drowsy, and could with difficulty
keep his eyes open, though he made strenuous efforts to do so.  The mate
observing him, said, "Lie down, Walter; you are less accustomed to long
watches than I am.  Get some sleep, my lad; and when I think you have
had enough of it, and should the weather continue moderate, I will call
you, and you can take a spell at the helm."

Walter thankfully did as the mate advised, and was soon in the land of
dreams, and far away in old England.  He once, when a little boy, had
had a fever, and he thought he was lying on his bed as he then did, with
his fond mother watching over him, and giving him cooling draughts, and
singing a sweet song he loved to hear.  He was awakened at length by the
old mate calling him.  His mouth felt dreadfully parched.  What would he
not have given for a cup of that refreshing beverage which he had dreamt
of in his sleep!

"Come, Walter," said the mate, "you may take the helm; and mind you
don't fall overboard.  An hour's sleep will set me to rights, and then
you shall have some more rest."

"I will give the old man more than an hour's sleep," thought Walter, as
he got up and took the oar in his hand.

"Keep her before the wind," said Mr Shobbrok, lying down; "and if there
is any change, call me immediately."

Walter steered on as directed, keeping the raft before the wind, and
watching the stars which ever and anon shone out between the passing
clouds.  He felt almost sure that the wind had shifted several points,
and that he was now steering much more to the north than at first.  It
was very light, and the raft made but little progress.  He suspected
that the old mate had purposely allowed him to sleep on till near
daylight; and he determined to return his kindness by not arousing him,
but allowing him to awake of his own accord.  Mr Shobbrok, however, was
so accustomed to awake at the hour he intended, that before long he got
up, and smilingly said, "Well, Walter, I hope you are the better for
your rest; I can honestly say that I am.  And now, I dare say that you
are ready for breakfast."

Walter confessed that he was; but when he tried to get the salt meat and
dry biscuit down, he could scarcely swallow it.  How he longed for a cup
of cold water!  A little wine which the mate served out slightly
relieved him, but he soon got thirsty again.  They both tried the effect
of wetting their clothes; but that was only a partial relief.  When the
sun came out, and its rays struck down with fiery heat on their heads,
they both began to suffer painfully.  Wine enabled them to swallow their
food, but it was water they wanted.  The wind fell, and the raft lay
rocking about, making no progress.  They neither of them felt much
inclined to talk.  While Walter took the helm, the mate, with his hammer
and nails, gave a few finishing touches to the raft, and added fresh
lashings to the parts which he thought required to be better secured.

The next night passed away much as the first had done.  The mate told
Walter he must keep the first watch.  Walter fancied that he should be
able to let the mate have a good long spell of sleep; but he was
mistaken, for in less than a couple of hours the old man got up and
insisted on his lying down; and when he awoke he found that daylight had
returned.  They were both by this time beginning to suffer greatly from
want of water.  Mr Shobbrok kept his thoughts to himself, but he knew
too well what must be the result.  Both wetted their clothes; their
thirst continued to increase; they felt, however, that it would have
been much worse had they not adopted that course.  The day wore on, and
poor Walter gave signs of severe suffering though he did not complain
aloud.  The wind had fallen to a dead calm, and the raft floated
motionless on the water; then, the sail being useless, the mate lowered
it.  Ceasing to look out for any sail in sight, for he knew that none
could approach, he pounded up some biscuit and moistened it with wine;
but even then Walter could scarcely get it down his throat.  The old man
gazed on the lad with pitying eye and sorrowing heart, as he saw that he
could not much longer endure his sufferings.  He himself, strong as he
was and inured to hardships, began to feel the agony of thirst; his lips
were parched, his mouth dry.  He wetted Walter's clothes and his own,
and he washed his mouth out frequently with salt water, bidding Walter
do the same; but they found their throats become almost immediately
afterwards as dry as before.

The sun again went down, and the comparative coolness of night somewhat
relieved them.  The mate feared that Walter would not be able to endure
another day.  The stars shining brightly from the sky were reflected on
the mirror-like surface of the deep.  All around looked calm and
peaceful.  Walter soon fell asleep.  "He will forget his sorrows, poor
boy, and will be the better for it," thought the mate as he sat watching
by his side; yet he could not help dreading that it might be his young
friend's last sleep here below.  "Well, well, he is a true Christian
lad, and will be saved much pain and sorrow, and many trials.  God knows
what is best.  He takes those he loves most; though, if the captain
survives, it will go well-nigh to break his heart."  These thoughts
occupied the mind of the worthy mate, till, overcome by weariness and
exhaustion, he himself lay down, resting his head on a piece of timber
which served as Walter's pillow.  He soon fell asleep, and seldom,
perhaps, had he slept so soundly.  He was awakened at length by a bright
glare in his eyes; and starting up, he found that the sun had just risen
out of his ocean bed.  The whole sky, however, was quickly obscured; for
dark clouds hanging low down were gliding across the heavens.  The mate
watched them eagerly, for he saw that in several directions they were
sending down copious showers on to the still calm surface of the ocean.
Now on one side, now on another, he saw the rain falling, but none came
near where the raft lay.  He would not arouse Walter--who was still
sleeping--knowing how the sight would tantalise him; but he knelt by his
side, and prayed that the rain might reach them.  Then he stood up and
gazed around, hoping against hope that a sail might be in sight; but not
an object was to be seen.  In every side to the edge of the horizon the
sea presented the same glass-like surface.  The clouds were coming from
the north-east, and a breeze would probably spring up from that
direction.  He stood watching the clouds, and while he watched he
bethought him of a plan for catching the rain should it come at last.
Two or three of the boat's planks were still not nailed down; he took
one of them, and with his knife split it into thin strips; these he
fastened together so as to form a large hoop; then casting off the sail
from the yard, he placed it over the hoop, and allowed it to sink down
in the centre, thus making a large basin.  He next considered how the
precious water, if caught, could be preserved,--when he recollected that
he had secured a small empty water-cask under the stem of the raft.  He
at once cast loose the lashing which held it, and hauled it on board;
and it apparently made but little difference on the buoyancy of the
raft.  After some difficulty he got out the bung, and held it with the
hole downwards, to be sure that no salt water had got within; and
lastly, he placed it in readiness to be filled.

He had just accomplished his task, when, looking to windward, he
exclaimed, "Thank Heaven, it's coming!"  He now touched his companion on
the arm.  "Rouse up, my lad," he said; "we are not forsaken."

Walter slowly raised his head.

"There, there!" added the mate; "look at yonder blessed shower!  It will
reach us before many minutes are over.  I can almost see the drops as
they splash into the salt sea."

Poor Walter crawled to the other end of the raft, to hold up the hoop as
the mate bade him.  The shower approached, its course marked by a line
of hissing bubbles.  The sound of the drops, as they struck the surface
of the ocean and bounded up again could be heard.  It reached them
sooner than they expected.  They raised the sail which had been prepared
to catch it.  Down came the precious rain, quickly filling the sail;
while they eagerly opened their mouths, that not a drop more than they
could help should be lost.  But as the water rose in the sail, they
could no longer help dipping down their heads and taking a long
refreshing draught.  It produced an almost instantaneous effect on
Walter, whose strength seemed suddenly to return.  "Oh, how merciful God
has been to us!" were the first words he uttered.  "I now feel sure that
we shall be saved; but last night I had begun to fear that we were
doomed to perish."

"I thought the same," said the mate; "but it was wrong of us.  Under all
circumstances, however hopeless, we should trust in God."

The cask had been placed directly under the centre of the sail, in which
the mate making a small hole with the point of his knife, the water ran
through into it.  So rapidly descended the rain, that it was quickly
filled.  Had they possessed another cask, they would gladly have filled
it; but they could not venture to withdraw any of the larger casks from
beneath their raft; and they trusted that the supply they had now
obtained would last them till land was made, or they were relieved by a
passing ship, "At all events," said Walter, "we may hope to get another
shower to replenish our cask of water when this is exhausted."

"You must not count too much on that, my lad," answered the mate.

"What think you, then, of throwing away some of the wine or spirits, and
filling up the bottles with water," asked Walter.

"I should be sorry to throw it all away; for, though the water is the
most precious liquid of the two, the wine may yet be of great service to
us, as it is the only medicine we have got.  I am willing to empty one
bottle of wine and one of spirits; but we will keep the rest in case we
need it."

On this the mate drew two of the bottles out of the basket.  He looked
at them, evidently doubting whether he was acting wisely in throwing the
contents away.  At the bottom of the basket he discovered a large cup
which he had before overlooked.  He half filled it with wine; then
casting an affectionate look at the bottle, he exclaimed, "It would be a
pity."  And putting it to his mouth, sailor-like, he took a few hearty
gulps.  "Now, Walter," he said, "before we throw the wine away, just
take some biscuit and this bit of beef.  It will give you the strength
you want so much; and then, to my mind, some wine and water will help to
make it go further than it would otherwise do."

Walter very willingly did as the mate advised, and ate the biscuit and
beef with more appetite than he had felt since they had been on the
raft.  The mate then handed him a cup of wine, which he had diluted with
water.  Walter thankfully swallowed the liquid.

"Now, it has done you good, has it not?" said the mate.

Walter nodded.

"I knew it would; and instead of throwing the wine away, we will fill
the bottle up with water.  We shall then have a mixture all ready.  Now,
as for the rum, that's bad by itself, I know; but, mixed with water, it
will help to digest our dry biscuit and cheese, and any other food we
may obtain,--which, if we do get any, we shall have to eat raw."

The mate was a temperate man, and had never been drunk in his life.  But
what are called temperance principles were not known in those days.  He
took his share of biscuit and beef; then pouring some rum into the cup,
mixed it with water from the sail, afterwards filling up the rum bottle
with water.  He evidently felt satisfied that they had not yielded to
their first impulse and thrown the wine and spirits away.

"Now, to my mind, Walter, both the wine and spirits are given to us as
blessings; and what we have got to do is not to abuse them.  If we had a
disorderly crew, I would stave every spirit-cask on board sooner than
let them get drunk.  But our case is very different; and as neither you
nor I are likely to take more than would be good for us, and having a
wine-cask full, of the more precious liquid, I am sure we should be
wrong in throwing away what may, under present circumstances, help to
preserve our lives."

All this time Walter and the mate had been kneeling with the sail, still
half-full of water, between them.  The rain had ceased.  They looked
affectionately at the precious fluid.  It might be long before they
could get any more.  Once again they each dipped down their heads and
took another long draught.  The mate suddenly exclaimed,--"We will still
make use of it.  We will first bathe our heads and faces, and then wash
our clothes, to get some of the salt out of them.  It will make us feel
more comfortable, and help to keep the scurvy at bay.  At present I feel
like a Yarmouth bloater."

Walter was greatly refreshed by his ablutions.  He then thoroughly
washed his shirt, and wringing it out, hung it up to dry.  The old mate
afterwards performed the same operation.  At length they allowed the
water to escape from the sail.  Scarcely had they done so when, a light
breeze springing up, they hoisted it and stood on to the westward.  The
raft made but slow progress; and though the voyagers no longer suffered
from thirst, they could not help feeling anxious as they looked after
each meal at the scanty supply of food which remained.  The meat was
almost exhausted, and scarcely half-a-dozen biscuits were left, while
their piece of cheese had been reduced to very small dimensions.

"We have a bottle of oil," said the mate, as he saw Walter gazing
anxiously into the basket.  "That will help to keep life in us; though
train oil was never much to my fancy."

"Nor to mine," said Walter.  "But our biscuits would prove more
nutritious if we were to soak them in it; though I confess that I would
rather eat them as they are."

"We will try your plan," said the mate; and accordingly, the next time
he served out provisions, he broke up some biscuit into the cup, and
poured a little oil upon it.  Walter made a wry face as he took his
share; but he ate it notwithstanding, owning that, although the taste
was not pleasant, it seemed to go much further than dry biscuit itself.
The mate being of opinion that there was no use in dying by inches, gave
Walter rather more of the meat and cheese than perhaps was prudent--he
taking a much less quantity himself.

Another day passed away, and the only food remaining were the biscuits,
with the oil, which, nauseous as it tasted, was not to be despised.  The
calm continued.  The old mate felt conscious that he himself was growing
weaker and weaker, and he feared that poor Walter would begin to suffer
even more severely before long.  There was just wind enough to waft on
the raft; but many days must pass before they could possibly reach land.
Wine and water would help to sustain them, and they might even gnaw the
leather of their shoes.

"Well, well," thought the mate, "I won't alarm the lad; and Heaven may
send us aid when we least expect it."



CHAPTER SIX.

WALTER AND THE MATE'S VOYAGE ON THE RAFT CONTINUED--FLYING-FISH CAUGHT--
A THUNDER STORM--MEETING OF ALICE AND WALTER--THE RAFT INCREASED--IS IT
AN ISLAND!--REACH AN ENORMOUS DEAD WHALE OF A NEW SPECIES.

The raft glided on over the smooth surface of the ocean.  The old mate
was standing up steering, while Walter, already feeling the pangs of
hunger, was lying stretched at his length in the shade cast by the sail;
for the intense heat of the sun, which was striking down from an almost
cloudless sky, was almost insupportable.  Mr Shobbrok constantly looked
around on every side.

"Any vessel in sight?" asked Walter, sitting up.  A shake of the head
was the answer he received; and lying down again, he closed his eyes.
Once more he sat up, and seeing the mate casting an eager glance around,
he asked him what he saw.

"Dolphins or bonitoes playing about.  If we had a harpoon, we might
chance to get hold of one."

"Could we manage to manufacture something that would answer the
purpose?" asked Walter.

"Nothing that would be of use, I am afraid," said the mate.  "But see,
Walter, see! there comes what I have been praying for."

Walter looked in the direction the mate was pointing out, and saw a
large covey of flying-fish darting towards them.  First a couple, then
three, then four more, fell directly on to the raft.  Walter and the
mate quickly secured them.  As most of them appeared to be directing
their course some way ahead, the mate allowed the raft to glide on, by
that means being able to knock down four more, which would otherwise
have flown over it--the remainder quickly disappearing beneath the
surface.  The two voyagers collected the fish which lay on the raft.

"I wish we could keep them alive," said Walter.

"That's more than we can do.  We must be thankful that we have got
these; and He who sent them to us may send us more when we require them.
And now, my lad, the sooner we get some of them down our throats the
better, for you want food, and so, I confess, do I."

"What! eat them raw?" exclaimed Walter.

"Ay, lad; and for my part I could almost eat them alive.  But I will try
how I can make them more fit for you to swallow.  Hand me that bit of
board and the axe.  Now, just get out some biscuit and the oil."

Walter gave the articles to the mate, who, kneeling down, cut off the
heads and tails of the fish, and separated the flesh from the bones.  He
then mashed it up with some biscuit, moistening it with some oil till he
had made a thick paste.

"Now, try this.  But first let us thank God for sending us the food; and
may He feed our souls as well as He feeds our bodies."  Saying this, he
put a large lump into his own mouth, and quickly swallowed it, adding
another portion in like haste, for he was in truth famishing.  Walter
found the mixture far more tolerable than he had expected, for he had
got accustomed to the taste of the oil.  The meal was soon finished, and
was washed down with some wine and water.  Both the mate and Walter
found themselves much stronger after the meal, and did not fail again to
return thanks to God for sending it to them.  They then collected the
rest of the fish, which they cut open, and, at the mate's suggestion,
hung up in the sun to dry; reserving two to eat fresh at their next
meal.  The heat of the sun and the nature of their food made them very
thirsty, and Walter especially was much inclined to drink freely from
the water-barrel.

"Remember, my lad," said the mate, "that won't last for ever, and we
must take care to economise it.  Just take a little now and then when
you feel overcome with thirst.  To my mind, under our circumstances it
would be as wrong to keep drinking away at our water-barrel as it is for
a man to spend his fortune without thinking of the future.  That's our
chief wealth just now."

Walter, after this, followed the mate's example, and only took a
mouthful at a time, when he felt his throat unusually dry.

Onward they sailed, not always in a straight course; for they were
obliged to keep before the wind, which occasionally shifted a few points
of the compass.  They were several times tantalised by seeing other
coveys of flying-fish rising out of the water, and darting fifty feet,
and sometimes even one hundred feet, over the surface; but none came
near them.  They saw also dolphins and bonitoes swimming near them, and
occasionally caught sight of a large shark, with its black fin just
above the water.  Now and then a bonito came so near to the raft, that
had they possessed a harpoon they could easily have caught it.  The
mate, indeed, could not resist the temptation of giving one of them a
blow on the head with his oar, hoping to stun it; but the creature,
notwithstanding the heavy thump it had received, darted off, and was
lost to sight.  "If I had been wise, I should have had a running bowline
ready, and we would have caught the fellow," said the mate.  "I will
have one for the next, and if we are quick about it we may get him on
board."  The rope was prepared, and Walter kept eagerly on the watch;
but the wished-for opportunity, as is often the case when once a chance
has been lost, did not return.  Two or three big fish came swimming by
them, however, but too far off to be caught--apparently to have a look
at the strangers passing across their domain.

The end of another day was approaching, and the weather, hitherto calm
and fine, gave indications of a change.

"Provided we get a good stiff breeze from the eastward, I shall be
thankful," said the mate.

"We shall the sooner reach shore or fall in with a ship; and although
our raft will stand a good deal of sea, I would rather be in a good
whale-boat under such circumstances," said Walter.

"So would I, lad; but we must be contented with what we have got.
That's my opinion, and it's about the best a man can have.  Now, Walter,
I want you to take the helm," said the mate.  "I expect to have a pretty
long watch at night, and a few winks of sleep will enable me to stand
it.  Call me if it comes on to blow harder than at present--as I expect
it will--or if you see anything which you cannot quite make out."

Walter quickly went to the helm, for the food he had taken had greatly
restored his strength, and enabled him to stand up firmly.  The mate lay
down, and before Walter could count thirty the old sailor was fast
asleep.

Walter steered on.  Although clouds were already gathering in the sky,
the wind continued moderate, and he hoped that the mate would be able to
take a longer spell of sleep than he had expected to do.

The sun went down with a fiery red appearance, and scarcely had it sank
beneath the horizon when the gloom of night came sweeping over the deep.
The wind shortly afterwards began to increase; but still, as the raft
did not tumble about much, Walter considered that he was right in not
calling the mate.  Presently, however, a vivid flash of lightning darted
from the clouds, followed almost immediately by a crashing peal.  Mr
Shobbrok started up.  "Why, Walter," he said, "you should have called me
when the weather changed."

"The storm has only this instant burst on us," answered Walter.  "I
wished you to have as much rest as possible.  I do not feel myself
inclined to go to sleep."

"I suppose not, my lad," said the mate; "but I will take the helm, at
all events, and you can stand by the halliards.  We must take a reef in
our sail, if it comes on to blow much harder."

The wind, however, did not greatly increase, and they stood on.  The
lightning continued to flash and the thunder to roar, but the sea
remained calm.  Frequently the whole heavens were lighted up altogether;
then only in one direction, and now in another.  Walter, who had never
seen such vivid lightning or heard the thunder roar so loudly, very
naturally felt somewhat alarmed.

"Is the lightning likely to strike us?" he asked at length.

"I think not, my lad.  We have but little iron about our raft; and
though iron is said to attract it, we are so low down on the surface
that I believe it will pass harmlessly over our heads.  A large ship,
with her taunt masts, would be in much greater danger than this small
raft.  We must trust to Him who rules the winds and seas, and the
lightning also.  It won't do to be sometimes trusting Him and sometimes
not.  It's as easy for Him to save us out of a great danger as out of
what we call a small one.  Not that I think we are in any especial
danger now; nor shall we be as long as the sea remains calm."

Walter's anxiety was greatly relieved by the mate's assurances.  He sat
down on the raft.  They had been steadily running on for some time, when
a vivid flash lighted up the sky and all the ocean to the westward.

"I saw something floating on the water, right ahead," said Walter.
"What it was I cannot exactly say, though it seemed to me to be like a
piece of wreck, and I thought for the moment that I saw people on it."

"Keep a bright lookout then, my lad," answered the mate.  "We shall
probably have another flash presently, and then you will see clearly.
Stand by to lower the sail, that I may have a look at it too."

Walter cast off the halliards, and tried with all his might to pierce
the gloom.

"There! there!" he exclaimed, letting go the halliards as another flash
darted from the sky.  "It's a raft with two people on it.  We are close
upon them."

A hail came from the raft uttered by two voices.

"O Mr Shobbrok, that was Nub's voice, and Alice's too!  I am sure of
it," exclaimed Walter, scarcely able to speak from excitement.  He then,
lifting up his own voice, shouted in return--"Is that you, Alice?  Is
that you, Nub?"

"Yes, yes," answered Nub; "praise Heaven, we all right!  Is dat you,
Massa Walter?"

"Yes," answered Walter.

"O Walter!  O Walter! is it you?" cried Alice.

"I am Walter, and Mr Shobbrok is with me," he shouted.

"Here, Walter, take the helm," cried the mate, "but work away on the
starboard side; I will get a rope ready to heave to Nub."

Walter did as directed, and their raft was soon brought up alongside the
other, when Nub, having secured the rope hove to him, in his eagerness
forgot the difference of their rank, and sprang forward with delight to
embrace the old mate.  Walter sprang on to the other raft, and quickly
had his dear little sister in his arms.  They no longer thought of the
thunder roaring or the lightning flashing around them as they eagerly
recounted to each other their adventures.  It seemed for the moment,
indeed, that all danger to them was over.  They soon, however, inquired
of each other news of their father, and the fear that he might be lost,
or might be hopelessly searching for them, soon made them feel the
reality of their position.  Nub in the meantime had told the mate all
that had happened on board, and his belief that a large raft had been
formed, and that the rest of the people had got away from the ship.  He
told him also that he had seen nothing of it.  It was possible, however,
that the captain's boat might have fallen in with it; and if so, they
would certainly have proceeded together towards the land.

"Our poor, poor father! how unhappy he will be at not finding us,"
ejaculated Walter and Alice together.

"He will not give up all hopes of your being restored to him; so don't
fret too much about it, my dear Miss Alice," said the mate, anxious to
comfort her.  "He will know very well that Nub would not have deserted
you; and he will have heard from the people on board that Walter went
off with me; and very likely he will guess something like the truth.
And not knowing our boat was destroyed, he will fancy that I picked you
up, and that we have made our way in a well-found whale-boat towards the
shore."

"I hope he may think so," answered Alice.  "I will try not to be too
anxious about him; and perhaps we shall meet each other before long."

"That's it, Miss Alice," said the mate.  "Hope for the best.  `Hope
still in God,' as He Himself in the Bible tells us to do, and don't be
cast down."

The night had been much further spent than those on the raft supposed.
The thunder gradually rolled away to the southward, and soon afterwards
the sun arose in the clear sky, shedding a brilliant glare across the
water.  Directly the light appeared the mate exclaimed, "Now, Walter,--
now, Nub, as we have doubled our numbers, we must turn to and increase
the size of our raft."

"As you think best, Mr Shobbrok," answered Walter.

"Anything you tell me do, I do," said Nub.

"Well, we will pull your raft to pieces, and put the bow and stern on to
ours, and raise our bulwarks."

"Ay, ay, mate," answered Nub; and they immediately set to work.  It was
an operation requiring a good deal of skill, as it was necessary to lash
the fresh timbers very securely, or they would prove a source of much
danger; for should the sea get up, and should they break loose, they
would be thrown upon the raft, and thus endanger the safety of those on
it.  A portion of Nub's raft was composed of spars, one of which was
found long enough to serve as a mast, instead of the two oars which had
hitherto done duty as such; and they would now be of much use in
impelling on the raft.  The mast was securely fixed between the two
cross spars, fastened at either end to the raised sides, and it was then
well stayed up, so that the whole sail bent to a yard could now be
hoisted up.  The casks were then lashed securely to the two sides of the
raft as well as to the bow and stern; and when all was finished, the
mate declared that he believed their craft would weather out a heavy
gale as well as many a ship at sea.  He might have said much better than
many, which, over-laden and leaky, go helplessly down into the depths of
the ocean without any land in sight or help near, the hapless crew
perishing miserably.

It was nearly mid-day when all was completed.  Nub had not uttered a
complaint.  At last he could not help exclaiming, "Oh, Mr Shobbrok, can
you give me just one mouthful of water?  I give de last to Missie Alice,
and she not know I go all de time without any."

"Of course, my lad, of course," answered the mate, filling a cup from
the cask.  "We must be careful of it; but I know what you are feeling,
and there would be no use in giving you just one mouthful."

Nub drank the water, and, heaving a sigh as he smacked his lips, he
exclaimed, "Dat is delicious!"

"Now I think of it, we have not breakfasted.  Miss Alice and Walter must
be pretty hungry, and thirsty too," said the mate.

"I am not very thirsty, but I should like to have a few of the biscuits
Nub and I brought," answered Alice.

Nub looked downcast.  There were only two remaining.  He had not let
Alice discover this, that she might not know how close run they were for
food.  For many hours he, honest fellow, had eaten nothing.  The mate,
suspecting this, gave Alice the biscuits with a cup of wine and water,
and then beat up some more fish, oil, and pounded biscuit, which he
shared with Walter and Nub.  The latter thought the food especially
good, and would have been perfectly ready to eat twice as much of it had
it been given to him.  Some more wine and water restored the strength of
all the party, but poor Nub wanted something besides food.  For many a
long hour he had not closed his eyes.  He told the mate so, and asking
his leave, threw himself down on the deck.  Almost before his head
reached the piece of wood Walter had placed for a pillow, he was fast
asleep.  Alice was very nearly as sleepy as poor Nub; and the mate
saying he would steer, Walter sat down on the deck, and taking her in
his arms, she also in less than a minute closed her eyes, feeling far
happier than she had done since she had left the burning ship.  Having
perfect confidence in the mate, it seemed to her that they had now only
to sail on till they reached the shore.  Happily, she little thought of
the dangers before them, or knew that the scanty stock of provisions
they possessed would not last long, and that before many days were over
famine must overtake them.

The wind remained light but variable, and now coming from the southward,
they could only steer a north-westerly course.  The mate feared that it
might shift to the west; if so, they would have to lower the sail and
trust to their oars.  Their progress in that case would be very slow, as
neither Walter nor Nub had much strength for rowing.  As before, he
himself intended to steer during the night; so, on the approach of
evening, telling Walter to take the helm, he lay down, making his arm
serve as a pillow for Alice.  Before closing his eyes, he gave the usual
charge to Walter to call him should there be any alteration in the wind;
which, of course, Walter faithfully promised to do.  Walter stood
bravely to his post till he found his head nodding, and the stars at
which he was gazing dancing before his eyes; and reluctantly he was on
the point of calling Mr Shobbrok, when the mate, lifting up his head,
told him to take charge of Alice, while he resumed his place at the
helm.

All night long the old sailor stood steering the raft, allowing his
young charges and Nub to sleep on.

"The black deserves his rest," he said to himself; "and it's much better
that those two dear young ones should forget their sorrow and troubles;
they will have enough of them, I am afraid, before long."

Again the sun rose--another day, which promised to be like the last.
The remainder of the flying-fish was eaten in the same manner as before.
Alice could not manage to get down the unsavoury compound, and
contented herself with some hard biscuits soaked in wine and water.
Though they were saved from the suffering which thirst would have caused
them, hunger stared them in the face.  In vain they watched the shoals
of flying-fish in the distance; none came near them.  They had no hooks
or lines, nor any means of replenishing their stock of provisions.  The
mate did not allow the rest of the party to discover how anxious he
felt; indeed, he blamed himself for feeling anxious, and continually
kept saying, "God cares for us.  He will take care of us, I am sure.  He
won't let these young ones perish."  Still the thought arose, "How is
that to be?  It's more than I can tell, unless He sends a ship to pick
us up."  No sail, however, appeared in sight.  Hour after hour passed
away.  The mate looked round and round the horizon, in the hope that one
would appear; but again the sun went down, and the raft floated slowly
on amid the darkness of night.

Except a little biscuit reserved for Alice and Walter, no substantial
food remained for the next day, though the oil, wine, and spirits might
assist to keep them alive for some time longer.  The mate and Nub
steered on watch and watch during the night, as they agreed to let the
young people sleep as long as they could.  The mate felt perfect
confidence while Nub, who was an excellent sailor, was at the helm, and
he was thus able to take more rest than heretofore.  The latter part of
the night was darker than usual, for a thick mist rested on the calm
ocean.  Morning was approaching, when Walter awoke, and springing to his
feet, offered to take the helm, that his companions might have more
rest.

"No, thank you, lad; Nub and I have had sleep enough, and we wish that
you and Miss Alice should have as much rest as possible," answered Mr
Shobbrok.

Alice, on hearing her name, started up, and inquired if anything had
happened.  But before the mate could reply, Nub shouted out, "Land!
land!--land right ahead!"

All the party, naturally highly excited, looked out, endeavouring to
pierce the gloom; but either the mist had risen for a moment, enabling
Nub to see the land, or his eyes, still heavy with sleep, had deceived
him.  A light breeze was still driving on the raft.  They got out the
oars, and endeavoured to impel it faster.  They had not gone far when
Nub again cried out, "There! there!  There it is!"

"Is it an island, or is it the back of an enormous whale?" exclaimed
Walter.  "I see a flag flying on the highest part, and people moving
about."

"Are you sure that those are people?" asked the mate.  "I see a
flagstaff and flag clearly enough; but if those are human beings, the
flag must be a very large one, such as no whale-boat carries."

"Can papa be there?" exclaimed Alice, who was seated on a piece of
timber in the centre of the raft.

"Little doubt about dat," said Nub, turning round to her.  "Cheer up,
Missie Alice; cheer up.  We soon get dere.  But whether it is land, as
Massa Walter says, or one bery big whale, is more dan I can tell.  It
look to my eye like a whale; but I cannot see its head or its tail,--and
whales got both, unless dey are cut off."  Nub, in fact, was greatly
puzzled at the appearance of the seeming island.  He did not take into
consideration the deceptive effect produced by the light mist which
pervaded the air, making objects seen through it magnified and
distorted, as it floated imperceptibly by.

"I cannot quite make it out even now," observed the mate.  "There's a
flag, there is no doubt about that; and there are creatures of some sort
moving about--but to my eyes they look more like birds than men.  The
curious mist which hangs over the water plays strange tricks; and I have
over and over again been deceived, and so have many others; but I see
the flag as clearly as if it was not more than a cable's length from
us."

"It seems to me that the people are stooping down or carrying huge
bundles on their backs," observed Walter.  "Perhaps they are digging or
building huts.  I suspect, from their numbers, that the whole crew, whom
we supposed embarked on the big raft, are there.  We are near enough for
them to hear our voices, though, as they are so busy, they have not as
yet made us out."  On this Walter shouted and waved his hands.

"I thought so.  There go your men, who were so busy digging and
building!" exclaimed the mate.  As he spoke, a number of birds rose in
the air and flew shrieking away, soon being lost to sight in the clouds
of mist which hung over the ocean to the west; and revealing, scarcely a
quarter of a mile off, an enormous whale, or marine monster of some
sort, floating on the surface, with a small flagstaff and flag sticking
in its back.



CHAPTER SEVEN.

ON THE WHALE'S BACK--SIGNS OF A WRECK--LIGHT A FIRE AND COOK BLUBBER--A
NOVEL LAMP CONTRIVED--A SAIL IN SIGHT--DISAPPOINTMENT--NUB'S NARROW
ESCAPE--THE WHALE ROLLS OVER--A FEARFUL PREDICAMENT--THE RAFT WITH
WALTER SAILS AWAY.

As the voyagers were anxious to reach the creature which lay before
them, they got out the oars, the mate and Nub pulling, while Walter
steered.

"I see some harpoons and spears sticking in the creature's back,"
exclaimed Walter.

"They will be of use, if we cannot get anything else from it, as we
shall be able to kill any dolphins or bonitoes which swim near us," said
the mate.

"I tink me get some slices of meat out of de back of de creature," said
Nub.  "We no want food now."

"We shall find it rather high-flavoured and somewhat tough," observed
the mate; "but it will keep body and soul together; and we must not be
particular."

Walter, though very hungry, felt no inclination to eat whale's blubber,
especially if the creature had been dead for some time,--though he had
heard that the Eskimos consider it dainty food, and eat it in vast
quantities.  Poor Alice, who had been unable to swallow the mixture of
flying-fish and oil, shuddered at the thought.

"I see a quantity of gear hanging about the creature's head," said
Walter; "and that makes me suppose that it must have been fast to a
ship.  If so, it cannot be a fish my father has struck; and some other
whaler besides ours must be in the neighbourhood."

"I am of your mind," said the mate.  "We shall know for certain, when we
get alongside, by the harpoons.  However, the idea gives me hope that we
shall obtain assistance before long."

The voyagers were gradually approaching the monster, which was certainly
not a sperm whale, though it was of enormous size, floating far higher
out of the water than does that creature.  They therefore came to the
conclusion that it was of a rare and hitherto unknown species.  (Note
1.)  A quantity of gear with some large floats hung about its head,
while the harpoons sticking in it had their lines attached.  The only
way to account for this was, that the people who had attacked it had
fancied that it was dead, and that it had suddenly revived and broken
loose from them.

The whale was soon reached, when the raft was made fast to a couple of
the harpoon-lines which hung from its body.  It was no easy matter to
climb to the top of its back; but the mate, bidding Alice remain on the
raft, hauled himself up by the lines which hung from it, Walter and Nub
following his example.  On reaching the top of the whale's back, the
mate examined the flag.

"This is an American piece of bunting," he exclaimed.  "It shows without
doubt that it was killed by the boats of one of their whalers.  There
are a good many of them in these seas at present, and they are not the
fellows to abandon a fish they have once caught."

"Dat is what I was tinking," observed Nub.  "I don't tink any Englishman
eber kill such a 'straordinary-looking fish as dis."

"I have seen a good many, but never one like it," said the mate.

"I only hope it good to eat; and de sooner me cut some blubber and cook
it, de better.  Mr Shobbrok, you got tinder-box and flint and steel?"

"Yes," answered the mate, "I always carry them; though, as we cannot
light a fire on the raft, I have hitherto made no use of them.  But how
do you propose lighting one on the top of the whale, Nub?"

"We get up some pieces of wood from de raft, and den, with de blubber,
we soon have one blazing fire," answered the black.  Descending to the
raft, he took one of the pieces of plank and began to chop it up.  "We
soon have some dinner for you, Missie Alice," he said while so employed.
"You stay quiet on de raft, and not fancy you going to starve any
more."  Having performed his task, he secured the wood in a bundle, and
hoisting it on his back, he climbed up again.

During Nub's absence the mate and Walter looked anxiously around them,
in the possibility of any boats being in sight.  None were to be seen;
but they observed several objects floating about, apparently pieces of
wreck, spars and casks,--and among them a sea-chest, which seemed of
large size, as it rose considerably above the surface.

"We must try and get hold of that," said the mate.  "It may contain
articles of value to us, though I am afraid we are not likely to find
any food within it."

"I would rather have a cask of biscuits or flour, or beef or pork,"
observed Walter.

"I doubt whether we shall find such," said the mate, "for I observe that
the casks float high out of the water.  But has it struck you, Walter,
what must have happened?"

"I was thinking that these things must have come out of our ship and
floated away here," answered Walter.

"They cannot have come so far by this time," said the mate.  "I think
that I can unravel the mystery.  This whale was attacked by the boats of
a ship, some of which were probably destroyed by the monster.  It was
then towed alongside, when she was either capsized in a storm, or,
receiving damage from some other cause, she went down, and the articles
we now see floated up out of her.  Possibly she was struck by some large
whale, and her bottom or sides stove in; such a thing has occurred
before now.  I remember some years ago a big whale off the coast of New
Zealand which went by the name of New Zealand Tom.  He was a monster,
and capable of sending any ship to the bottom.  I was in one of the
boats of the _Adonis_ whaler when, in company with a dozen others, we
went one morning to chase that very whale.  Most of us got near enough
to drive our harpoons into its body; but it made us pay dearly for our
sport, for before breakfast it had knocked nine of our boats to pieces,
and we were obliged to return to our respective ships.  Some weeks
passed before we again got sight of the creature; when, in company with
several other boats, we again attacked it, and this time came off
victorious.  You will scarcely believe it, but we found eight harpoons
in its body belonging to as many different ships, which had chased it at
various times.  Big as it was, there are others as big, and even
fiercer.  I remember meeting a man who had belonged to the American
whaler _Essex_.  All the boats but one were on one occasion away with
the larger portion of the crew, leaving only the doctor and a few others
on board, when they caught sight of an enormous sperm whale coming
towards them, as if not seeing the ship; suddenly lifting its flukes up
in the air, it sounded, throwing the water over the deck, when they felt
a tremendous blow, as if the ship under full sail had struck a rock.
The blow broke off some of the keel, which was seen floating up to the
surface.  The whale quickly rose again, and was observed at a short
distance from the ship; when, what was the horror of those on board to
see it come swimming directly at them with the greatest fury!  It struck
the bows a tremendous blow, staving them in.  A cry arose that the ship
was sinking; and so she was.  The water was rushing into her like a
mill-sluice; and the people had scarcely time to get into the remaining
boat when she capsized, the casks in her hold for a time keeping her up.
The people in the other boats, seeing their ship going down, pulled
back and managed to get a small quantity of provisions; but before they
had obtained as much as they required down she went, leaving the boats
to find their way to land as best they could.  They steered for the
coast of Peru--the event happened on the other side of the Pacific--but
only one boat, with three men in her at their last gasp, was picked up;
they happily recovered, and were able to narrate what had happened.  The
rest of the poor fellows must have perished, as none of the other boats
were ever afterwards heard of.  Now, it's my opinion that something of
the sort I have described has happened to the ship which had got hold of
this whale; though what has become of her crew is more than I can tell."

"I trust that our fate may not be that of the unfortunate crew of the
_Essex_," said Walter.

"I trust not, lad," answered the mate; "I shall be sorry I told you the
story, if it affects your spirits.  We shall do very well if we can get
provisions,--and four people are more easily fed than forty,--so don't
think about it.  Here comes Nub with a bundle of wood, and we will see
if we can light a fire and cook some blubber; but I wish we had some
more delicate food for your dear young sister."

Nub, who had brought the axe, having chopped off several pieces of skin
from the fattest part of the whale's back, made a pile of the wood and
placed the dry skin on the top of it.  The mate then produced his flint
and steel, and striking a light, set fire with a match to the bottom of
the pile.

"While de fire blazes up, I cut some nice pieces of blubber," said Nub;
and setting to work, he soon produced several lumps, which he stuck at
the end of some other sticks brought for the purpose.  The oil which
oozed up out of the whale's back made the flames rapidly blaze up.  Each
of the party then held the blubber--which sputtered and hissed more
vehemently than the fattest of bacon in a cook's frying-pan--to the
fire.  The odour was certainly not pleasant, but Nub sniffed it up,
exclaiming, as he bit off a piece, "Oh, dis bery fine; it soon make us
quite strong and fat, and we go a week without eating anyting else."

Walter did not feel quite satisfied on that point; however, he managed
to get down a few mouthfuls.  Having roasted a piece as nicely as he
could, he hurried down with it to Alice.

"If you think I ought to eat it, I will," she said; "but it does not
smell nice."

"I am afraid we are not likely to get anything else at present, and it's
our duty to try and keep up our strength.  It will, I hope, have that
effect, though it may taste disagreeable at first."

Alice, who was really ravenously hungry, overcame her repugnance to the
unattractive food, and ate it up; taking at the same time, to help it
down, a small piece of biscuit which had been reserved for her.  Walter
then climbed up again and joined the party on the whale's back.

The skin and blubber affording ample fuel, they were able to keep up
their fire and cook a considerable quantity of blubber; for to eat it
raw in its present condition they felt would be impossible, but toasted
in thin slices it would, they hoped, keep for some time.  They tried
several portions, and agreed that the most eatable were those on either
side of the hump.  As the chest and casks did not appear to be drifting
away from the whale, they agreed that it was not necessary to put off
expressly to get hold of them.  Having cooked as much blubber as was
likely to keep till it was consumed, they carried it down to the raft,
where it was stowed away in the hen-coop, which was considered cooler
than any other place.  The mate proposed that while they were alongside
the whale they should take the opportunity of more firmly securing the
fresh part of the raft, as they had now a favourable opportunity for
doing so.  This took them some time, but they were well satisfied when
the work was done.

"And now, my lad, we must not go away, without the harpoons and spears,
for I have hopes, by their means, of getting a good supply of food.  We
may catch bonitoes and other big fish with the harpoons; and with the
spears we may strike any smaller ones which come within reach."

"I have been thinking, Mr Shobbrok, that if we could manage a lamp, we
might, on a calm evening, attract the fish to the side of the raft, as
is often done, I have read, by savages, who then spear them; and the
blubber will afford us oil for the purpose."

"Bery bright idea, Massa Walter," exclaimed Nub.  "De hole where we made
de fire is full of oil, and me fill up two of de empty bottles with it;
den, as we have no saucer for de lamp, suppose you take one of your
shoes,--it will hold de oil for de purpose."

"I will gladly give up both my shoes," said Walter.

"So will I mine," exclaimed Alice; "if they are of any use."

"We need not deprive you of yours, Miss Alice," said the mate; "I must
insist rather on mine being taken.  And for a wick, we have only to pick
a rope to pieces and twist it up lightly."

Nub, taking the two empty bottles, climbed up again on the whale's back.
He found even more oil than he had expected, and filling the bottles,
lowered them on the raft.  He was about to descend, when he was seen
looking eagerly out on the other side of the whale.

"What is it?" asked the mate.

"A sail! a sail!" he shouted, clapping his hands, and dancing
frantically about at a great risk of slipping off into the water.  The
mate and Walter quickly climbed up, anxious to ascertain the truth of
Nub's assertion.

"Dere! dere!" he exclaimed.  "To the south.  Dere she comes!  Missie
Alice and Massa Walter soon be safe!"

"That's not a ship," observed the mate.  "If you look steadily, you will
see that it's a long way on this side of the horizon, and but little
raised above the water.  It would not appear so distinct as it does if
it was the topgallant-sail of a ship, hull down.  That's the sail of a
boat or a raft; and before long it will be near at hand."

Alice eagerly inquired what they were looking at.  Walter having told
her what the mate said, could with difficulty persuade her to remain on
the raft, so anxious was she to climb up to see the object in sight.

The party on the whale's back stood watching the sail; but instead,
however, of it coming directly towards them, as they had expected it
would do, it was seen, when about a mile off, to be steering a course on
which it would pass them scarcely nearer than it then was.  Walter
seized the flag out of the whale's back and waved it over his head,
shouting at the top of his voice, as did the mate and Nub, to attract
attention; but apparently they were not seen, and certainly could not
have been heard.

"It is more than I can make out, what they are about," observed Walter.
"They must have caught sight of the whale, and whether that's a boat or
a raft, it's surprising that they should not have come nearer to have a
look at us.  They seem to have a pretty stiff breeze out there, and it
would not have taken them much out of their way."

"I am sure that it is a raft," said the mate, "as, with the breeze they
have got, and that large sail, a boat would move much faster through the
water than they are doing.  Depend on it, those are the _Champion's_
people, and they have got some reason for not wishing to communicate
with us.  I am pretty sure they fancy that this whale was killed by the
captain, and that, not finding the ship, he returned to it.  I may be
wrong, but I think I am not much out in my calculations."

"But suppose you are wrong, and my father is on board the raft, could
not we shove off and overtake it?"

"As it is almost dead to windward, we should not have the slightest
chance of doing so; and see! they are still holding their course.  If
they had wished to communicate with us, they would have lowered their
sail; and they must see the smoke of the fire, even should they not make
out the flag,--though they could scarcely have failed to do that."

"I tink I could swim much faster dan our raft could pull against de
wind," said Nub; "supposing de captain on board, den I tell him dat
Massa Walter and Missie Alice on de whale, and he sure to come."

"You had better not make the attempt, Nub," said the mate.  "You will
have a long swim before you can reach the raft; and if you fail to do
so, you will be exhausted before you can possibly get back."

"Neber fear, Mr Shobbrok," he answered.  "If I get tired I can rest on
one of dose casks, or perhaps I find some spar or piece of timber which
keep me up;" and before the mate or Walter could stop him, Nub had
slipped off into the sea on the opposite side to that to which the raft
was secured, so that Alice did not see him.  Nub struck out boldly, and
made rapid way.  The mate and Walter stood watching him.

"That black is indeed a first-rate swimmer," observed the mate.  "Heaven
protect the brave fellow."

Nub, however, had not got more than two or three cable's lengths from
the whale when he was seen to turn, while he furiously beat the water
with his hands and feet, at the same time shouting out loudly.

"Oh, what are those black-looking things moving about on either side of
him?" exclaimed Walter.

"Those are sharks' fins," answered the mate.  "He must have caught sight
of them; and he knows well that, should he get tired, they will attack
him."

"O poor Nub! poor Nub!  Can he escape them?" exclaimed Walter, wringing
his hands and looking the picture of despair.  "O Mr Shobbrok, can we
do nothing to save him?"

"We can only shout and try to frighten the sharks, as Nub is doing,"
answered the mate.

"Oh, I will do that," cried Walter; and he began to shriek and jump
frantically about in a way which made the mate begin to feel anxious on
his account: still Mr Shobbrok himself shouted at the top of his voice,
and then bethought him of cutting pieces of blubber and throwing them as
far away as possible, in order to attract the savage creatures and to
draw their attention off from the black.  The plan seemed to succeed,
and several of them were seen to dash forward and spring out of the
water to catch the blubber before it reached the surface.  Nub,
meanwhile, was making rapid way towards the side of the whale.

"Now, Walter," said the mate, "do as I have been doing, while I get a
harpoon-line ready to haul the black out of the water; but take care, my
dear boy, that you don't slip off."

Walter did as the mate told him, still continuing to shriek out as
loudly as before.  Bending the end of one of the lines to the centre of
a spear, Mr Shobbrok let it drop into the water, where it floated;
while he stood by to haul up Nub as soon as he caught hold of it.
Walter continued in the meantime cutting off pieces of blubber and
throwing them towards the head of the whale, and as long as he did so
the sharks remained on the watch for the delicious morsels.  At length
Nub reached the spear, and grasping hold of it, endeavoured to haul
himself up; but he was evidently greatly exhausted by his rapid swim,
and the dread he had experienced of being seized by one of the monsters
swarming around.  The mate, who had begun to haul him in, called Walter
to his assistance.  They had got the black half out of the water, when
they saw several of the dark fins gliding towards him.  How poor Walter
shouted and shrieked!--while he and the mate hauled away with all their
might, every instant dreading to see the savage creatures tear at Nub's
legs.  With all their strength they hauled away, when, just as Nub's
feet were clear of the water, two enormous sharks rose with open mouths
above the surface to seize him.  Happily they were disappointed, for the
creatures in their eagerness rushing against each other, missed their
aim, their heads nearly touching the soles of his feet--which, as may be
supposed, he quickly drew up; while the mate and Walter, hauling away,
got him fairly up to the top of the whale's back.  As soon as he was
safe, Walter threw his arm around him, exclaiming, "Have the creatures
bitten you, Nub?  Have you really escaped them? oh, why did you go--oh,
why did you go?"

"Yes, Massa Walter, I quite safe, neber fear," answered Nub, panting for
breath.  "Dey no hurt me, though dey would have liked to eat me up as
they did the blubber which you and de mate threw to dem; no doubt about
dat."

"I am thankful that you have got back safe, Nub," said the mate.  "It
was a bold attempt, but it would have been a vain one; for I am as sure
as I stand here that the captain is not on board the raft out there."

"Oh, where can my father have gone, then?" exclaimed Walter, who was
still in a state of unusual excitement, into which, weakened as he was
by famine, the alarm he had just experienced had thrown him.

"Your father is in his boat, be assured of that, Walter," answered the
mate calmly; "and now, the sooner you go on the raft and join your
sister the better."  Still Walter did not go, but again seizing the
flag, kept waving it; but the raft glided on, moved by the strong wind,
which now reached the part of the ocean on which the whale floated.  The
mate himself could not help standing to watch it, but it rapidly got
farther and farther off.  At last, taking Walter's arm, he said, "Come,
we must waste no more time here; Nub and I will help you down to the
raft."

Walter made no resistance, but allowed himself to be lowered down, the
mate and Nub following him.  Alice threw her arms around his neck when
she saw him, exclaiming,--"What has all that noise been about?  I have
been so frightened.  Why did you not come and tell me?"

The mate briefly explained what had happened; while Walter, with
apparent calmness, added a few remarks; and, soothed by his sister's
voice, he soon appeared to recover, and Mr Shobbrok had no
apprehensions about him.  The mate told him to lie down and rest, which
he at once did.  The raft being on the lee side of the whale, he and Nub
then hoisted the sail.

"Oh, Massa Shobbrok, we have forgotten de harpoons!" exclaimed Nub.

"So we have," answered the mate.  "In my anxiety about Walter I forgot
them."

"Den I go up and get dem," said Nub; and he again climbed up the side of
the whale.  He had lowered down a couple of harpoons and three spears,
when the mate, who had in the meantime cast off the lines which had
secured the raft to the whale, in his anxiety to lose no time, sprang up
to pull out another spear which had been fixed nearer the tail; Alice,
who was standing near him, taking hold of the line still attached to it.
At that moment, from some unknown cause, the monster body began to
move, and before either the mate or Nub could descend, over it rolled;
while Alice, in her terror still holding on to the line, was lifted from
her feet and dragged into the water.  The sail, no longer under the lee
of the huge carcass, filled, and away glided the raft, leaving the poor
little girl, with the mate and Nub at some distance from her, struggling
in the water.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note 1.  The author confesses that he has had some difficulty in
understanding the descriptions in the old journal from which the tale is
taken.  From its evident truthfulness and general accuracy, he would not
feel justified in altering them.  But the illustration beats him, and
sets at defiance all the accounts in his books of natural history.  He
must therefore leave his readers to judge for themselves.



CHAPTER EIGHT.

THE WHALE SINKS--ALICE SUPPORTED BY THE MATE--A HAMMER-HEADED SHARK
APPEARS--ALICE'S ALARM--NUB CONQUERS THE HAMMER-HEAD--VOYAGE ON A
SEA-CHEST.

The huge monster rolling over, slowly sank head foremost into the depths
of the ocean; possibly from the oil in the case by some means or other
having escaped, thereby depriving it of its buoyancy--an occurrence
which occasionally takes place when, after a hard chase, a whale has
been captured, and the victors are about to tow it in triumph to their
ship; losing in consequence several hundred pounds worth of oil.

The mate and Nub found themselves dragged a considerable way under
water; but quickly coming up again, as they were striking out they
caught sight of the raft driving before the wind, and poor Alice
struggling in the water at some distance from them.  Horror-struck at
the sight, they swam towards her, their hearts beating with anxiety lest
they should not be in time to reach the spot ere she sank beneath the
surface, or was seized by one of the ravenous sharks from which Nub had
just before so narrowly escaped.  Happily the savage creatures had
darted down after the whale, eager to seize the strips of blubber which
had been cut off its back.  So busily were they engaged, that they did
not take notice of the human beings thus left to their tender mercies.
The mate had been on a part of the whale nearest Alice, and was thus the
first to approach her.  Seeing the impossibility of reaching the raft,
he shouted to Nub and told him to swim after it; he himself intending to
assist Alice, who was stretching out her arms and piteously calling to
him for help.

Walter, who had gone off into a state of dreamy unconsciousness as he
lay stretched on the raft, on hearing Alice shriek out at the moment she
was dragged into the water, started up, his senses completely
bewildered, and instead of lowering the sail, stood waving his hands,
and incoherently shrieking out to her to come to him.  The mate shouted
to him to lower the sail; but he did not understand the order, and
continued leaping frantically about the raft, waving his hands and
shrieking as before.  The consequence was that the raft got further and
further away, at a rate which gave but little hope that Nub would
overtake it.  The mate's brave heart almost died within him at the
thought that not his life only, but that of the little girl and Nub,
would be sacrificed.  Nub was exerting himself to the utmost.  Never had
he swam so fast.  But he soon saw that all his efforts would not enable
him to overtake the raft.  Again and again he shouted to Walter to lower
the sail: Walter only shrieked louder in return, calling him to come to
his help--and Nub expected every moment to see him leap into the water,
when, in all probability, he would be drowned.  Still the brave black
persevered.

"Lower de sail, Massa Walter, lower de sail!" he shouted; "you all right
if you do dat.  De mate save Missie Alice, so no fear about her.  Lower
de sail!  Oh, de poor boy gone mad!"

In vain Nub shouted; Walter only waved his hands more frantically, till,
overcome by terror, he sank down exhausted on the raft, and Nub saw that
it would be impossible to overtake it while it continued running at its
present speed.  The only hope was that the wind might drop, or shift,
and bring it back to them.  This, however, was barely probable; the
breeze was blowing fresh, and the light raft, having now no longer their
weight on it, skimmed swiftly over the surface.  Still Nub persevered in
endeavouring to obey the mate's orders; he was ready to swim on till he
sank exhausted.  Happily he was as much at home in the water as on
shore, and by turning on his back or treading water, or swimming in a
variety of other ways, could keep up for several hours together.

He turned his head round and saw that the mate had reached Alice and was
supporting her in his arms.  "De mate swim well, I know, so he keep up
de little girl while I go after de raft," he said to himself, and he
again made way; but though he swam rapidly, the raft skimmed along at a
still faster rate, and had he not even yet trusted to the possibility of
either a change of wind or a calm, he would have given up the attempt as
hopeless.  He thought, too, that Walter might perhaps regain his senses,
and do what alone could preserve his own life and that of his friends.
Left by himself on the raft, he must inevitably perish as well as they.
Inspired by this hope, the gallant black pursued his course undaunted by
the recollection of the shoal of ravenous sharks which he knew were in
the neighbourhood, or by the want of any object, as far as he could see
before him, on which to rest.  Fearful as was his condition, it was to
become still more terrible.  He had just glanced round and shouted to
the mate and Alice to keep up their courage, when, as he again turned
his face towards the raft, he saw, not twenty fathoms from him, a
hideous head, such as the morbid imagination sometimes pictures during a
dreadful dream.  The front was of immense width, with large, savage eyes
glaring out at either side; while below appeared a large mouth, full of
formidable teeth; the body, as Nub knew, being in proportion to the size
of the head.  It was indeed an enormous specimen of the hideous zygaena,
or hammer-headed shark, so frequently observed about the coast of the
South Sea islands, and scarcely less voracious and formidable than the
terrible white shark, the sailor's hated foe.  Its body was
comparatively slender, but its head was dilated on each side to a
prodigious extent,--the form being that of a double-headed hammer, from
which it takes the name of "the hammer-headed shark."

Nub gazed at the creature, but his courage did not fail him.  It had
apparently only just come to the surface to gaze about it, and had not
yet discovered the human beings floating near.  The black had often seen
the shark bravely attacked by the natives of Otaheite and other islands,
who encounter it fearlessly as they swim off through the raging surf,
and never fail to return victorious to the shore.  There was no time,
however, for consideration, for with a few turns of its tail the monster
might be up to him.  He had, fortunately, a large, sharp sheath-knife
sticking in his girdle; he drew it, and keeping his eye on the shark, he
struck out so as to gain a position rather behind the creature's head,
which was turned from him.  At the same moment that Nub caught sight of
the zygaena the mate also saw it; he fully expected that it would dash
at the black and seize him in its dreadful jaws.  The shark, however,
was either of a sluggish nature, or perhaps gorged with food, for its
head remained above water without moving from the spot where it had at
first appeared.  The mate endeavoured to prevent Alice from seeing the
hammer-head, but her eyes unfortunately fell on it.

"Oh, Mr Shobbrok, what is that dreadful creature?" she cried out.
"Will it kill poor Nub?  Oh, what can we do! what can we do!"  She did
not appear to think so much of her own and the mate's danger as of that
of the black.

The mate, for a moment, was almost unnerved, for he felt his utter
inability to defend himself or the little girl should the monster attack
them; still, like a brave man, he summoned up all his courage, and
considered how he could possibly tackle it and defend Alice.  He looked
around to see if there was any spar or other floating object near at
hand on which he could place her while he fought the shark.  Could he
find a spar, he would push it in the shark's mouth as it swam towards
him; he had likewise his clasp-knife hung round his neck, but the blade,
he feared, was too blunt to be of much service; he opened it, however,
and held it in his teeth ready to use.  As he glanced round he saw the
chest which he had observed when on the back of the whale, but it was
too far off to be of any avail in the present emergency.  In the
meantime he had kept a vigilant watch on the hideous hammer-head, to be
ready for an encounter should it dart towards him.

He had also been watching the proceedings of Nub.  He soon saw that the
black was manoeuvring to gain an advantage over the shark, which did not
appear to observe him.  Poor Alice, overcome with terror, had almost
fainted in his arms; he urged her to keep up her courage.

"Don't be afraid, Miss Alice; don't be afraid, my child," he said
soothingly.  "There is a big chest not far off, which will serve as a
raft for you, and it will support Nub and me while we swim alongside it.
See--see!  Nub is going to tackle the shark; and he well knows, depend
on it, what he is about.  I have heard that the natives in these parts
do not fear the creature, terrible as it looks, and I don't see why we
should.  Come, we will swim towards the chest, and Nub will join us when
he has finished off Jack Shark,--which he fully intends doing, depend on
that."

The mate, as he spoke, began to swim in the direction of the chest; but
he soon found that, having Alice to support, he could make but slow
progress; he therefore recommenced treading the water, turning his face
towards the shark, that he might be the better able to encounter it
should it make a dash at him.  He now saw that Nub, having got close to
the creature, his long knife in his hand, was swimming up alongside it.
He expected, in another moment, that he would plunge his weapon into the
shark's body; but instead of that, what was his surprise to see him
suddenly leap on its back and dig the fingers of one hand into its left
eye.  If the hammer-head had been torpid before, it now made ample
amends by its sudden activity; off it darted along the surface, Nub
holding up its head to prevent it from diving, while with his right hand
he struck his knife with all his might sometimes before him and
sometimes behind him, inflicting deep wounds in its back and sides.  It
seemed surprising that the zygaena could endure them, but its wonderful
vitality is well-known--the terrific gashes which Nub inflicted in no
way impeding its rapid progress.  At first it seemed to be coming
towards the mate and Alice; and though it would not have been able to
bite them, it might have inflicted a blow which would have stunned them
both.  Nub, however, managed by hauling at its head to turn it, and it
swept by, forming large circles round and round the spot where they
floated.  Its speed, however, from its loss of blood, began somewhat to
diminish, and Nub could evidently guide it with greater ease than at
first.

Seeing this, the mate shouted to him, "Steer the brute, if you can, to
yonder chest, and bring it up to us as soon as possible."

"Ay, ay, massa," answered Nub; "I finish de brute off soon.  It not got
much more go in him.  Cheer up, Missie Alice; I no tink dis a steady
horse for you, or I ask you to have a ride on it."  [See Note 1.]

This remark did more than anything else to restore Alice's courage, for
she knew that the black felt perfectly certain of gaining the victory.
Nub, who had already deprived the monster of sight, continued to dig his
knife into its head, guiding it towards the chest, which he thus rapidly
reached.  He then, turning half round while he held up its head, stuck
his knife as far back as he could reach behind him, persevering in his
efforts till all movement in its tail had ceased.

"Dere, you go and feed your ugly cousins!" he exclaimed, giving it a
last dig,--when, leaping from its back, he threw himself on the top of
the chest; while the shark, its life almost extinct, rolled over on its
back with its head downwards.

Taking off a lanyard attached to the chest, Nub secured it to the handle
at one end, and after resting for a few seconds, again threw himself
into the water and struck out for the mate and Alice.

"There, my dear child, I told you so; the brave black has killed the
shark, and he will soon have the chest up to us.  It will serve as a
boat for you," said Mr Shobbrok.

"But where is Walter?  What has become of the raft?" exclaimed Alice,
who had hitherto been unaware of her brother's unhappy condition, and
had not noticed that the raft had glided far away from them.

"We must try and overtake Walter as soon as we get you safe on the
chest," answered the mate.  "It will be a long swim; but we must hope to
get something to support ourselves, for I fear that the chest will not
hold us all."

"Oh, what can have made Walter sail away again?" asked Alice; and then
another thought seemed to strike her, as the mate did not immediately
answer.  "Oh, tell me, Mr Shobbrok," she exclaimed,--"was the raft
drawn down by the whale, and has my dear brother been drowned?"

"The raft is all right, and I hope Walter is on it," he answered, after
a minute's hesitation.  "We may come up with it before long.  Don't
think any more about it just now.  See Nub; he's bringing the chest to
us,--and a fine large sea-chest it is too, and by-and-by we will open
it, and ascertain what it contains.  I suspect that it's a carpenter's
chest; though, as it floats high out of the water, it cannot contain
many tools, but it may possibly have some which will be useful to us
when we get on shore."

"When will that be, do you think?" asked Alice.

"There's no saying exactly, but we will hope for the best," answered the
mate evasively.  "See, here comes Nub.  He will soon be up with us, and
we will then begin our voyage."

The mate had no little difficulty in speaking; for, strong as he was,
the exertion of treading the water so long was very considerable.  He
was very thankful when at length Nub got up to them.

"Here is de chest," exclaimed the black.  "Now de sooner Missie Alice on
de top of it de better."  Fortunately there were several turns of rope
round the chest, by means of which Nub held to one side, and the mate
balancing it, enabled Alice to climb up on the other.  He then told her
to lie down along it, exactly in the centre, so that it might be as well
balanced as possible.  "All right, Missie Alice?" asked Nub, looking up
at her while he grasped the rope fastened to the chest; the mate, who
required a few minutes' rest, supporting himself on the other.

"Yes, I feel very secure," said Alice; "and I only wish that you and Mr
Shobbrok could get up and sit on it also."

"We should roll it over if we did, and tumble you into the water," said
the mate.  "It will afford us ample support if we merely hold on by each
side.  Are you all right, Nub?"

"Yes, yes, Massa Shobbrok; all right," answered Nub.

"Then off we go," cried the mate; "and I hope that before long we may
come up with the raft, or that the captain's boat, or some stranger, may
pick us up."  Saying this, the mate took hold of one of the beckets
which Nub had secured for the purpose, and struck out boldly to the
westward.

Only strong swimmers and very determined men could have kept up as they
did.  It is true that the chest afforded them some support, but they had
thus only one hand to swim with; still they made considerable progress,
shoving on with their feet and striking out with the hands left at
liberty.  The wind was fair and the water smooth, or they would have
been unable to make any progress.  On and on they swam.  When the arm
they were using for propelling themselves grew weary, they shifted
sides; by which they were able to continue their exertions much longer
than they would otherwise have done.  Alice remained perfectly still,
though she now and then spoke to the mate or Nub.  The former found it
very difficult to answer her questions, as again and again she asked
when they should overtake Walter, or how far off the land was likely to
be.  "Oh, how I wish that we were near enough to see it!" she added.

"It may cheer you to know that when I was on the top of the whale I
fancied that I caught sight of some high land away to the westward,"
answered the mate.  "It was very faint, and as I felt uncertain, I did
not like to run the risk of disappointing you; but I have been thinking
over the matter, and am persuaded that it was land.  If it was, we shall
have a better chance than I had hoped for of reaching it before long."

"You thought dat land, Massa Shobbrok; so did I.  Hurrah!  Swim away,
boys! swim away!  We soon get over de sea!" shouted Nub, endeavouring to
raise his own spirits, as well as to encourage Alice.  Thus they went
on, but the mate could not help secretly feeling that the probability of
their escaping was small indeed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note 1.  The author must express the surprise he felt when he met with
the account of Nub's wonderful ride on the zygaena.  However, it was too
good to be omitted, though he must leave his readers to judge of its
probability.  He would advise any of them who may visit the new British
possession of the Fiji Islands, should they fall in with one of the
monsters, not to attempt a similar exploit.



CHAPTER NINE.

VOYAGE ON A CHEST CONTINUED--FIND A CASK ON WHICH NUB AND THE MATE
REST--THE RAFT WITH WALTER RETURNS--A SWORD-FISH CAUGHT--A BOAT PICKED
UP--WASHED FROM THE RAFT--STORMY NIGHT--TWO RAFTS IN SIGHT.

No two men could have conducted themselves more heroically than did the
mate and Nub to save the young girl left under their charge.  Neither of
them allowed her to discover how weary and exhausted they felt by their
prolonged and almost superhuman exertions.  Now and then they stopped,
and holding on with both hands to the chest, allowed their bodies to
float on the water, thus obtaining some relief.  The water was so warm
that they did not feel any benumbing effects from being so long in it.
After resting for a time, they would again strike out, Nub always
commencing with a laugh and a negro song, though he seldom got further
than--

  "Swim away, boys, swim away;
  We get to land 'fore end of day."

Then he would cry out, "I tink I smell de flowers and de fruit already."
Mr Shobbrok spoke but little, except occasionally a word or two to
cheer up Alice.  She did not experience the anxieties of her older
companions, for it did not, happily, enter her head that they might
after all fail to reach the shore.  She could not help thinking about
Walter, however, and wondering how it was that the raft had run away
with him.  She kept her eyes ahead, looking out for the land; but though
her vision was remarkably keen, she could not discover it.  She thought,
however, that she could distinguish, far away, the white sail of the
raft; and so undoubtedly she could, but she forgot that all the time it
was going further and further from them.

The mate had at first had another cause for anxiety.  It was that they
might be espied and followed by some of the sharks which they had seen
in the neighbourhood; but as they got further away from the spot, he
began to hope that they had escaped them, and that the creatures were
too much occupied with the carcasses of the whale and the zygaena to
follow them.

They had thus been going on for two hours or more, when Alice exclaimed,
"I see something floating ahead!"

"What is it like?" asked the mate anxiously.

"It seems to me like another chest, or a cask perhaps.  If you will lift
your head a little out of the water, you will see it clearly."

The mate drew himself up till his head was as high as the chest.

"It's an empty cask," he exclaimed; "and will serve to rest one of us,
though it will not assist us while towing the chest."

They swam towards it, and found that it was a large empty cask--probably
one which had floated out of the American whaler which had gone down.

"Now, Mr Shobbrok, you get on de cask; you want rest more dan I do,"
said Nub.  "But take care dat you not roll round and round.  It no easy
matter to sit on an empty cask in de water."

The mate tried to do as Nub advised, but he found that the cask would
roll round, and that the only way he could rest on it was by throwing
himself length-wise along it--though he had considerable difficulty in
keeping it steady.  He was thus, however, able to regain his strength.

When he found himself somewhat recovered, he resigned his place to Nub,
who managed by working his feet on either side to sit across it, holding
on to the chest.  Scarcely had he taken his seat when he
exclaimed,--"Oh, I can smell de flowers and de fruit!  Here come de
land-breeze; but den it will drive us back faster dan we came along."

Nub was right.  In another minute a strong breeze, smelling of the
earth, blew in their faces; and the water, which had hitherto been calm,
was soon rippled over with small waves, which rapidly increased in
height, hissing and bubbling around them.  This was excessively trying
to the mate, who could with difficulty keep his head above the foam
which drove in his face.  His heart began to fail him, for while the
breeze continued the little hope he ever had of reaching the land must
be abandoned.  All he could do was to hold on to the chest, which Nub
balanced on the opposite side, without attempting to make any progress.
He was, for the first time, beginning to lose hope of saving the little
girl, when he was aroused by hearing Nub exclaim--

"Hurrah! here come de raft!  De wind catch her sail, and drive her back.
We soon see Massa Walter, and I hope he soon see us."

"I see him!  I see him!" cried Alice, lifting up her head.

The mate raised himself also; and then, sure enough, he caught sight of
the raft skimming along at a rapid rate over the seas.

Whether Walter saw them or not, they could not tell; but they supposed
that he had recovered his senses, and was steering the raft,--and that,
finding the breeze in his favour, he was endeavouring to reach the spot
where he had left them.  He might remember the chest and casks and other
objects floating about, and believe that they had been able by such
means to support themselves.  There could be little doubt, by the steady
way in which the raft approached, that Walter was at the helm, though,
as he was steering a course rather on one side, it was probable that he
had not yet discovered them.  As the raft drew nearer, Nub exclaimed--

"I will swim away and cut him off, or else maybe he will pass us."

"Let us first try what hailing will do," said the mate; "we will all
shout together."

"Ay, ay!" answered Nub.  "I give de time."

All three, raising their voices, shouted as loud as they could, Alice's
shrill note reaching almost as far as the others.

"Once more," cried Nub; "and sure dis time he hear."  Again they all
cried out, even louder than before.

"Dere! dere, Missie Alice, he see us!" exclaimed Nub, looking down at
the little girl as he spoke.  At that moment the sheets were let go, and
Walter was seen eagerly looking out to discover whence the voices came.
The raft now came gliding up towards them, Walter having gone back to
the helm to steer it.

Nub was the first to spring on board, and then having made fast the
chest, he lifted Alice safely on to the raft, where she was received in
Walter's arms.  The almost exhausted mate was then dragged on board by
Nub.  The first thing Mr Shobbrok did was to haul down the sail, that
the raft might not be driven further away from the land; he then turned
towards Walter, not to find fault with him for running away,--for he was
well aware that the poor lad could not help it,--but to ascertain the
state of his mind.

Walter had placed Alice on her usual seat, and now sat by her side.  He
looked up at Mr Shobbrok.  "I cannot tell you how it all happened," he
said in a low voice.  "I only remember seeing Alice in the water, and
shrieking out for some one to help her, when I fell down fainting on the
raft.  I was unconscious of what happened further, till I found myself
alone on the raft, which had at that instant been taken aback by a
strong breeze from the westward.  I felt full of dismay and grief, but
as calm and self-possessed as I ever had been.  I considered what was to
be done.  My first thought was to go in search of you.  I lowered the
sail, got the raft round, and again setting the sail, steered away to
the eastward, fully prepared to perish should I not find you; and oh, I
cannot express how thankful I am to find you again!"

"I am sure he is," said Alice, jumping up and kissing Walter.

"I am certain of it too, my lad," said the mate.  "We don't blame you;
and can only be thankful that, through God's mercy, your senses were so
wonderfully restored."

"Yes, Massa Walter, we bless Heaven dat de shark not eat us, and dat we
find you; and now all go well."

Both the mate and Nub felt too much fatigued just then to speak more; so
having secured the chest and cask, they threw themselves down to rest,
as they could not attempt to row against the breeze then blowing, with
their strength exhausted as it was.

Alice was scarcely less weary than they were, not so much from exertion
as from alarm and anxiety.  Her clothes soon dried in the hot sun, and
then she too lay down.  Walter, who was now apparently quite recovered,
sat by her side, watching her till she dropped off to sleep.  The wind
did not much affect the raft, but it was all the time slowly drifting
further and further from the shore.  The little girl's slumbers were
disturbed by the terrible scenes she had gone through, and now and then
she cried out, "Oh, save him! oh, save him!  Where is Walter? where is
Walter?"

Walter, on hearing his name pronounced, took her hand.  "Here I am, all
safe," he said in a soothing tone.  "I am very, very sorry that I caused
you so much alarm; but it's all right now.  We shall soon reach the
land, I hope; and then we will build a boat, and go in search of our
father and the rest."

Alice, who was still scarcely awake, did not understand what he said.
Suddenly she started up.  "O Walter, where are we?" she exclaimed,
looking wildly about her.  "I thought you had gone away again, and were
never coming back.  You will never leave me, will you?"

"I should be miserable without you," he answered.  "No, I never will
leave you, if I can help it, till we find our father--though Mr
Shobbrok and Nub take the best care of you they possibly can: had it not
been for them, we should both have been lost."

"Don't think that it's we who take care of you, my children," said the
mate, who had been awakened by their voices.  "There is One above who
alone has the power to do so.  We are only the instruments in His
hands."

"But we do what we can, though," said Nub, sitting up; "and now I tink
the wind begin to fall, and we get out de oars."

"We had better take some food first," said the mate.  "The young people
must be hungry, and I am pretty sharp set myself."

"What you like to have, Mr Shobbrok?  Roast beef, boiled mutton, pork
pies, or plum pudding?" asked Nub, trying to make Walter and Alice
laugh, for he observed how sad they both looked.  "Well, if we can't
have dem, we have whale blubber; it bery good for dem dat like it.  Take
a lilly bit, Missie Alice."

Poor Alice's lip curled.  She recollected how nauseous she had found it
in the morning.  Nub got out some of the blubber, which the rest of the
party swallowed without making faces.  Fortunately there was still a
small portion of biscuit, and this enabled Alice at length to get down
enough of the food to sustain her strength.  They had still the wine and
water; but, alas! there now remained only sufficient biscuit to afford
her another meal.  "After that has gone, what can we give the little
girl to eat?" thought the mate.  "Well, well, she has been sustained
hitherto, and we must not anticipate evil."

Nub having stowed away the rest of the blubber, the oars were got out,
and while Walter steered, he and the mate began to urge on the raft
towards the shore.  Their progress, however, was very slow, as when they
stood up their bodies acted the part of sails, and they were driven back
almost as fast as they advanced.  Several birds were flying overhead, a
sign that land could not be far off; while, as they looked around, they
saw here and there fish of all sizes rising out of the water.

"We may get hold of one of these fellows if they come near us," said the
mate.  "Our time may be better spent in preparing the harpoons.  Lay in
your oar, Nub, and we will set to work."

They all eagerly sat down, and in a short time two harpoons were fitted
with lines, while spears were also got ready for use.  Scarcely were
their preparations completed when the land-breeze died away; and a
sea-breeze shortly afterwards setting in, the sail was once more
hoisted, and the raft steered for the land.  All the party kept a bright
lookout ahead on either side, in the hope of seeing a fish and getting
near enough to catch it.  The mate and Nub stood with their harpoons in
their hands ready for instant use; the importance of catching some
creature made them vigilant; the strong flavour of the blubber assured
them that it would not keep much longer.  They had got a short distance,
when Alice exclaimed, "See, see! what is that curious fish?"  She
pointed to a spot a short distance on one side, her sharp eyes detecting
what had escaped the observation of the mate.  As she spoke, there rose
from the surface a creature with a long white polished piece of bone or
ivory at the end of its snout, which might be well likened to a sword,
and having two fish of considerable size spitted on it; at the same
moment two large frigate-birds were seen in the sky, flying rapidly down
to deprive the fish of its prey.

"That's a sword-fish," exclaimed the mate; "and we must try to get it
before those frigate-birds succeed in stealing the smaller fish from it.
Lower the sail, Nub; get out your oar and pull away.  Starboard the
helm, Walter.  That fellow will not dive as easily as he may expect to
do with those fish on his nose."

Nub pulled away with all his might, thus bringing the raft close up to
the spot where the sword-fish, which had run its pointed weapon, perhaps
unintentionally, through the fish, was struggling to get them off.  The
mate stood with his harpoon ready; it flew from his hand, and was buried
deeply in the creature's body.  In vain it tried to escape.  The fish
impeded its progress; and, Nub coming to the mate's assistance, the
line, which had run out some way, was hauled in; after which Nub,
seizing the animal's snout, in spite of its struggles, held it fast, and
drew off the two fish, which he threw on the raft.

"Dere, we got dem safe, at all events.  Dey make a good dinner for you,
Missie Alice," he exclaimed.  "Now, Massa Walter, you take de spear and
stick it into de sword-fish's belly."  Walter thrust in the weapon, and
in another instant the creature's struggles ceased, and it was hauled up
on the raft.

"Thank Heaven," said the mate.  "We have now got food enough, if it will
last so long fresh, for two or three days; and could we but smoke it, we
should each of us enjoy two hearty meals a day for a week to come.
However, it may, at all events, keep for some time if dried in the sun.
Hoist the sail, Nub; Walter, do you steer, while the black and I cut up
the fish."

The frigate-birds, disappointed of their prey, had flown off, but were
hovering overhead ready to seize the entrails as they were thrown
overboard.

The fish hauled up on the raft was about ten feet long, of a
bluish-black above, and silvery white below, the skin being somewhat
rough.

"I have seen them much bigger than this one," observed the mate; "but
it's as well that we did not catch a much bigger fellow, for we should
have had some difficulty in handling it.  I have known these fellows
attack a whale, and run their beaks right into its side, while the
thrasher sticks to its back; and between them they manage to kill the
monster, though I believe the sharks benefit most by the hunt.  I have
seen them caught in the Mediterranean by harpoons, especially off the
coast of Sicily.  The people in those parts are little better than
idolaters, and when they go out fishing they sing some old heathen song
which they fancy attracts the sword-fish.  They won't utter a word of
their own language, for fear that the creatures should understand them;
but certain it is that the fish follow their boats, when they stand
ready with their harpoons to strike them.  The flesh is good eating, and
very nourishing when cooked; as we shall find it, I hope, though we have
to eat it raw.  There's another sort of fish which I have fallen in with
in these seas, and a curious creature it is.  It is called `the
sail-fish,' for it has got a big fin on the top of its back which it can
open or shut like a Chinese fan; and when it rises to the top of the
water, the wind catches this sail-like fin and sends it along at a great
rate; and at its chin it has got two long lines, which I suppose serve
it to anchor by, to the rocks in a tideway, when lying in wait for its
prey."

"What a curious sort of creature it must be," said Alice; "how I should
like to see one!"

"Perhaps we may, when we get closer in-shore," answered the mate; "and
we will try to harpoon it if you don't object to our eating it
afterwards."

"Oh, no, no; that I would not," answered Alice.  "I only wish some
flying-fish would come on to the raft; I would willingly eat them raw.
I remember what a foolish remark I made about the matter when we were on
board the _Champion_.  I little thought how very thankful I should be to
catch some of the beautiful creatures for the purpose of eating them."

"I no tink Missie Alice need eat de fish raw," said Nub.  "I manage to
cook it."

"How so?" asked the mate.  "We have no hearth nor fuel."

"I find both," said Nub, in a confident tone.  "Look here, Massa
Shobbrok.  We get some bits of board.  I put dem down on de middle of de
raft, and we damp dem well; den I take de skin of dis fish and put it on
de top of dem, doubled many times; den I take some of de dry pieces of
blubber, and I pile dem up; den I get some chips from de sword-fish, and
fix dem close to de heap; and now I set fire to de heap, and de fish
toast; and I give it to Missie Alice and Massa Walter to eat."

"Oh, thank you, Nub; but Walter and I shall not like to eat cooked fish
while Mr Shobbrok and you are eating it raw," said Alice.

"We see, Missie Alice, if we got enough for all," answered Nub.

"Your plan seems a good one, Nub," said the mate.  "We will try it, at
all events."

Nub set to work and prepared the hearth, and by putting on only a few
pieces of blubber at a time, he was able to keep up a sufficient heat to
cook some small pieces of fish, which Alice and Walter gratefully ate.
There were a few pieces over, which he insisted that the mate should
take, he himself humbly saying that raw fish was "good enough for black
fellow."  The mate and Walter stood by ready to throw water on the raft
should the fire burn into the wood; but though it nearly consumed the
skin, it only charred the boards beneath it.

There was still some blubber remaining, with which Nub proposed to cook
another meal for Alice on the following day.  Part of the sword-fish was
now cut up into thin strips, which were hung up along the yard to dry in
the sun, as they would thus, it was hoped, keep longer.  They had now
such food as they could require; though, eaten without any condiments,
it was not palatable, nor altogether wholesome.  It would, however, keep
them from starving, and they were thankful.  They knew that many
voyagers, under similar circumstances, had been much worse off than they
were.

They had been so much engaged that they had almost forgotten the chest
which had been the means of saving Alice.  Walter, looking at it, asked
the mate if he would like to have it opened.

"Though I do not expect to find much within it, still there may be
something that will prove useful to us," answered the mate.

Not being very heavy, though of considerable size, it was easily hauled
up on the raft.  It was a more difficult matter to get it open, for they
were afraid of breaking their axe should they attempt to prize the lid
off.  Walter proposed to use one of the spear-heads, which might be
driven under the lock with a hammer.  The attempt was immediately made,
and succeeded better than they anticipated.  It was, as the mate had
suspected, a carpenter's chest.  In the upper part was a drawer
containing boat-nails, brad-awls, gimlets, and other small tools.  The
centre part, which had contained the larger tools, was empty; but below,
under a sort of false bottom, were found a fine and a coarse saw, some
parcels of large heavy nails, two cold irons, and several pieces of iron
of various shapes, which altogether had served to ballast the chest
while in the water.

"I don't know that in our present circumstances we can make much use of
these things," observed the mate; "but if we get on shore on an
uninhabited island, they will serve us either for putting up a house, or
for building a boat, and we may be thankful that we obtained them; and
should the sea get up, the chest will also serve to add buoyancy to the
raft."

By this time it was almost dark, and the wind had again begun to drop.
As night drew on it was a complete calm.  The mate and Nub rowed on for
some time; but they found that they were overtaxing their strength, and
were obliged to desist, hoping to get a breeze from the eastward the
next day.

They had now less fear of want of food than of want of water.  Their
stock of the latter necessary of life had already begun to run short.
The mate, therefore, proposed that they should reduce their daily
allowance, though they gave Alice as much as she would consent to take.

The party on the raft had been so accustomed to the sort of life they
were leading, that it no longer appeared strange to them.  Now and then
Walter woke up, and saw the stars shining brightly overhead, and
reflected on the wild ocean around him; then he went to sleep again
almost with the same sense of security which he had felt on board ship.
He began to fancy that the raft would stand any amount of sea, and he
fully expected to reach the shore at last.  Alice slept on more calmly
than on the previous night, the comparatively wholesome meal she had
taken making her feel more comfortable than before.  Now the mate took
his watch, now Nub his; and as Alice opened her eyes, she saw either one
or the other on the lookout, so she soon again closed them, feeling as
secure as did Walter.  Towards morning both were awakened by finding the
raft tossing about far more violently than it had hitherto done.  The
mate was steering, and Nub was attending to the sheets with the sail
hoisted only half-way up.

"What's the matter?" asked Walter.

"We have got a stiffish breeze, and it will carry us the sooner to the
shore, if it does not come on to blow harder," answered the mate.  "But
do you and Miss Alice sit quiet; the weather does not look threatening,
and if the wind brings us some rain we may be thankful for it."

"But the wind may throw the surf on the shore, and we may find it
dangerous to pass through it," observed Walter.

"Time enough to think about that when we get there," said the mate.
"Either there was no land in sight yesterday, and we were mistake when
we fancied we formerly saw it, or a mist hanging about it hid it from
our view."

"Perhaps we see it when daylight come back," observed Nub; "and dat just
begin to break astern."

The dawn gradually increased.  Nub kept eagerly looking out ahead.  "I
see someting!" he exclaimed suddenly.  "It either a rock or a boat."

"That's not a rock," said the mate, "or it would be hidden as the sea
washes over it."

"Den dat a boat," cried Nub.  "Can it be de cap'en's?"

"Our father's boat?" cried Walter and Alice in chorus.

"It may be," said the mate; "but I think not.  We shall soon know."

Eagerly they all watched the boat.

"You must not raise your hopes too high," said the mate at length.  "If
that boat had people on board she would be pulling towards us, but by
the way she floats on the water I am pretty certain that she's empty.
Yes, I am confident of it," he added.  "In another minute we shall be up
to her, and till then there is little use hazarding conjectures on the
subject."

The raft approached the boat.  "Furl the sail!" cried the mate.  Walter
and Nub did so, and the raft glided up alongside the boat, which was
half-full of water, and much shattered.  Nub seized hold of the bows,
while Walter jumped in, and with his cap began to bail out the water.

"What boat is it?" asked Alice.

"One of the _Champion's_--no doubt about that," answered the mate; "but
don't be alarmed, Miss Alice, at there being no one on board.  It's
strong evidence, in my opinion, that the people have been taken out of
her, and that the boat, being water-logged, has been abandoned.  Bail
away, Walter.  We shall soon free her from water, and then as soon as
the sea goes down we shall haul her up on the raft, and see what we can
do with her.  That carpenter's chest was not sent us for nothing, for
the tools are just the sort we want for the work; and, look here! the
planks we nailed on to the bottom of the raft are exactly suited for
repairing her.  I scarcely dared to pray for a boat like this; but now
she has been sent us, we may have good hope of reaching the shore, which
I own I began to doubt we ever should."

"Ay, Massa Shobbrok, you can never pray for too much," said Nub.  "I
always pray for what I want; and if it no come, I know it not good for
me."

"Do you think this is papa's boat?" asked Alice.

"No, Miss Alice.  I know this is Morgan the second mate's boat, which
accompanied the captain's; and we may hope that the same vessel which
received both crews on board may pick us up."

Walter having reduced the water in the boat, sail was hoisted, and she
was dropped astern, Nub jumping in to assist in bailing out the
remainder.  At present she was too sorely battered and leaky to be of
any use.  Their fear was that the weather might get worse, and that she
might after all have to be abandoned.  However, as the day advanced,
happily the wind fell and the sea went down.  As soon, therefore, as
they had breakfasted they hauled the boat up on the raft; and though she
occupied the larger portion of it, there was still room for Alice to sit
near the mast.  All hands then set to work to repair her,--Walter and
Nub acting under the direction of the mate, who performed the more
difficult parts of the task.  The boat-nails found in the chest were
invaluable, but, of course, without the planks which had been preserved,
nothing could have been done.

"Now, lads," said the mate, "before we begin we must see what amount of
material we have got, and fit it to the parts for which it is best
suited.  A little time spent in this way will be time saved in the end,
and enable us to accomplish what we might not otherwise have the power
to do."

They worked away, scarcely allowing themselves a minute to rest or to
take food.  The boat had apparently been damaged by the flukes of a
whale, several planks on one side having been broken in.  These were
first repaired, and her bottom made sound; and then other injuries she
had received at the bow and stern were put to rights, either by fixing
in new planks or by nailing others over the damaged places.  There was
still wood enough remaining to run a weatherboard all round her, thus to
enable her the better to go through any bad weather she might encounter
during the long voyage she would possibly have to make.  Lockers were
then fitted to the bow and stern, in which provisions might be stowed,
and so prevent the risk of these being wetted should the sea break into
the boat.

Darkness found them still engaged in the task.  Their intention was,
next morning to make a step for the mast and to build a little cabin aft
for Alice.

As there was not room to lie down on the raft, the boat was propped on
it; and they all got into her, having also stowed away on board the cask
of water, the remaining biscuits, the bottles of wine, two harpoons and
spears, and a portion of the fish.  Walter and Alice occupied the stern
sheets; the mate lay down amidships; while Nub, who was to keep the
first watch, sat in the bows.  Nub, finding himself in a boat, felt much
more secure than he had done on the raft.  He had kept the morning
watch, and had been working hard all day.  It is not surprising,
therefore, that when he ought to have been sitting with his eyes wide
open he allowed them to close, and fell asleep.  The mate himself,
though generally very wakeful, experienced a feeling of security he had
not for long enjoyed, and slept more soundly than usual.  It was almost
a dead calm when they lay down, and the sea was perfectly smooth; no
vessel could run over them, for none could approach without wind;
indeed, unless to be prepared for a change in the weather, it seemed
almost needless to keep watch.

Some hours, probably, had passed, when suddenly the voyagers were
awakened by a loud roaring sound, and by feeling the boat lifted on a
sea and sent surging forward.  They all started up, the mate and Nub
looking around them, while Walter held Alice in his arms, thinking
something terrible was about to happen.

"Out with the oars!" cried the mate.  "Walter, ship the tiller."  He was
instantly obeyed, fortunately for them; for should such another sea as
that which had washed the boat off the raft catch her broadside, it
might roll her over and over.  By great exertions the mate got her
round, head to the sea, and there he and Nub were able to keep her.  But
what had become of the raft?  In the darkness it could nowhere be seen.
Perhaps it was afloat near them, or it might, deprived of their weight,
have been turned over and knocked to pieces by the seas.  Happily, most
of the articles on which they depended for existence were in the boat;
but their mast and sail had gone, with the chest, and the greater
portion of their tools.  In vain the mate and Nub looked around on every
side in the hope of seeing it.  Could they find it, even though it
should be sorely battered, they might hang on to leeward of it by a
hawser, and thus, in comparative security, ride out the gale; as it was,
they must keep their oars moving all night to prevent the seas from
breaking into the boat.  They were, fortunately, rested; and the flesh
of the nutritious sword-fish had restored their strength.

"Pull away, boys; pull away!" sung out Nub.  "It's a long lane dat has
no turning.  We better off dan on de raft, which de sea would have
washed over ebery moment.  Here we pretty dry--only have to keep de oars
moving.  Pull away, boys; pull away!"

"That's the right spirit, Nub," said the mate.  "I only wish that I
could sing as you do."

"I sing to cheer up Missie Alice," said Nub in a low voice.  "I don't
tink I could sing oderwise."

Walter had learned to steer well, and kept the boat's head carefully to
the seas, so that she rose over each of them as they came hissing by.
The wind was blowing on the land; and though the boat's head was turned
the other way, she was in reality drifting towards it.  Without a sail
they could not attempt to put her stem to the seas, and they must
therefore remain in their present position until the weather should
again moderate: when that might be it was impossible to say.  However,
the mate and Nub, being happily inured to hard work, could keep on
rowing for many hours together.

Thus the night passed away; and when daylight returned, the rolling seas
hissing and bubbling around them were alone to be seen.  They naturally
looked out for the raft.  The boat had just risen on the crest of a
rolling wave, when Nub exclaimed, "I see de raft on de larboard hand,"--
and he pointed with his chin to indicate the direction; "but it look
bery much knocked about."

"But I see it on the starboard bow," exclaimed Walter.  "It seems to me
as if it had kept perfectly together, though the mast has gone."

"How can that be?" exclaimed the mate, looking round in the direction
towards which Nub was pointing.  "Yes, you are right, Nub; that's our
raft, sure enough.  And now, Walter, I will try to get a look at what
you say is a raft."  The mate managed, while pulling, to slew himself
sufficiently round to look in the direction in which Walter pointed.
"Sure enough, Walter, that's also a raft," he exclaimed,--"a much larger
one than ours; but whether or not any people are on it I cannot make
out."



CHAPTER TEN.

ON BOARD THE "CHAMPION"--MUTINY--FIRE BREAKS OUT--THE CREW, WITH THE
DOCTOR AND TIDY, ESCAPE ON A RAFT--RUM, AND ITS EFFECTS--MEN LOST--STEER
AWAY FROM THE DEAD WHALE--RUM CAUSES THE DEATH OF MOST OF THE PARTY--A
MURDER--THE SURVIVORS RECEIVED ON BOARD THE BOAT.

We must now go back in the order of events, and return to the
_Champion_.  After the boats had gone away on the expedition which was
to end so disastrously, Mr Lawrie, the surgeon, was walking the deck,
meditating on the responsibility he had undertaken, when Dan Tidy came
up to him and whispered,--"Hist, sir! things are not going on altogether
straight below, I'm after thinking; and if we don't keep a bright
lookout, we shall have the boatswain and the Frenchmen running away with
the ship, and leaving the captain and the rest of the people in the
boats to get back to her if they can.  The only chance is that they come
to loggerheads together; for they have been quarrelling away for the
last hour, though what about, for the life of me I cannot make out."

"Then, Tidy, call the true men aft, and I will arm them, and be ready
for whatever may happen," said the surgeon quietly.

Tidy did as directed; and the man at the helm being one who could be
trusted, a cutlass and a brace of pistols were given to him.  Scarcely
had these arrangements been made when a number of men came rushing up
the fore-hatchway, some shouting in English and others in French,--
showing the surgeon that, although they might before have been
quarrelling, they were now united for one common object.  He guessed
that their intention was to get possession of the helm, as he saw some
of them squaring away the fore-yards.

"If a man advances abaft the mainmast, or touches a brace, we fire!" he
cried out.

"Knock him over!" cried out a voice, which he recognised as that of the
boatswain.  "Do as I told you."

"You, my brave fellows, who are resolved to stand faithful to the
captain, be ready with your firearms," cried the surgeon.  The boatswain
and the others with him on this uttered loud shouts of derision, and
several shots were fired at the surgeon and his supporters.  He was
compelled now to give the order to fire in return.  Two of his men had
been wounded; and three or four of the mutineers fell from the steady
fire poured in on them.  The rest, led on by the boatswain, now made a
fierce onslaught on the surgeon--he and Tidy being knocked over; but his
party, standing firm, drove back their assailants, and he was able to
recover his feet.  A second attack was about to be made, when loud cries
of "Fire! fire!" arose from below, and smoke and flames were seen
issuing up the fore-hatchway.  The danger threatening had the effect of
calming the fury of the mutineers, while Mr Lawrie's earnest appeals
induced them to exert themselves in putting out the flames.  Indeed, had
not the explosion which has been described taken place, they might
possibly have succeeded.  For a few moments they stood aghast; but the
boatswain, who had already shown his courage, rallied the survivors
around him, and urged them to assist him in building a raft.  "It's our
only chance of saving our lives," he shouted; "and the sooner we set
about it the better."  Most of the men, obeying him, began cutting loose
such spars as could be most easily got at, and launching them overboard.
They then, with axes, cut away the bulwarks and other materials for
forming a raft; while Mr Lawrie and his party still made desperate
efforts to extinguish the fire.  The boatswain showed himself a thorough
seaman, by the skilful way in which he put the raft together; and he had
finished it before the flames had gained the mastery--thanks to the
labours of the surgeon and his party, who, though they could not
extinguish it, had kept down the fire.  Mr Lawrie, who had not
forgotten Alice, was hurrying aft with the intention of trying to save
her, when some of the mutineers caught him.  "Come along, sir!--come
along!" they shouted; "we want a doctor among us, and cannot leave you
behind;" and, in spite of his struggles, he was dragged to the side and
lowered down on the raft.  Dan had made a dash into the cabin, but only
in time to see Nub and Alice floating away on a raft from the wreck.
Notwithstanding the bruises he had received, he rushed forward in the
hope of saving his life, and, unseen by the mutineers, he lowered
himself down among them.

Mr Lawrie's first inquiry on being placed on the raft, and just as they
were shoving off, was whether they had brought any provisions.  "If we
leave the ship without any, we shall only be seeking a more lingering
death than we should have found on board," he exclaimed.

The cry arose from those near him, who saw the sense of his
remark,--"What provisions have we got?"  Search was made, when it was
found that they were actually leaving the ship without a particle of
food or a drop of water!

"This will not do," cried the boatswain.  "Who will volunteer to go back
and get what we want?  I'll lead the way!"  Saying this, he sprang up
the side, followed by several of the more daring of the crew.  They made
their way to the after-hold.  A cask of beef was got up; but the men,
breaking into the spirit-room, insisted on having some rum.  One of
them, wiser than his companions, managed to lower down a couple of
breakers of water, while the rest were occupied in getting up three
casks of rum; precious time, which should have been employed in
searching for more provisions, being thus wasted in procuring what would
too likely prove their destruction.  The spirit-casks had just been
lowered down, when the flames, bursting out with greater fury, made them
dread another explosion.

"Shove off!--shove off!" was the general cry; and the men who had been
labouring on the deck for the good of the others had barely time to
spring on to the raft, when the ropes which held it to the ship were
cut, and they shoved away from the side.

By this time a strong breeze had sprung up; the sail was hoisted, and
the raft, passing under the stern, glided rapidly away from the ship.
Though it was large enough to support the people on it, they found it
necessary that each man should keep a certain place in order to balance
it properly.  The boatswain took the command, and insisted that all the
rest should obey him.  His own people seemed willing to do so; but the
Frenchmen, who equalled them in numbers, from the first showed an
evident inclination to dispute his authority, under the leadership of
their own boatswain, a man not dissimilar to him in character.  Capstick
had sense enough to know that he must assert his authority, and keep the
Frenchmen in check, or they would very probably take the raft from him.

"I see what these fellows are after, Mr Lawrie," he said to the
surgeon, who was seated near him.  "You will stick by me, I know; for it
will come to a fight before long, when, if we don't gain the upper hand,
we shall all be hove overboard."

"Then I would advise you to get rid of the rum-casks at once," said the
surgeon.  "I see that your people are already eyeing one of them as if
they were about to broach it; and if they get drunk, which they
certainly will, we shall be in the Frenchmen's power."

"I believe that you are right, sir; but I would not like to lose so much
good rum," answered the boatswain, who was himself much too fond of
liquor.  "I will see what I can do, though."

"Avast there, lads," he shouted to the men.  "If we wish to save our
lives, all hands must be put on a limited allowance of provisions and
spirits.  I cannot say how far off we are from the land; but it may be
many a long day before we get there."

"We will think about that to-morrow," answered one of the men.  "We are
thirsty now, after the hard work we have been doing, and we want a glass
of grog or two to give us a little strength."

The boatswain expostulated; but he himself longed to have a glass of
rum, and his opposition grew weaker.  The cask was broached, and a
cupful--a large allowance--was served out to each Englishman, including
the doctor and Tidy.  Mr Lawrie, however, managed to throw some of his
away, and to fill it up with water from a breaker which he had secured,
and on which he was sitting--treating Tidy's in the same way.  The
Frenchmen, on seeing what was going forward, clamoured loudly for rum;
for French sailors, and especially under the circumstances in which
these were placed, generally show as strong an inclination for spirits
as do Englishmen.

"Well, you shall have it if you obey orders," answered the boatswain;
the grog he had taken making him more inclined to be good-humoured than
before, as well as to forget his suspicions.  The seamen were also
willing enough to share their treasure with their companions in
misfortune.  The quantity they had taken at first produced no apparent
ill effects, though it tended to raise their spirits and make them
forget the dangerous position in which they were placed.  Some became
loquacious, others sang songs; and both parties shook hands, and vowed
that they regarded each other as brothers and friends.

The next day, however, a change had come over their spirits.  The French
boatswain declared that, as he had assisted to build the raft, he had as
much right to the command as Capstick, as well as to half the rum and
provisions.  To this the latter would not agree; but the Frenchmen,
after remaining quiet for some little time, suddenly sprang up, made a
dash at one of the casks of rum, and capturing it, carried it in among
them.

"Let them have their way," said Mr Lawrie.  "Keep your own people
sober, and if the Frenchmen get drunk, you will the more easily master
them."

This advice, however, was not followed; some even of the better men
making such frequent visits to the cask that several of them were
utterly stupified.  The Frenchmen meantime having broached their cask,
many of them were soon in the same condition.  The raft, however, was
tumbling about too much to allow them to move,--this more than anything
else preventing the two parties from coming to blows on the subjects of
dispute which frequently arose.  Those who had retained their senses had
become hungry, and now demanded food.  The doctor and Tidy had managed
to knock off the head of the beef-cask, and they served out a portion to
each man.  It was, however, salt and hard, and tended to increase their
thirst.

Thus the day wore on, and Mr Lawrie could not help looking with serious
apprehensions to the future.  As yet the two parties had not come to
actual blows, but it was evident that they would do so on a very slight
provocation.  The only person over whom he could assert any beneficial
influence was Tidy, who, notwithstanding an Irishman's proverbial
affection for a "dhrop of the crater," willingly followed his advice,
and took only a small quantity of spirits with his share of water.  Tidy
had fortunately filled his pockets with biscuit when he went into the
cabin to look for Alice.  This he shared with the doctor, thus
preventing the beef from producing the thirst which it did in the
others, who ate it by itself.  The Frenchmen had complained that smaller
rations were served out to them than the Englishmen took for themselves,
and, watching their opportunity, they suddenly rushed towards the
beef-cask.  Capstick and his party defended it, and soon drove them back
again.  Though no knives were drawn on the occasion, blows were
inflicted, and two of the combatants struggling together fell
overboard,--when, locked in a deadly embrace, they sank before their
companions could rescue them.  Their fate for a time had the effect of
sobering the rest; and the doctor, in the hope of keeping them at peace,
advised that the two boatswains should together serve out the beef, and
see that their countrymen had equal shares.

We cannot follow the history of the unhappy men from day to day.  Their
provisions had now come nearly to an end.  One cask of rum and a portion
only of a breaker of water remained; and had not the doctor and Tidy
exerted themselves, this also would have been exhausted.  Several men
were lying on the raft, and the doctor knew that they were dying, but he
could do nothing for them.  He warned the rest; but they only laughed at
him, declaring that the men had only a little too much grog aboard, and
would soon come round.

They had made some progress to the westward, sometimes becalmed, and
sometimes considerably tossed about, when, soon after daybreak one
morning, they caught sight of a dead whale floating on the surface.  The
boatswain steered towards it, intending, as he said, to get some
blubber, which would help out their beef.  But perceiving a fire on its
back as he got nearer, he at once declared his conviction that the
captain and his boat's crew, and perhaps those of the other boats, must
be there; so he vowed that nothing should induce him to place himself in
his power, telling his own people that if the captain were to take the
command of the raft, he would stop their grog, and eat up the remainder
of the provisions.  He called on them, therefore, to stand by him while
he kept the raft on a course which would carry her some distance from
the whale.  The Frenchmen, in the meantime, seeing the flag on the
whale, and the fire burning, and believing that boats must be alongside,
frantically stretched out their hands, and shouted at the top of their
voices, not recollecting that they were too far off to be heard.  They
shrieked and shouted, and danced about, every now and then turning with
violent gestures towards the boatswain, telling him to steer for the
whale.  He, however, took no heed of their entreaties, but, feeling
dependence on the men about him, continued his course till the raft had
got considerably to leeward of the whale, when it was impossible to get
up to it--all the oars which had been on board, with the exception of
the one by which he steered, having been lost during the frequent
struggles which had taken place.  The Frenchmen, finding their shouts
disregarded, then returned to their seats, talking together, and casting
threatening looks at the whaler's crew.  The boatswain and his
companions laughed at their threats.

Hunger and thirst were by this time assailing them, when one of the men
proposed to broach the remaining cask of spirits.  In vain the doctor
endeavoured to dissuade them from touching it; the boatswain offered but
a slight resistance.  They dragged it from the spot in the after part of
the raft, where it had been stowed, and were soon engaged in drinking
its contents.

"A short life and a merry one," cried the party, as they passed the cup
rapidly round.  The liquor soon began to take effect on their already
exhausted frames.  They shouted and sang songs, but their voices sounded
hollow and cracked; and several rolled over, laughing idiotically at
their own condition.  The Frenchmen, who had been watching these
proceedings, and waiting their opportunity, now rushed aft, and knocking
over those who opposed them, seized the cask, and carried it off in
triumph.  The French boatswain endeavoured to persuade them to take only
a small quantity; but they laughed at his warnings, and were soon in the
same condition as the Englishmen.  Some sang and shrieked; and others,
getting up, attempted to dance, till one unhappy man in his gyrations
tumbled overboard.  Some of his companions attempting to catch hold of
him, nearly fell in likewise.  Their efforts were of no avail, and he
sank almost within arm's length.  The accident partly sobered some of
them.  Capstick, calling on the Englishmen, who were still sober enough
to move, then endeavoured to regain possession of the cask, when in the
struggle the bung-hole was turned downwards, and the greater portion of
the contents ran out.  A general fight ensued, both parties accusing
each other of being the cause of the loss.  Knives were drawn, and
wounds inflicted.  The Englishmen, however, secured the prize, and had
to continue the fight to preserve it.  The two boatswains stood aloof
encouraging their respective parties; while the doctor and Tidy, who
attempted to act the part of pacificators, were knocked over, the
Irishman narrowly escaping being thrown into the sea.  The fight
continued for some time, till the combatants, many of them badly
wounded, sank down utterly exhausted.  The doctor, notwithstanding the
hurts he had received, wished to do his duty, and went among them to
examine their hurts.  His sorrow was great when he found that no less
than five were dead,--chiefly, he believed, from the effects of the
spirits they had drunk; while several more were in a state which showed
him that, even should help speedily come, they were too far gone to
recover.  Before the sun rose next morning, not a dozen people remained
alive on the raft.

The doctor and Tidy had agreed to keep watch and watch, to protect each
other, and they were thus able to preserve a little of the water and a
small piece of beef which remained in the cask.  It might be supposed
that the fearful results of the drink would have been a warning to the
survivors; but their desire for liquor was as strong as ever; and as
soon as they awoke, they insisted on again attacking the rum-cask.  A
common misfortune seemed at length to have united the two parties; but
their leaders stood aloof from each other.  The men, however, began
sharing the rum out equally among themselves.  This went on for some
time, till, the liquor running short, they commenced quarrelling as
before.  The doctor urged Tidy to take no part in any dispute.  "Our
countrymen are as much to blame as the Frenchmen," he observed.  "If we
assist our boatswain, we shall be guilty of their death."  Tidy's Irish
spirit, however, would hardly allow him to follow the doctor's advice.

It had now fallen perfectly calm.  Mr Lawrie, overcome by the heat, had
fallen fast asleep, and Tidy, who had undertaken to keep watch, was
dozing by his side.  Most of the party were by this time reduced to such
a state of weakness that very few appeared likely to survive much
longer.  Evening was rapidly approaching, when suddenly the doctor was
awakened by hearing the Irishman exclaim, "Faith, sir, they are at it
again; and if they are not stopped, one or both of them will get the
worst of it."  The doctor started up, when he saw the two boatswains
standing facing each other at the further end of the raft.  Each had a
drawn knife in his hand.  The Frenchman was at the outer end of the
raft, while two of his countrymen, the only men among them able to exert
themselves, were standing near him.  "Hold!  What murderous work are you
about?" shouted the doctor.  But his voice came too late; the combatants
closed as he spoke, stabbing each other with their weapons.  The next
moment the Frenchman, driven back by the English boatswain, was hurled
bleeding into the water.  His two countrymen, who had hitherto remained
looking on, sprang to his assistance.  One of them, losing his balance,
fell overboard; while the boatswain, seizing the other by the throat,
stabbed him to the heart.  Then turning round with fury in his eyes, he
shrieked out, "I will treat every man in the same way who interferes
with me!"  No one, however, appeared inclined to do so.  The sun,
already dipping, disappeared beneath the horizon as the scene of blood
was concluded; and the boatswain, who seemed suddenly to have been
excited into savage fury, sank down exhausted on the raft.

Some more hours passed away, when Mr Lawrie, Tidy, and the boatswain
alone remained alive of all those who had lately peopled the raft.  The
surgeon did his utmost to restore the wretched boatswain, binding up his
wounds, and pouring a little of the remaining spirits and water down his
throat.  It seemed surprising, considering the injuries he had received,
that he had not succumbed as the others had done.  He evidently
possessed no ordinary amount of vitality.  A few scraps of beef remained
in the cask, of which the surgeon gave him a portion.  He ate it
eagerly.  His continual cry, however, was for water.

As the night advanced, the sea got up, tumbling the raft fearfully
about.  Mr Lawrie and Tidy dragged the boatswain to the centre of the
raft, and it was only by great exertions they held themselves and him
on.  The dark, foam-crested seas came rolling up, threatening every
instant to break aboard and sweep them away.  The boatswain had
sufficient consciousness to be well aware of his danger; and fearful
must have been the sensations of that bold bad man, his hands red with
the blood of his fellow-creatures, as he contemplated a speedy death and
the judgment to come.  He groaned and shrieked out, yet not daring to
ask for mercy.  The surgeon would thankfully have shut out those fearful
cries from his ears.  Like a true man, he resolved to struggle to the
last to preserve his own life and the lives of his companions.

Thus hour after hour went slowly by, till the grey light of morning
appeared above the horizon, broken by the rising and falling seas.  Mr
Lawrie found his own strength going, and Dan was in a still worse
condition.  They had no food, and not a drop of water remaining, and no
land in sight.  Stout-hearted as they both were, they could not help
feeling that ere long they must yield, and share the fate of those who
were already buried beneath the waves.  The doctor knew, however, that
it was his duty to struggle to the last, and he did his utmost to
encourage poor Dan.

"Shure, Mr Lawrie, it's myself has no wish to become food for the
fishes, if it can be helped at all at all, and as long as I can I'll
hold fast for dear life to the planks," he said in answer to Mr
Lawrie's exhortations.  "Maybe a ship will come and pick us up.  Just
look out there, sir!  What do you see?  If my eyes don't decave me,
there is a boat; and she's pulling towards us."

Mr Lawrie looked, as Dan told him; and there, sure enough, he saw a
boat approaching the raft, but very slowly.  Now she was hidden by
intervening seas, and now again she came into sight on the crest of a
wave.

"Shure, can it be the captain's boat, or one of the other boats which
have been looking for us since the ship went down?" exclaimed Dan.

On hearing the word "captain," the boatswain lifted up his head and
tried to get a glimpse of the approaching boat.  "It may be one of our
boats; but if it is the captain's, just heave me overboard at once, for
he will hear all that's happened."

"Rest assured that if the captain is in yonder boat he will pity your
condition, and not call your deeds to account," said the surgeon,
anxious to soothe the mind of the dying man.

The boat got nearer and nearer, when the surgeon recognised Walter
steering, with Alice by his side, and the mate and Nub pulling.  They
were soon near enough to hail him.

"Thankful to fall in with you," shouted Mr Shobbrok, who just then made
out the surgeon and Tidy though he could not distinguish the boatswain.
"Who's that with you?"

The surgeon told him.

"Where are the rest?" was the next question.

"Gone! all gone!" was the answer.

"Heave us a rope, and we will hold on under your lee till the water is
calm enough to take you on board," cried the mate.

Tidy unrove the halliards, and made several attempts to heave the end on
board the boat.  At length she came in nearer, when he succeeded; and
the rope being made fast, the boat floated back to a safe distance.
Questions were now put and answered between them, but they could offer
little consolation to each other.  The surgeon had to acknowledge that
they were without food and water.  "If you can manage to send us a
little, we shall be thankful," he shouted out.

"We have scarcely enough for another day for ourselves," was the
alarming answer; "though we will share what we have when we get you on
board."

It was nearly noon before Mr Shobbrok thought it safe to haul up to the
raft, when the surgeon and Tidy, exerting all their strength, and with
the mate and Nub's assistance, lifted the boatswain into the boat.



CHAPTER ELEVEN.

VOYAGE IN THE BOAT CONTINUED--SUFFERINGS FROM THIRST--DEATH OF THE
BOATSWAIN--REGAIN THE RAFT AND MAST AND SAIL--A BONITO CAUGHT AND
COOKED--RAIN AND WIND--THE SHORE REACHED--WATER FOUND--THE FIRST NIGHT
ON SHORE--BIRDS OF PARADISE SEEN--A REFRESHING BATH--FRUIT OBTAINED.

The mate and Nub, with their young companions, cordially welcomed the
surgeon and Tidy.  "We should have been more thankful to see you, had we
food and water to offer," said the mate; "but we must pray that a shower
may be sent down on us, and that we may fall in before long with a
sword-fish or a bonito."

The weather had somewhat moderated, and casting off from the raft, they
put the boat's head towards the shore.  Walter, as before, took the
helm, while the mate and Nub pulled away as hard as their strength would
allow, neither the doctor nor Dan being able to exert themselves.  As
the sun got high in the sky, and distant objects could be seen, the mate
stood up and looked out anxiously for the land.  "I see it," he
exclaimed; "but it's still a long way off.  We must not despair however,
my friends."  Saying this, he again sat down.

"Pull away, lads; pull away!" faintly sang out poor Nub, though his
strength was almost gone; for, in order that Walter and Alice might have
enough, he had eaten but little food for many hours.  The wind once more
came ahead, and unless they continued to exert themselves, they might be
blown back again a considerable distance.  Nub had not spoken for some
time, still pulling on; but suddenly his oar fell from his grasp, and he
sank down in the bottom of the boat, while the oar, on which so much
depended, fell into the water.  Dan Tidy, who was sitting next to him,
in vain attempted to catch it.  It passed by, too far off for Walter to
reach.  The mate in vain endeavoured with his single oar so to manage
the boat as to come up with it, and in the violent efforts he made, his
oar almost broke in two.  The helpless voyagers now floated on the wild
waters deprived of the means of urging on their boat.

"What are we to do, Mr Shobbrok?" asked Walter, as the mate stepped aft
and sat down by the side of the young people.

"All we can do is to pray to God for help, for vain is the help of man,"
answered the mate.

"Oh yes, yes! that we will!" exclaimed Alice; and she and her brother
lifted up their hands and eyes to heaven, and uttered a prayer, which
was surely heard, as true prayers always are.

Poor Nub lay in the bows, too much exhausted to move; Dan Tidy sat with
his head cast down, hope almost gone, his brave Irish heart for the
first time yielding to despair; while the surgeon, nearly overcome with
weakness, watched the boatswain, who lay at the bottom of the boat with
his head resting on one of the thwarts, holding on by the side, his
groans expressing the terror and agony of his mind.  Gradually the
wretched man's hands relaxed their hold, and his eyes became fixed.

"He has gone to his terrible account," said Mr Lawrie at length.  Not
another word was spoken for some time.

"We must bury the man," said the mate; "the sooner that's done the
better."  The doctor summoned Dan to assist him, and they and the mate
taking the body up, were about to let it over the side, when the latter
exclaimed, "Stay! his jacket and shirt will be of use in making a sail.
It's our only chance of reaching the shore."  The garments were taken
off the body, which was then committed to the deep; and although without
any weight attached, it immediately sank beneath the surface.  Not a
word was spoken.  The surgeon did not think for a moment of going
through the mockery of a service; but they all lifted up their hearts in
prayer that they might be preserved.

The boat continued drifting before the land-wind further and further
from the shore, till all hope of reaching it was lost.  Alice, who was
seated with her brother gazing across the ocean, perhaps in the
expectation of catching sight of an approaching sail, suddenly
exclaimed, "Look--look!  Walter! what can that be?"

"A piece of wreck," he answered; "or it's one of the rafts."

The boat was drifting directly towards it.  The rest of the party turned
their eyes in the direction Walter and Alice were looking.

"It's our raft," exclaimed Mr Shobbrok, getting out the broken oar.
"Walter, take the helm and steer as I tell you."  They quickly neared
the raft.  "Heaven be praised!" exclaimed the mate, as they got close to
it; "the sail and mast are still there, and also the two oars."

The boat was made fast to the raft, and the mate, with the assistance of
Walter and Tidy, lifted the mast, yard, and sail into the boat, with the
two oars.  The chest, being securely lashed, still remained.  The mate
quickly opened it, and took out the tools likely to prove most useful,
with an ample supply of nails.  Scarcely had they been transferred to
the boat, when Alice, who had been the harbinger of good tidings,
exclaimed, "See! see that large fish!"  Walter seized one of the
harpoons, and handed it to the mate, The fish was swimming round close
to the raft; the harpoon flew from the grasp of the mate, and he calling
to Tidy to help him, they together in another minute brought to the
surface a large bonito, which was quickly hauled on to the raft.  Poor
Nub, who had hitherto scarcely been able to open his languid eyes,
dragging himself up, exclaimed, "We cook it on de raft for Missie
Alice."

The suggestion was acted upon, and the lighter portions of the raft,
which were sufficiently dried to serve as fuel, were cut up.  The fire
being kindled, large slices of the meat were arranged round it.  Before
they were thoroughly cooked, however, most of the starving party began
to devour them, though Alice waited till the piece intended for her was
done.  They were still engaged in cooking the fish, when dark clouds
arose in the east.  How anxiously they watched them!  One passed over
their heads, then another.

"Here comes the rain," cried the mate.  "Heaven be praised!"

The sail was stretched out as before.  Down came the blessed rain.  The
fire was put out,--which was, however, of minor consequence; and the
almost exhausted voyagers were able to quench their thirst, the cask
being filled before the rain ceased.  The cooked and uncooked portions
of the fish were taken on board; and the mate set to work to fit a step
for the mast.  This was soon done; and a fresh breeze blowing towards
the shore, the sail was hoisted, and the boat went gliding over the
ocean.  How grateful were the hearts of all on board!  Food and water
had been amply provided, when the blessing was least expected.

Before night set in, land was clearly seen ahead.  The mate was of
opinion that it was an island of no great extent, or a promontory of New
Guinea.  Both Nub and Tidy were greatly restored by a night's rest, and
the late ample supply of food they had enjoyed.  Mr Shobbrok kept at
the helm nearly the whole time, and only when the wind fell would he
allow Walter to take his place, with the doctor, to keep watch while he
slept.  The land-wind, which blew during the morning, tried their
patience; but the sea-breeze at length setting in, they rapidly
approached the shore, which appeared thickly wooded down to the very
edge of the water, with high ground rising at a short distance from it.
A belt of coral, such as is now called a "fringing reef," against which
the sea beat with considerable violence, throwing up a heavy surf,
extended along the shore, making an attempt to land highly dangerous, if
not impossible.  The mate accordingly hauling the boat to the wind,
stood to the southward, in the hope of finding some bay or inlet into
which they might run.  All eyes were eagerly turned towards the shore.
As they coasted along, no huts or habitations of any kind were seen, nor
was there any appearance of the island being inhabited.  The water in
the cask was by this time nearly exhausted, and the uncooked fish began
to exhibit the effects of the hot sun.  The day was drawing on, and the
mate felt especially anxious not to have to spend another night at sea.
Just as he was beginning to fear that they might have to do so, his
practised eyes discovered an opening in the reef; and telling the doctor
and Nub to keep a bright lookout for rocks ahead, he steered for it.

As the boat approached, the shore opened out, and the thankful voyagers
soon found themselves entering a deep inlet, fringed with graceful trees
down to the very edge of the water.  A spot appearing, not far from the
entrance, where the rocks, running out, afforded a natural
landing-place, sail was lowered, and the boat being rowed carefully in,
they soon reached the beach.  Walter was the first to spring on shore,
followed by Nub, who stretched out his arms to receive Alice from the
mate.  Her young heart beat with gratitude as she stood, holding her
brother's hand, safe on firm land.  The rest followed; and having hauled
up the boat, they all knelt down and offered up their thanks to Heaven
for their preservation from the numberless dangers they had gone
through.

"And let us still trust, my friends, to Him who has taken care of us,"
added the mate.  "We should always pray for protection against unseen as
well as seen dangers; and it would be folly not to expect to meet with
more."

The sail of the boat and the other articles in her were now landed, the
mate wishing to form a tent which would protect Alice during the night.
As but little water remained in the cask, and the fish was scarcely
eatable, it was important to find a fresh stream or spring, and some
fruit, if live creatures could not be caught, to satisfy their hunger.
The doctor and Tidy set out to explore the neighbourhood for that
purpose, while Walter remained to take care of Alice, and to assist the
mate in putting up the tent and preparing a fire.  Nub begged to be
allowed to go in search of wood, observing that he had a notion on the
subject, though what it was he did not say.

The mate and Walter had been very busy; the latter in collecting a
quantity of dried grass and leaves to form a bed for Alice.  He was thus
engaged, when, looking up, he saw Nub coming out of the water, carrying
on his shoulders what looked like a round basin or saucer of enormous
dimensions, with long streamers down which the water trickled hanging
from it.

"What can it be?" exclaimed Alice.

"It is, I suspect, a large shell-fish; a mollusc, learned people call
it; and if so, the creature will afford all hands an ample meal,"
observed the mate.

Walter and Alice ran down to meet Nub.

"Yes, Missie Alice, bery good fish inside here," he answered.  "Nuf for
good supper for eberybody; only we cook it first."

The large clam--such was the species to which the shell-fish belonged--
was placed on the ground.

"Where de oders?" asked Nub.  "I want Tidy to help make fireplace.  Dan
Tidy, where are you?" shouted Nub.

Just then Dan made his appearance, with the information that they had
found a stream of fresh water running down from the hills not far off,
and that the doctor had sent him back to get the cask, he himself
remaining on the watch for any birds or quadrupeds which might come down
to drink.  The remaining contents were therefore shared among the
thirsty party, and the Irishman went away with the empty cask on his
shoulder; while the mate and Walter assisted Nub in building a
fireplace--the materials being furnished by some masses of coral rock
which lay on the beach.  Fuel was then collected and arranged between
the two piles of stone, and the mollusc being placed so that its edges
rested on the top of them, the mate set fire to the wood.

Scarcely was the fire lighted when Dan returned with the cask.  "Arrah,
now, Nub, you are mighty clever; but there's one thing I think I can
beat you in, and that is in blowing up a fire.  Shure, they used to call
me `little bellows' at home, and set me to make the turf blaze up when
the praties were put on to boil."  Saying this, Dan threw himself on the
ground, and began blowing away with a vehemence which soon made the
sparks fly, speedily followed by a flickering flame.  The sticks caught
and crackled, and the smoke rose in dense volumes.

While he was so employed, the doctor arrived with a large water-fowl
which he had cleverly caught, as he lay hid in the long grass, while the
bird was passing by, unconscious of danger.  "I will undertake the
cooking of the mollusc," he said.  "If the creature is cut up into small
pieces, it will be much more rapidly and perfectly done.  We must first
open the shell, however.  Walter, fetch me the cold chisel and hammer
which you brought on shore."

After the mollusc had been for some time exposed to the fire, he with a
few strokes opened it, allowing each half to rest on the piles of stone.
Honest Nub was in no way offended at being superseded in his office of
cook, and went off to collect a further supply of fuel, with which he
quickly returned; while Walter employed himself in plucking the wild
fowl captured by the doctor.  Dan finding it no longer necessary to
perform the part of bellows, got up and surveyed the mollusc with
infinite satisfaction.

"Arrah, now, if there were but some praties to cook with it, we should
be having as fine an Irish stew as we could wish to set eyes on.  It's
done to a turn now, doctor; and if you will please to lend a hand, we
will carry it to a clear place, away from the smoke, where Miss Alice
can sit down and enjoy herself."  Suiting the action to the word, Dan
took hold of the edge of the shell, but sprang back again with a howl,
wringing his burnt fingers as he exclaimed, "Arrah, now, I forgot
entirely how hot it was!"  The doctor could scarcely help laughing at
Dan's mistake, into which he himself had, however, narrowly escaped
falling.  At his suggestion, the fire being raked away, two sticks were
laced under the shell, and it was carried to a level spot, where all the
party gathered round it, and thankfully ate their first meal on shore,
The food was well-tasted and nutritious, though they would gladly have
had some vegetable diet to take after it.  All had eaten as much as they
required, and still a considerable portion remained.  The doctor
suggested that it should be covered up with the upper shell, and kept
for the next day's breakfast.  As it was now getting dark, the mate
advised Alice to retire to her tent, which he had erected close to the
spot where they were sitting, while the rest of the party made such
preparations as they deemed necessary for passing the night.

"Though we are not at sea, my friends," said the mate, "we must set a
watch, to guard against the attack of wild animals or savages; for
though we saw no habitations as we coasted along the shore, people may
possibly inhabit the interior.  If each of us take two hours apiece, we
shall easily get through the dark hours of the night."

"Shure, Mr Shobbrok, how are we to fight the wild bastes or savages, if
they come, without arms?" asked Dan.

"With regard to the savages, I do not, I confess, expect a visit from
them; but if any do come, we must try to win their friendship," answered
the mate.  "As for the wild beasts, we will at once cut some long poles,
and sharpen the ends in the fire to serve as lances.  If, however, we
keep up a good blaze all night, none are likely to come near us; but
should any appear, the person on watch must instantly rouse up the
rest."

"No fear of dat, Mr Shobbrok," observed Nub.  "If lion or tiger come,
me make a precious hollobolo."

"We need not be afraid of either lions or tigers," answered the mate,
"as, to the best of my belief, they are not to be found in this part of
the world; but what other savage animals there are, I am not prepared to
say."

Alice quickly retired to the tent her friends had arranged for her.  The
mate assigned their watch to each of the party,--telling Walter,
however, that he must consider his over, and get a good night's rest.
No one thought it necessary to provide shelter, all of them being by
this time inured to sleeping in the open air.  A lump of wood or a few
bundles covered with grass served for pillows.  The doctor took the
first watch, Tidy the second, and Nub the third, while the mate chose
the last, that he might arouse the rest of the party in time.  There
being an abundance of fuel, a large fire was kept up, which would serve
to prevent any wild beasts from approaching the camp; for they, unlike
fishes and insects, which are attracted by a bright light, generally
show a dislike to approach a fire.

Alice and Walter were the first on foot--even before the mate intended
to call them.  Alice had conceived a wish to visit the fresh stream the
doctor had described, to enjoy a draught of cool water and the luxury of
a bath, should a spot be found which no sharks could reach, and where no
other savage creature was likely be lying hid.  Walter willingly agreed
to accompany her, and to stand guard while she was performing her
ablutions.  The mate did not object; and when Mr Lawrie heard of their
intention, he said that he considered the place perfectly safe, and that
he would shortly follow.  Nub and Tidy, in the meantime, collected more
wood to keep up the fire, as it was important not to let it out, their
stock of matches being limited.  They then went down to the beach to
search for more shell-fish, while Mr Shobbrok remained at the camp to
watch the fire.  He and the doctor put their heads together to invent
various traps, with which they hoped to catch some of the numerous birds
flitting about the woods, or any of the smaller quadrupeds inhabiting
the neighbourhood.

Walter provided himself with a long stick, which he hoped would be a
sufficient weapon of defence against any creatures they were likely to
encounter, and in good spirits they set out on their expedition.  They
had not got far when Alice, touching Walter's arm, whispered, "Do not
speak, or we shall frighten them.  Look at those beautiful birds; what
can they be?"  She pointed to a tree a short distance off, on which were
perched a number of birds of the most magnificent plumage, with bodies
about the size of thrushes, having a mass of feathers which extended far
beyond their tails, making them look much larger than they really were.
The birds did not apparently observe the intruders on their domain, and
continued dancing about on the boughs, exhibiting their richly coloured
feathers to each other, as if proud of their beauty.  Walter and Alice
had never seen any birds to be compared in beauty to them, though they
differed considerably from each other.  The most beautiful had a bill,
slightly bent, of a greenish colour, around the base of which was a
fringe of velvet-like black plumes.  The head and part of the neck was
of a pale golden-green, the throat being of a still richer hue, while
the remaining plumage on the body and the tail was of a deep chestnut,--
except on the breast, which was a rich purple.  From each side of the
body beneath the wings sprang a mass of long floating plumes of the most
delicate texture, of a bright yellow; and beyond the tail projected a
pair of naked shafts, far longer even than the yellow plumes.
Sometimes, when the bird was at rest, it allowed these plumes to hang
down close together; then suddenly it would raise them, when they arched
over, covering the whole of the body, which shone brightly in the sun.
This was evidently a male bird; the females, though possessing much
beauty, were not nearly so richly adorned.  Another bird, much smaller,
was seen among them, perched on a bough above the rest, and evidently
considering itself of no small importance.  Its colour was mostly of a
beautiful red-chestnut, the base of the bill being surrounded with
velvet-like plumes, while the throat and upper part of the breast were
of a deep purple-red; a bright golden-green zone running across the
lower part, separated from the red above by a line of yellow; the lower
portion of the body being perfectly white.  On each side was a bunch of
feathers, tinged with the richest golden-green; and from the middle of
the tail extended two very long, naked shafts, which terminated in a
broad golden-green web of spiral form.  So delighted were the young
people with the spectacle, that they could not tear themselves from the
spot, forgetting all about the object of their excursion.  They were
still intently watching the birds, when they were aroused by the voice
of the doctor, which had also the effect of startling the beautiful
creatures.  Away flew the birds, the doctor, however, catching a glimpse
of them.

"Oh, what a pity you did not come sooner!" exclaimed Alice.

"Had I done so, I should have deprived you of the pleasure of watching
the birds," answered Mr Lawrie.  "From the glimpse I caught of them, I
have no doubt that they are birds of paradise, which, I have heard,
inhabit New Guinea and the surrounding islands.  I have seen some dead
specimens, but of course they can give but a very inadequate idea of the
birds when living, which I believe are the most beautiful of the whole
feathered tribe."

The doctor's arrival was most opportune, for Walter and Alice had
remained so long looking at the birds, that they had forgotten the
direction to take, and would very probably have lost their way.
Conducted by the surgeon, they reached a spot where a bright, sparkling
stream fell over a high rock, forming a small cascade, into a pool of
clear water about three feet deep.  A ledge enabled them to reach the
cascade, where they could drink the water as it fell.  How cool and
refreshing it tasted!  They all felt wonderfully invigorated; and the
doctor owned that, under their circumstances, no tonic medicine he could
have given them would have a more beneficial effect.  The rock extended
some way down on the opposite side of the stream, and the path they had
pursued appeared to be the only one by which the pool could be
approached.

"What a delightful place for a bath!" said Alice, looking at it with a
longing eye.

"You shall have it all to yourself," answered Walter; "but let me sound
it with my stick first.  It may be deeper than we suppose."

Walter, as he suggested, went round the pool, plunging in his stick.  It
was fortunate he did so, for the upper side, into which the cascade
fell, was, he found, much out of Alice's depth.  He charged her,
therefore, to keep on the lower side, where the water was less deep.  He
was satisfied, too, that no creature lurked within, for the bottom was
everywhere visible, though, from the clearness of the water, it was
difficult to judge the depth by the eye.

"It's a mercy that you thought of trying the depth," said Alice; "for I
intended to have gone under the cascade and enjoyed a shower-bath."

Leaving Alice to bathe in the retired pool, the doctor and Walter hunted
about in search of game or fruits, which might serve as an addition to
their breakfast.  Birds of gorgeous plumage flew about overhead, or
flitted among the branches of the trees; and high up, far beyond their
reach, they observed some tempting-looking fruit, on which numerous
birds were feeding.  They gazed at them with envious eyes.

"Our only chance of getting any will be if those feathered gentlemen
should be kind enough to let some fall," observed the doctor.  "We must
not be too proud to take advantage of their negligence."

While he was speaking, a large bird of black plumage, with an enormous
beak, and a horn-shaped ornament on the top of it, flew at one of the
fruits, and nipping it off, down it came to the ground; while the bird,
perching on a bough, attacked another, with more benefit to himself.
Walter picked up the fallen fruit, which, though it had a somewhat hard
skin, was full of a delicious juicy pulp.  While he was examining the
fruit, the doctor watched the bird, which, picking off fruit after
fruit, appeared to throw them up and catch them in its mouth as they
fell.  The bird having apparently satisfied itself, then flew off to the
trunk of a tree of enormous size and height.  The doctor followed it,
and found that it made use of its beak to carry food, with which it was
supplying another of its species--poking its head out of a hole in the
trunk.

"We must have those birds if we are hard pressed, as I am afraid we
shall be unless our traps succeed, or we can manage some serviceable
bows and arrows for shooting game," said the doctor to Walter, who had
followed him.

On their way back to the pool they picked up several more fruits which
had dropped.  They met Alice, who had not only bathed herself, but had
washed her clothes, and dried them in the hot sun, which struck with
great force against the side of the rock, so that in a few minutes they
were again fit to be put on.

"We must follow your wise example by-and-by," said the doctor; "but we
will now go back to breakfast, or Mr Shobbrok will wonder what has
become of us."



CHAPTER TWELVE.

ENCAMPED ON THE ISLAND--BREAKFAST ON ROAST DUCK--SANDAL-WOOD--BOWS AND
ARROWS MANUFACTURED--HORNBILLS CAPTURED--A HOUSE COMMENCED.

The doctor, with Alice and Walter, had just left the side of the stream
to return to the camp, when they met Dan and Nub carrying the cask,
slung on a pole between them.

"We go to get fresh water, and be back soon wid it," said Nub as they
passed.  "Mr Shobbrok, him roast de duck ready for breakfast."

The doctor and his young companions hurried on, for their morning's walk
had made them very hungry.  They found the mate employed in roasting the
duck in the usual camp fashion, on a spit supported by two forked
sticks.  Near it was the large shell of the mollusc on another fire,
where Nub had placed it to warm up its contents.

"We have fish and fowl; but I wish that we had some farinaceous or other
vegetable diet in addition--for the sake of our young lady, especially,"
observed the mate.

"We have, at all events, brought something of the sort," said Walter,
producing his handkerchief, full of the fruits he had picked up.

"I am indeed thankful to see them," said the mate; "for I began to fear
that we should all suffer from living so entirely on animal food."

"I have little doubt that we shall find more fruits and probably various
vegetables," said the doctor; "and I will undertake to go in search of
them after breakfast."

"I should like to accompany you," said Walter; "though, if the fruit in
these regions only grows high up on the trees such as these do, we shall
be puzzled to get them."

"We must climb the trees, then, or find some other means of bringing it
down," said the mate.  "My idea is, that, before we do anything else, we
should set about making some bows and arrows, as well as some spears, to
defend ourselves against any savage animals, or to kill any we may be
able to chase."

The doctor agreed to the mate's proposal, though he believed, he said,
that there were no savage animals of any size in the Pacific islands
likely to annoy them.  As the duck was not quite cooked, they sat
themselves down under the shade of a lofty tree, to await the return of
Nub and Dan.  They very soon appeared; and while Nub went to have a look
at the mollusc which he and Dan were to have for breakfast, the seaman
came and threw himself down at the mate's side with a small branch of
tree in his hand, which he was examining attentively.

"What is that you have got there?" asked the mate, turning round to him.

"Faith, your honour, it's something, I suppose; for Nub says that if we
can cut enough of it, and can get a ship to carry it away, we shall all
make our fortunes."  Dan as he spoke handed the branch to the mate, who
turned it about, evidently puzzled to know what it was.

"Let us look at it," said the doctor, who then examined the branch
carefully.  After biting the thick end, he observed: "This is
undoubtedly santulum, of the natural order _Santalaceae_.  From it is
produced santalin, with which certain tinctures are made.  It is also
used in India for colouring silk and cotton.  Yes, this is indeed the
valuable sandal-wood, which the Chinese burn as incense, and employ
largely in the manufacture of fans, and of which in England the cases
for lead pencils are formed.  Nub is right; and as it is of great
commercial value, if, as he suggests, we can cut down a quantity, and
find a ship to carry it away, we may make enough to pay our expenses
home and have something in our pockets at the end of the voyage.  From
what sort of a tree did you break this off?" inquired the doctor,
turning to Dan.

"A big shrub, or what they would call a good-sized tree in other parts;
but those near it were so much larger, that I suppose they would be
offended if we called it a shrub," answered Dan.  "It is not far off,
and we saw a good many like it in that part of the forest."

"We will go and examine it presently," said the doctor, who was an
enthusiastic naturalist.

"We must see about getting food first," observed the mate.  "We have
many things to do before we can think of cutting down sandal-wood."

"Yes; we must eat our duck first," said the doctor.

"I tink de duck done now," observed Nub, who had been employed during
the discussion in giving the roast a few more turns.  Plucking some
large leaves, he arranged them on the ground before the party, to serve
the double purpose of table-cloth and plates; then, taking the duck up
by the end of the spit, he placed it before the doctor, remarking, "You
carve better than anyone of us, sir."

The doctor scientifically cut up, the bird, a portion of which Nub
presented to Alice and Walter.  When the doctor offered some to him and
Dan, they both declared that the stewed mollusc was quite enough for
them.  The voyagers' first breakfast on the island would have been more
satisfying had they possessed some bread or biscuit, and, above all,
some tea or coffee; but as they could finish it with a good supply of
fruit and fresh water, they acknowledged that they had ample reason to
be thankful.

Their plans for the future were naturally brought under discussion.
"Don't you think, Mr Shobbrok, that we could manage to enlarge our boat
so that we might reach some civilised place?" asked Walter.

"We might certainly improve her," answered the mate; "and if we could
obtain a sufficient amount of provisions and water, we might make a long
voyage in her, provided we were favoured with fine weather.  But the
risk, I warn you, would be very great.  Occasionally the seas in these
latitudes are excessively heavy and dangerous, and no improvement we
could make would enable her to stand them.  We should also, as I
observed, have to carry a large supply of provisions and water, or we
might be compelled to land on a part of the coast where we should have
to encounter savages, who would probably attack and destroy us before we
had time to convince them that we came upon a peaceable errand.  Or,
even should they be friendly, we have no goods with which to purchase
provisions; and from what I have heard of them, they are not likely to
supply us without payment.  However, we will examine the boat, and
consider how we can enlarge her.  We must first ascertain if we can
manage to cut out a sufficient number of planks and ribs; and then, if
we enlarge the boat, we shall want more sails and spars and rigging.  We
shall also require casks to carry the water, and a stove for cooking;
and as we have no compass or quadrant or chart we can only make a
coasting voyage.  We are also many hundred miles from Sydney in New
South Wales, which is the nearest port where we can obtain assistance.
It is my belief that we are now off the north-eastern end of New Guinea,
either on the mainland or on an island; though I suspect the latter, or
we should probably have fallen in with natives.  This point we must
ascertain as soon as possible, for we should do well to avoid them, as
at the best they are a savage race, who are more likely to prove foes
than friends.  Now, the first thing we have to do is to provide food for
ourselves.  See, I was not idle during your absence."

The mate on this showed several contrivances for catching game.  The
question was where to place them.  It was first necessary to ascertain
the places frequented by the birds or beasts in the neighbourhood.  Dan
had formed some traps composed of stones collected on the seashore, such
as boys in England are accustomed to set for sparrows and robins; but
the doctor very much doubted whether the birds of those regions were
likely to hop into them, as they appeared, he observed, to take their
food from the tops of the trees, and seldom descended to the ground.

"Arrah, I hope they will be after changing their custom when they see
the traps, and just come down to have a look into them," said Dan.  "I
will place them under the trees and give them the chance, at all event."

"I would rather trust to bows and arrows," said Walter.  "We must look
out for the proper sort of trees to make the bows.  Perhaps we may find
some wood similar to the yew-tree of old England."

The doctor and Nub set off with Walter for the object he had in view,
while Alice remained with the mate and Dan, who were finishing their
traps.  They first proceeded towards the stream.  On their way Nub
showed them the sandal-wood trees which he had discovered.  The doctor
was satisfied that he was right.  Many of them were of considerable
size, really deserving the name of trees, though some could only be
called large bushes.  In general appearance they were something like
myrtles, the trunk being about nine inches in diameter, the leaves very
small, alternate or nearly opposite.  The doctor, who had carried the
axe, cut into the trunk of one of them, which was of a deep red colour.
"At all events, though we cannot carry a cargo away with us, we may
return here some day and obtain one," he said.  "If there are no
inhabitants, the trees cannot be claimed as the property of anyone; and
we may load a vessel with great ease in the harbour."

"I tink, Mr Lawrie, dat we better look out for food just now," said
Nub, who thought the doctor was spending more time than necessary in
speculating on the future.

"You are right Nub," answered the surgeon, leading the way.  They
examined numerous saplings of small size, but none seemed likely to suit
their purpose.  On the banks of the stream they came to a magnificent
grove of bamboos of all sizes, some being as thick as a man's leg.

"Here we have the means of building a house ready to our hands," said
the doctor.  "Perhaps they will assist also in decking over the boat."

"But I doubt if they would keep out the water," observed Walter.  "I
think, however, that the fine ends or some of the very small canes may
serve for arrows."

"Dey make very good cups for drinking out of," said Nub; and asking for
the axe, he cut down a large bamboo cane, though not one of the
thickest, and showed Walter that numerous divisions or knots filled up
the centre of the cane, and that thus each knot would make the bottom of
a cup.

On passing near the tree where the doctor had seen the hornbills, they
observed one of the birds poking its long beak out of its hole.

"We pay you visit before long," said Nub, nodding his head.  "Me tink I
know how."

Going up the stream, they found a tree which had fallen over it, by
which they crossed to the opposite bank.  Nub begged to go first.  "I go
see de way.  We no want to pop into de middle of a village; if we do, de
women begin to shriek, and de babies cry out, and tink dat white debils
come among dem, and den de men come out and kill us."

The doctor agreed to Nub's proposal, and they proceeded more cautiously
than before.  Walter pulled away at every young tree they met, and at
last he found one which the doctor thought would suit their purpose.
Nub, who came to examine it, was of the same opinion; and they quickly
cut down several which grew near to the proper length, and returned with
them the way they had come.  As they passed under the tree in which they
had seen the hornbills, Nub exclaimed, "I tink we come and get dese
fellows at once, if de mate will please to accompany us."

On passing under the tree where the fruit had been found, Walter looked
about for some more; but the birds were not feeding, and none had fallen
since they had been there.  On their arrival at the camp, the mate and
Dan had to confess that their traps had not as yet been successful; Nub
then told them his plan for reaching the hornbills, which could not fail
with regard to the hen, who was certain not to leave her nest, and might
possibly either be sitting on her eggs or have some young ones.

"How is that?" asked Walter.  "When she sees you, if you succeed in
reaching her, she will surely fly away."

"No, Massa Walter," said Nub, "she not do dat, for de hole is shut up
with clay, and she only got room to poke her head out."

Nub's plan was to form a ladder up the tree with the bamboos they had
seen.  With a little patience, he assured them, the feat could be
accomplished; so they all eagerly set out to commence operations, Alice
accompanying them; while the doctor continued his search for the
vegetable food they so much required.  He first, however, cut a stick
from the thick end of a bamboo, for the purpose of digging edible roots,
which he thought it probable he might discover.

Nub also suggested that they should forthwith set to work to build a
house large enough to contain the whole party.  A house would be far
better for Alice than the tent, in which she had to lie close to the
ground, with some risk of the intrusion of snakes or noxious insects;
besides which, bad weather might come on, when they would all require
shelter.

"Nothing like bamboo-house," observed Nub.  "If earthquake come, it no
shake down; if storm come on, it no blow away."

The mate assented to the black's proposal, and agreed at once to cut
down a sufficient number of bamboos, not only for the ladder, but for
the house.  This was not quite so easy a task as it at first appeared,
for though the canes were hollow they were excessively hard, and it was
only by chopping downwards all round that they could be broken off.  At
length, however, a sufficient number for the proposed ladder were cut
down and carried to the foot of the tree.

Nub was not going to make a ladder of double poles; the tree being of
soft wood, he intended to stick in the rounds horizontally, and to
support them with a single pole.  They had also to collect a quantity of
tough and lithe vines, which would serve to bind the rounds to the outer
pole; the thickest end of which was stuck deep into the ground.  This
done, the work went on rapidly, round after round being driven into the
tree, about three feet apart.  Nub, continuing his work, went on
ascending step after step, Dan following him when he got too high up to
reach the long poles from the ground.  The height looked perilous in the
extreme, and Alice, as she watched him, could not help dreading that he
might miss his footing and fall down; but Nub was highly delighted with
the success of undertaking, and seemed to have no fears on the subject.

"Nub puts me in mind of `Jack and the Bean Stalk,'" said Walter,
laughing.  "I only hope that he won't find an ogre at the top of the
tree."

"No fear about Nub," observed the mate.  "I hope that he may soon wring
the necks of the hornbills and send them down to us."

Nub was now near the hole where the female hornbill had been seen.  She
had drawn in her head; and her mate was either absent from home or was
concealed among the thick foliage at the top of the tree.  The last
round was in, and Nub was seen preparing to mount on it, that he might
put in his hand and haul out Madam Hornbill.  He was just about to do
so, when she put out her long beak, and began pecking away furiously at
his hand; while, at the same moment, down flew Mr Hornbill from a bough
on which he had been snugly ensconced till a favourable opportunity
arose of making an attack on the assailant of his fortress.  That every
man's home is his castle, is rightly held in England as an established
law, and the hornbills naturally considered their nest their castle.
With loud screams of rage the male bird attacked poor Nub, who slipped
down to the next round, where he held on with might and main, trying to
defend his head from the furious onslaught of his feathered foe.
Fortunately, his curly head of hair was a good thick one, and prevented
the bird from inflicting the injury it might otherwise have done.
Keeping his head down, so as to defend his eyes, he rapidly descended
the ladder, the hornbills cawing and screaming all the time.  The male
bird, however, did not attempt to descend beyond the upper rounds of the
ladder.

"I no tink we lose our dinner, though," said Nub, as he got to the
bottom.  "What say you, Massa Shobbrok?"

"Certainly not, Nub," answered the mate.  "I have got a notion which I
am pretty sure will succeed."

"Den, if you show me what it is, I go up again, pretty quick," said Nub,
who was afraid that the mate would deprive him of the honour of catching
the bird.  The mate took a line from his pocket, forming a noose, which
he secured to a light bamboo.  "I see it," cried Nub, "I see it.  I soon
catch both of dem, one after de oder."

Taking the bamboo, he quickly ascended the ladder till he got near
enough to reach the hornbill, which was still standing screaming
defiantly on the upper round; and before it was aware of what the black
was about, the latter slipped the noose over the bird's head and drew it
tight, and then with a violent jerk pulling it off its perch, down it
came, with its huge bill first and its wings fluttering, to the ground,
where Dan quickly despatched it.  Nub immediately descended for the
bamboo; and mounting again, slipped the noose over the head of the hen
hornbill, which she had poked out to see what had become of her partner.
He held her fast enough, but could not drag her out of her hole.  By
standing on the upper round, however, he was able to batter in her
fortress with his fist, after which he speedily sent her to the ground.
Then putting in his hand, he drew out a curious creature like a ball of
down, bearing no resemblance whatever to its parents.  Though scarcely
fledged, it was not to be despised, being very fat, and about the size
of, a young chicken.  So Nub threw it down to join its parents, shouting
out, "Dere, dat make a fine dinner for Missie Alice."  Poor Alice was
grieved when she saw the little creature come tumbling to the earth, and
declared she could not touch it.

"Bery sorry, Missie Alice," said Nub, when he came down again, putting
on a penitent look.  Then turning aside to Dan, he whispered, "She talk
bery differently when she see it nicely roasted by-and-by."

Their success in obtaining food encouraged the voyagers to hope that
they were not doomed to starve on an inhospitable shore, but that with
diligence and a due exertion of their wits they might obtain sufficient
food to support life.  The hornbills would, at all events, afford them
an ample meal for that day, and they might reasonably expect to obtain a
further supply of shell-fish from the seashore; though Nub might not
succeed in finding another huge mollusc.

"Shall we remove the ladder?" asked Walter.  "It might help to build the
house."

"I tink not," answered Nub, looking up.  "Perhaps anoder hornbill come
and make her nest dere, den we catch her and her husband.  Bery good
chance of dat, I tink."

As it was important to get their house built without delay, they all
returned laden with as many bamboos as they could carry,--Alice taking
charge of the birds, slung, Chinese fashion, at the end of a bamboo,
which she balanced on her shoulder: the little one being hung behind
her, that her tender heart might not be grieved at seeing it.

"Shall we all assist in putting up the house, Mr Shobbrok, or might it
not be as well to try and get one or two bows made first?" asked Walter.

"We cannot obtain food without them, so, by all means, make two or
three," answered the mate.  "You and Nub can work at them, while Dan and
I arrange the plan for the house, and begin to put in the uprights."

Alice assisted the mate in holding the line.

"We must try to get the opposite sides even, and the walls at right
angles with each other, and the corner-posts perpendicular," he
observed.  "The sides of our house must depend very much, in the first
instance, on the length of the bamboos; and we can so arrange it that we
may increase it without difficulty."

As it was not time to begin cooking, all hands set to work at the
occupations they had settled to follow.  While Walter and Nub were
shaping the bows with their knives, the mate, with his two assistants,
having selected a flat spot a considerable height above the water,
marked out the plan for the house--in front of which they intended to
add a broad verandah, facing the seashore.  The ground-floor they
divided into two rooms, with space for a staircase to lead to the upper
floor.  This floor was to be divided into three rooms,--one for Alice,
another for Walter, and the third for the surgeon; while the mate and
the two men were to occupy one of the lower rooms, the other being
intended for a parlour.  The kitchen, they agreed, it would be best to
form at a little distance from the house, lest it might by any accident
catch fire.

While they were thus busily employed, the doctor came back with a large
supply of two different kinds of fruit--one like a plum, the other
having a hard rind but a delicious pulp--while his pockets were filled
with some roots, which he considered were of even more value.  He also
reported that he had found a palm which he had no doubt would yield an
abundance of sago; but it would take some time and labour to prepare it.
He proposed forming a manufactory near the stream, as an abundant
supply of water was required for the necessary operations: also that
they should commence the work next morning; for he considered that no
time should be lost, as it would afford them an abundant supply of
nutritious food, on which they could depend under all circumstances.  He
would, however, require one hand to assist him.  Nub at once volunteered
his services.  "I hope by that time to have one of the bows finished,"
said Walter, "and I will go and shoot game, while Mr Shobbrok, Dan, and
Alice continue working away at the house."  The mate agreed to this
proposal, though he observed that he thought it would be advisable, as
soon as a sufficient supply of sago was got, for all hands to set to
work at the house, so that they might have shelter should bad weather
come on.

Nub had not forgotten to spit and put the hornbills before the fire in
good time; and when evening came on, and they could no longer see to
work, they sat down to the most ample meal they had yet enjoyed, aided
by the roots and fruits the doctor had collected.

"In a couple of days more, Miss Alice, I hope you will have a good roof
over your head, and a room to yourself," observed the mate.  "I shall
not rest satisfied till I see you comfortably lodged."

Alice declared that she was perfectly satisfied with her tent.

"That's very well while the weather is calm and dry; but should the rain
begin to fall, which, from the look of the foliage, I have no doubt is
very heavy hereabouts, it would be a very different matter," he
answered.

"I was, selfishly, only thinking of myself," said Alice, "and forgetting
that you, at all events, would be exposed to the rain; so I hope that
you will set to work and get the house up as soon as possible.  I only
wish that I was a man, to be able to help you more than I have done."

"You do help us, Miss Alice," said the mate; "and you encourage us by
your patience and uncomplaining spirit, and your cheerful temper.  Do
not think that you are of little use, for I don't think that we could do
without you."  Alice, being assured that the mate spoke the truth, was
well pleased to think that young as she was, she was of use to her
companions.

Not only on a desolate island, but in the quiet homes of England, many
little girls like Alice have the power, by their cheerfulness and good
spirits, and, we may add, by their piety and kindness, to be of
inestimable use to all around them.



CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

THE HOUSE FINISHED--A STORE-HOUSE BUILT--SAGO MANUFACTURED--WALTER MAKES
BOWS AND ARROWS--A SHOOTING EXPEDITION--WALTER SEES A TERRIFIC
CREATURE--CATCH AND COOK IT--ERECT A "SMOKING-HOUSE"--SUCCESSFUL
FISHING.

The house was nearly finished.  The whole of it was constructed of
bamboos.  The uprights were the thickest canes; the next in size formed
the horizontal beams, lashed together tightly with the long trailing
vines which abounded in the forest.  The rafters of the flooring and the
roof were of a third size; while the flooring itself and the walls were
composed of the larger canes split in two, and, after being well wetted,
pressed down by heavy stones till they were perfectly flat.  The roof
was thickly thatched with palm-leaves, which served also to cover the
outside walls of Alice's room.  There was a broad verandah in front, in
which the occupants could sit and work during the heat of the day.  The
common sitting-room was intended to serve them chiefly at night, when
the weather proved bad.  There was no fear of cold in that climate, and
they had, consequently, only to guard against wet and an inconvenient
amount of wind.  The lower rooms were not more than seven feet in
height, and the upper scarcely so high; so that the whole building,
independent of the roof, which had a steep pitch, did not reach more
than fourteen feet from the ground.  A ladder with numerous rounds,
which would allow Alice to climb up and down with ease, led from the
sitting-room to the upper story.  As, of course, they had no glass,
window-shutters were formed of the same material as the house, and
served well to exclude either the sun or rain.

"Why, we have forgotten a store-room!" exclaimed Walter, just as the
house was finished.  "If we have no larder, how are we to keep our game,
and the sago which the doctor is going to make, and the roots and
fruits, and anything else we may obtain?"

"It was indeed an omission, and I wonder none of us thought of it
before," said the mate.  "However, a few more hours' labour will enable
us to set up a building which will answer the purpose better than had we
put it inside the house."

Another journey to the bamboo brake supplied them with the necessary
amount of canes, and a small building was erected at one end of the
house--which served for one of its walls.  It had three stories, each
about three feet in height, with a ladder reaching to them, so that no
marauders, unless they were climbers, could get in.  This could not have
prevented either monkeys or snakes, or such active creatures as
tiger-cats, from robbing their stores.  Well-fitting shutters were
therefore fixed on in front of the building, which was completed before
dark, and was considered strong enough for the purpose they had in view.
It was, indeed, a gigantic safe standing on four legs, the lower part
being quite open.

"Now we must set to work to kill game, and obtain other provisions, to
put in it," observed the mate.

"I shall be able to manufacture more bows for the rest of the party; for
though I am improving, I can scarcely expect, as yet, to kill game
enough for all hands, or to obtain a sufficient supply to lay by for the
voyage," said Walter.

"We will devote the remainder of this evening, then, to manufacturing
bows and arrows," said the mate.

"To-morrow I must beg you all to come and assist me in manufacturing
sago," observed the doctor.  "I can employ all hands.  We must first cut
down a tree, and then divide it into lengths, and drag them to the
water, where we must erect our machinery, which need only be of a very
rough character,--and probably the bamboo canes will help us to form
it."

"Mr Shobbrok, when do you propose to begin enlarging the boat?  I do so
long to set sail in search of papa," said Alice.

"I have been considering the subject, young lady, and I am as anxious as
you can be, but there is a great deal to be done first.  We must collect
provisions, and also ascertain that they will keep good during a long
voyage.  One difficulty can be got over more easily than I at first
supposed; for the thick ends of the large bamboos will, I have no doubt,
carry a quantity of water, though I am afraid they will take more space
in stowing than I would wish.  If the doctor succeeds in producing sago,
we shall have a substitute for bread; and it also may be preserved in
bamboo casks.  I think, too, that we may manage to salt and smoke the
birds and fish we may catch; though, without hooks and lines, we can
only hope occasionally to kill some larger fish with our harpoons."

"I have been thinking, Mr Shobbrok," observed Walter, "that I could
make some fish-hooks from nails, with the help of a small file which I
have in my knife; and as we have plenty of rope, we may unpick some of
it, and twist some strong line."

"Pray set about it then, Walter," said the mate; "for time will be lost
if we go out in the boat in search of large fish to harpoon, when small
ones may be caught from the rocks on the seashore."

The next day the whole party started, under the guidance of the doctor,
to the spot where he had seen the sago palm.  He observed that it was
the best time to cut down the tree, as the leaves were covered with a
whitish dust, which was a sign that the flower-bud was about to appear,
and that the sago, or pith within the stem, was then most abundant--it
being intended by nature for the support of the flowers and fruit.  Nub
having climbed to the top of a tree, secured a rope, at which the whole
of the party hauling together, hoped to bring it down in the right
direction.  The mate, axe in hand, then commenced chopping away.  The
wood was tolerably soft, and as the weapon was sharp and he was a good
axe-man, the tree was soon cut through, and came crashing down to the
ground.  He then, by the doctor's directions, divided the trunk into
pieces five feet in length.  While he was thus occupied, the doctor got
his other companions to pull off the leaves, and to manufacture a number
of cylindrical baskets--in which, he told them, he intended to put the
pulp produced from the pith.  The tree being cut up, ropes were fastened
to each piece, to enable them to be dragged to the side of the river.
Two men were required for each.  Walter and Alice tried to drag one of
the smallest, but could not move it over the rough ground; they
therefore carried the baskets, and remained by the river to assist the
doctor and Nub, while the mate and Dan went back to bring up the other
logs.  The first operation was to slice off a part of the outer hard
wood till the pith appeared.  The log was then rested on bamboo trestles
a couple of feet from the ground.  The two workmen now cut across the
longitudinal fibres and the pith together, leaving however, a part at
each end untouched, so that the log formed a rough trough.  The pulp
thus cut into small pieces, and mixed with water, was beaten by a piece
of wood, by which means the fibres were separated from it, they floating
on the top, while the flour sank to the bottom.  A number of bamboo
buckets, manufactured by Nub, enabled Walter and Alice to bring the
water required for the operation.  The coarser fibres floating on the
top being thrown away, the water was drained off, and the remaining pulp
was again cleared by more water.  This operation was repeated several
times, till a pure white powder alone remained.

"There, Miss Alice," said the doctor, showing it to her, "I beg to offer
you some, with which you can make cakes or puddings,--though I confess
that it is not equal to wheaten flour, as this is in reality starch: but
it will afford nourishment to us, as it would have done to the flowers
and roots of the tree had we not cut it down."

"I thought sago was like little white seeds," remarked Alice.

"What is imported is so in appearance," answered the doctor.  "In order
that it may keep, it is prepared by being first moistened, and then
passed through a sieve into a shallow dish, and placed over a fire,
which causes it to assume a globular form.  The sago, when properly
packed, will keep a long time; but the flour we have here would quickly
turn sour, if exposed to the air.  I propose filling the baskets we have
made with what sago we do not require for immediate use, and sinking
them in fresh water, when it will thus keep for a long time.  Had we but
an iron pot, we might easily prepare it for a voyage; but we must, of
necessity, find some other means of doing so."

"Don't you think the large mollusc-shell will answer the purpose?"
observed Walter.  "If it will cook meat, it will surely bake the sago."

"In that instance it had water in it," observed the doctor.  "I am
afraid that with dry sago in it the shell will take fire.  However, we
will try.  Perhaps we may find a large flat stone which we can surround
with a rim of wood; and by applying heat under the centre our object may
be attained."

"Oh, that will do capitally," said Walter; "and I am sure that we can
easily manufacture a sieve."

The mate and Dan had now brought up all the logs; and seeing how well
the doctor had succeeded, they heartily congratulated him.

In a short time the pith of the whole tree was turned into sago powder,
amounting, they calculated, to about one hundred pounds.  The doctor
told them that this was but a small quantity compared with that which a
large tree produces, as frequently one tree alone yields five to six
hundred pounds' weight of sago.  The greater part of the sago having
been buried in a quiet pool, where there was little fear of its being
disturbed, the party returned with the remainder late in the evening to
their house.

Walter was up next morning at daybreak, searching along the shore for a
flat stone to serve for the bottom of the pan he wished to make for
granulating the sago.  To his great delight, he found one of
considerable size, almost circular, and with the edges washed smooth by
the action of the waves.  He had brought some strips of the palm which
had been chopped off the sago tree on the previous day.  One of these
was of sufficient length to bind round the stone; another served for the
rim of the sieve, and a number of large leaves cut into strips made the
bottom.  Both contrivances had a rough look, but he hoped they would
answer the purpose.  He placed the pan between two stones in the way the
mollusc had been fixed; and then hurrying to the doctor, brought him to
see what he had done.  The fire was soon lighted under the stone, which
was heated without cracking; and the doctor then shook some flour from
the sieve on to the pan, and, greatly to his and Walter's delight, it
granulated perfectly.

"You have rendered our community a great service, Walter!" exclaimed the
doctor.  "We may perhaps improve upon your contrivance, or, at all
events, make a number of pans and sieves, as the process at present is a
slow one, and it would take a long time to manufacture as much sago as
we shall require for the voyage."

Walter, however, begged that he might continue the manufacture, so that
he might be able to judge how much could be produced.  Though he
laboured all day, he had only two or three pounds' weight to show; still
that was something, and no doubt remained that a supply of sago could be
obtained for the voyage.  Alice, who had watched him at work, felt sure
that she could carry it on as well as he could; so the next day she took
his place, while he accompanied the doctor on a shooting expedition.
Nub was to attend them.  Each carried a bow, with a quiver full of
arrows, and a long spear.  They were neither of them as yet very expert
marksmen.  The doctor was the best, while Walter was improving.  Dan
always declared that his bow had a twist in it, and shot crooked; but he
was more successful than any of the party in catching birds in other
ways.

They had been waiting for Nub, who had gone out early in the morning;
but just as they were starting, they met him coming back with a couple
of hornbills, which had taken refuge in the hole occupied by the birds
before captured.

"I thought oders would come," he observed, holding them up; "and I got
one egg, too, which do nicely for Missie Alice's breakfast."

The doctor told him to take the birds home, and then to follow them.
They several times caught sight, as they went along, of some beautiful
birds of paradise, which, however, kept too high up in the trees to be
shot by arrows.

"We are out of luck this morning," said the doctor, when they had gone
some way without killing a bird.

"Don't you think that if we could make some bird-lime we might have a
better chance of catching the smaller birds?" asked Walter.

"No doubt about it, if we could get the ingredients, and a bait to
attract the birds," answered the doctor.  "The idea is worth
considering.  Keep your mind at work, my lad; you may be, at all events,
of great use in our present circumstances.  I have known instances where
shipwrecked crews have starved when they might have supported their
lives, simply because they were too ignorant or too dull to exert
themselves and search diligently for food.  An Australian savage will
live in the wilds where the white man will perish.  But then the savage
knows the habits of all the living creatures in the neighbourhood, and
the roots and herbs, and indeed every vegetable substance which will
afford him nourishment.  Had we more skill as marksmen, and did we know
the haunts of the animals frequenting these woods, I have no doubt that
we should have before this abundantly supplied ourselves with food of
all sorts.  We are, however, improving, and I have no longer any anxiety
on the subject."

While the doctor was speaking, Walter had been intently looking towards
the branch of a large tree seven or eight feet above the ground.

"Oh, Mr Lawrie," he exclaimed, "what is that terrific monster?  If it
should run at us it will kill us.  The head looks to me like that of a
crocodile; but do such creatures exist on land?  Shall we attack it, or
will it be better to get out of its way?" he asked, quickly recovering
his courage, and bringing his spear ready for battle.  Walter's sharp
eyes had detected what Mr Lawrie had before failed to see in the gloom
of the forest.

"If we are not cautious, it will be getting out of our way, which I
should be sorry for," answered the surgeon with a calmness which
surprised his companion.  "That creature is a species of iguana, some
few of which inhabit the East, though the larger number are found in
South America and the West India Islands.  They are not very formidable
antagonists, and are more likely to run away than attack us.  If we had
a good strong noose, we might throw it over the head of the animal, and
soon haul it down from its perch, where it at present seems to be
sleeping."

While they were speaking, Nub overtook them, and was highly pleased when
they pointed out to him the hideous-looking lizard.

"Look, I brought dis," he said, producing a piece of rope.  "Now I go
and slip it ober de head of de iguana; and when I pull him down, you pin
him to de ground with your spears."

The doctor and Walter agreed to follow Nub's advice, and cautiously
approached the sleeping brachylophus, as the doctor called the creature.
It looked still more formidable as they approached; for it had a long
pointed tail, large claws, a row of spines down its back, and numerous
teeth in its long jaws.  Lumps and excrescences of various sizes added
to the hideous appearance of its head.

Nub got the noose ready to throw, while the doctor and Walter held their
spears prepared for action.  Nub drew nearer and nearer; the reptile
opened one of its eyes, and then the other, and moved its tail slightly.
In a moment the noose was dexterously thrown over its head, when Nub
gave a violent pull before it had time to grasp the branch with its
claws, and hauled it to the ground.  "Now, Massa Walter," he shouted
out; "hold on to him tail."  But though both Walter and the doctor
attempted to catch the creature's tail, it whisked it about so violently
that the task was no easy one.  Nub meantime kept jumping round and
round, as it made attempts to bite his legs.  The doctor at length
getting in front, ran his spear into its open mouth; while Walter, with
the point of his, pressed its neck down to the ground.  The creature
had, however, still an abundance of life, and made desperate efforts to
escape.  When it advanced, the doctor drove his spear further down its
throat; and when it retreated, finding the point unpleasant, Nub hauled
away on the rope, which grew tighter and tighter round its neck.

"Hit it on the tail with your spear, Walter; a few heavy blows will soon
render it helpless," said the doctor; and Walter, as directed,
belaboured the unfortunate creature, till at length its struggles
ceased.

"Hurrah! we got him now,--and plenty of dinner to last us for many
days," shouted Nub.  "I tink what we now got to do is to make ropes fast
round him neck and drag him home."

Nub's suggestion was acted on; and having cut some vines and fastened
them round the creature's neck, they harnessed themselves and began
hauling it along.  The operation was somewhat fatiguing, owing to the
roughness of the ground and the numerous roots which projected in all
directions.  Their arrival was welcomed cordially by the mate and Dan;
Alice, however, could not believe that they intended to eat so hideous a
creature.  It was forthwith hoisted up to the branch of a tree; and
while Nub and Dan prepared the fire for cooking it, the doctor cut open
its inside, which was found full of tree-frogs, small lizards, and other
creatures.  Walter stood by watching him, as with scientific skill he
dissected the huge lizard, discoursing as he did so in technical
language, which was perfectly incomprehensible to his young hearer, on
the curious formation of the creature,--on its bones, muscles, and other
internal parts.

"I tink one ting," observed Nub, who, after he had deposited a bundle of
faggots near the fire, had come back to watch the proceedings.  "I tink
that he make bery good roast, and remarkably fine stew, if we had salt
and pepper, and a few oder tings to eat wid him.  I bery glad if we
catch one of dese beasts ebery oder day."

As soon as the doctor had satisfied his curiosity, Nub begged that he
might have the joints, as it was time to begin cooking them for dinner.
The remainder of the carcass was now hung up in the larder, which had
been finished in time for its reception.

"We must see about preserving our meat, however," observed the doctor,
"or we shall always be liable to starvation; and the sooner we begin the
better."

"What do you propose doing?" asked Walter.  "I was thinking of searching
for salt on the seashore."

"A still more effectual way of preserving the meat will be to smoke it,
I suspect," said the doctor.  "We have an abundance of stones, and we
can easily build a `smoking-house,' with the ever-useful bamboos for
rafters.  We shall have time to do something before dinner."

"At all events, we can make a beginning.  There's nothing like setting
at once about a thing which has to be done," observed Walter.

"You are right, my boy; and we will get the mate and Dan to help us, as
Nub, I see, is busy attending to our roast," said the doctor.

They immediately set to work to erect a circular wall about six feet in
diameter.  They did not stop to procure cement, as even should the
structure tumble down no great damage would be done, and it might easily
be built up again.  They had already raised it two or three feet in
height before Nub had finished his culinary operations.  Dinner was laid
out, not, as hitherto, on the ground, but on a rustic-looking table,
with benches on one side, and a large arm-chair at one end for Mr
Shobbrok.  Alice superintended the arrangements.  They had leaves for
plates, sticks for forks, and their clasp-knives enabled them to cut up
their meat; and a neat bamboo cup stood by the side of each person,
while one of larger dimensions served to hold their only beverage, pure
water.  At length Nub shouted, "Dinner is ready;" and he and Dan entered
the house, each bearing a large shell which they had picked up on the
shore,--one containing a piece of roast lizard, and the other one of the
hornbills captured in the morning.  Nub then hurried out again, and
returned with a third shell full of sago; while a fourth was filled with
some roots which the doctor had dug up.  The latter assured his friends
that they were perfectly wholesome, as he knew the nature of the plants.
They complimented Nub on his cooking, and all sat down with excellent
appetites, and hearts thankful for the substantial meal which had been
supplied them.  Little had they expected to find so large a supply of
wholesome food when they first landed.

The next day the doctor and Nub went on with the erection of the
smoking-house; while the mate, assisted by Dan, made preparations for
the proposed alterations in the boat.  He looked somewhat grave,
however, over the business; and Dan heard him saying to himself, "I wish
that I thought it would do.  But it's a fearful risk for those young
people to run."

The doctor having at length finished the smoking-house, which was
covered over thickly with palm-leaves, he observed,--"And now we have
finished our house, we must get some game to put in it.  Your bow and
arrows, Walter, will, I hope, give us a good supply."

"But are we not to try and catch some fish?" asked Walter.  "They can be
more effectually smoked than birds, and will keep better, I fancy.  I
have begun a hook, and I think that I may be able to finish two or three
more before night."

"By all means.  If Mr Shobbrok does not intend to commence immediately
on the boat, we might take her into the middle of the harbour, or out to
sea, and try what we can catch."

The mate agreed to the doctor's proposal; so the next day they and
Walter went off, taking Alice, who wished to accompany them.  Nub and
Dan remained on shore to attend to the traps, and shoot some birds, if
they could, for dinner.  The fishing-party first threw their lines
overboard in the harbour, but after trying for some time they caught
only two small fish; they therefore pulled some way out to sea, where
the water was sufficiently shallow to allow them to anchor by means of a
large stone which they had brought for the purpose.  They quickly got
bites, and began rapidly to pull up some large fish, which the doctor
believed, from their appearance, were likely to prove wholesome, though
he could not tell their names.  They were so busily employed that the
time passed rapidly away, and evening was approaching before they
thought how late it was.  They did not fail, as may be supposed, to keep
a bright lookout for any passing sail; but none appeared.  With nearly
four dozen fine large fish, they returned to the harbour.  Nub's eyes
glistened, as he came down to assist in hauling up the boat, on seeing
the number of fish.

"No fear now of starving, I tink," he observed.  "I neber thought we get
so much as dat.  God gives us all good tings, and we tank Him."

The rest of the day was employed in preparing the fish and hanging them
up to dry, after which a fire of green wood was placed under them; and
the doctor expressed his confidence that his plan for curing both fish
and fowl would succeed.

The mate had for some time wished to explore the island, and at supper
he proposed that they should set out the next day.  Being unwilling to
expose Alice to the dangers they might have to encounter, he suggested
that she and Walter, with Nub, should remain behind at the house; for,
as they had now an ample supply of provisions, they might safely do so
without fear of starving.  They both, however, begged so hard to go,
that he at length yielded to their wishes; and it was agreed that the
whole party should set off directly after breakfast the next morning.



CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

EXPLORING EXPEDITION--A STRANGE BIRD--A NIGHT ENCAMPMENT--CATCH A
TURTLE--A FEARFUL STORM--TAKE REFUGE UNDER A ROCK--PROVISIONS WASHED
AWAY--NEARLY OVERWHELMED BY THE SEA--JOURNEY CONTINUED--BRUSH-TURKEYS
CAUGHT--REACH HOME--THE BOAT GONE.

Alice and Walter were up betimes, eager for the intended expedition.  As
it was uncertain whether fresh water would be met with, they all carried
bamboo casks slung over their backs, with a small quantity of smoked
fish,--the doctor's plan having been found to answer admirably.  Each
one of the party also carried a supply of sago flour packed in cases of
the invaluable bamboo.  Walter had one evening, for his amusement, cut
out a fork of bamboo for Alice, and his example had been followed by the
rest of the party.  The bamboo likewise made very fair dinner-knives;
and he had contrived some spoons by putting a piece of wood at one end--
though, seeing they had as yet no soup for dinner, they were not of much
use.

"So we must leave all these luxuries and conveniences of life for the
wild bush," said Walter, with a pretended sigh.  "Well, well, we shall
enjoy them so much the more when we come back again."

"We are not likely to be long absent from home," observed Mr Shobbrok.
"If we find that we are on the mainland, we will certainly not venture
further into the interior.  As far as my recollection serves me, there
are only small islands off the coast; and I am inclined to the opinion
that we are on one of these,--in which case we shall speedily return."

"I trust so, for I have no wish to fall in with the inhabitants, who are
sure to be savages, and will probably treat us as enemies," observed the
doctor.

"But, Mr Shobbrok," said Walter, "suppose we get back safely, when do
you propose altering the boat, so that we may commence our voyage to
Sydney?"

"Immediately on our return,--if, as I expect, we shall be able on our
expedition to discover spots where we can obtain a more ample supply of
game than we have found in this neighbourhood."

"I shall indeed be very thankful," said Alice, with a sigh; "for though
I am very happy here, I long to see papa again; and I cannot help
thinking that he is safe at Sydney by this time."

This conversation took place at breakfast.  As soon as it was over the
whole of the party got into marching order.  The doctor and Dan went
first to explore; the mate, with Alice and Walter, followed next; and
Nub brought up the rear.  It was agreed that, should any Indians or
human habitations be seen, the doctor and Dan were to fall back on the
rest of the party; when, as the safest course, they would all quickly
retreat rather than run the risk of a collision.  Dan was well adapted
for the task he had undertaken.  Active as a monkey, lithe as a snake,
and possessed of so keen pair of eyes, he made his way among the bushes,
looking carefully ahead before he exposed himself in any open space.
The doctor kept at a short distance behind him, generally in sight of
the rest of the party, so that he could make a sign to them should he
receive a warning signal from Dan.

They took the way to the stream, over which the mate carried Alice on
his shoulders.  They then continued along its banks, till the dense
foliage compelled them to turn aside and proceed towards the seashore.
Dan carried an axe, which he had to use occasionally in cutting his way
through the underwood; but the mate had charged him to avoid doing so as
much as possible, as, should there be natives in the neighbourhood, they
would be more likely to discover their traces and follow them up.
Fortunately the underwood was perfectly free from thorns, or they would
have had their clothes torn to shreds, even had they been able to
penetrate it.  It was generally of a reed or grass-like nature, so that
they could push it aside or trample it down; and under the more lofty
trees the ground was often for a considerable distance completely open,
when they made more rapid progress.  They seldom, however, went far from
the seashore; but in many places they found walking on it very
difficult, from the softness of the sand, or from its rugged and rocky
nature.  Besides this, they were there exposed to the full heat of the
sun; while by keeping inland they were sheltered from its scorching rays
by the wide-spreading tops of the lofty trees.  Now and then, when the
beach presented a long stretch of hard sand, they were tempted to go
down to it, but were soon glad to return to the shelter of the woods.

As they advanced, the beach trended more and more to the west, and the
mate's opinion that they were on an island became fully confirmed.  At
noon they sat down to rest and dine in a shady spot with the sea in
view, Dan having first gone out some distance ahead to ascertain whether
any native village was in sight.

"All right!" he exclaimed as he returned, flourishing his stick.  "As
far as my eyes can see, there is no other living being anywhere on the
island; and we would be after adding a fine counthry to the possessions
of England, if we had but the British flag to hoist to the top of a tall
pole, and take possession of it in the name of King George."  Dan was a
loyal Irishman, and there were many such in his day.

"We may take possession of the island, though we should find it a
different matter to keep it should any one choose to dispute our right,"
said the mate.  "However, when we have finished our survey, we will
think about the matter; and if we get to Sydney, we will petition the
governor to follow up your suggestion, Dan.  At present, we must get our
dinner ready."

Till Dan's return they had refrained from lighting a fire; but wood
having been collected, a light was set to it, and their smoked fish and
iguana flesh were put before it to cook.  They were thankful that they
had brought water, as not a rivulet or pool had they come to, and they
would otherwise have suffered greatly.

They had just finished their meal, and were still sitting, no one
speaking, as they all felt somewhat tired, when Walter, hearing a
whistle or chirp close behind him, turned his head and saw standing not
far off a large bird of dark plumage,--or rather with feathers, for he
saw no wings,--with a helmet-like protuberance at the top of its head
resembling mother-of-pearl darkened with black-lead.  It had enormous
feet and legs of a pale ash colour; the loose skin of its neck was
coloured with an iridescent hue of bluish-purple, pink, and green; the
body being of a rufous tinge, but of a purple-black about the neck and
breast.  The bird stood its ground boldly, not in the slightest degree
alarmed at the appearance of the strangers, as it eyed them with a look
of intense curiosity.  Now it poked forward its head, and advanced a
little: now it stood up, raising its head to the ordinary height of a
man; now it sank down again, till its back did not appear more than
three feet from the ground.  Though strange-looking, there was nothing
ferocious in its aspect; on the contrary, it appeared to have come
simply to have a look at the intruders on its domain.

"Well, you are an extraordinary creature!" exclaimed Walter.  His remark
made the rest of the party turn their heads, when Nub and Dan started up
with the intention of catching the bird.

"Ho! ho! is that your game, my lads?" the strange creature seemed to
say, as it struck out alternately in front with both its feet, sending
the black and the Irishman sprawling on their backs to a considerable
distance--happily not breaking their limbs, which, from the apparent
strength of its legs, it might very easily have done.  It then whisked
round, and rushed off with a curious action at a great rate through the
forest, leaping over fallen trees and all other impediments in its way
in a manner which would have made it a hard matter for the best
steeple-chase rider in all Ireland to follow it.  Dan and Nub, picking
themselves up again, attempted, along with the doctor, to catch it, but
they were soon left far behind.  At length returning, they threw
themselves on the ground panting and blowing.

"I would have given fifty pounds to have got hold of that creature!"
exclaimed the doctor, "I have never seen anything like it before.  I
have heard that there are similar wingless birds in New Zealand; but as
no Englishman has ever caught sight of one, I was inclined to doubt the
fact."

The bird seen by the party was a species of cassowary, which is found in
Java and other East India islands.  Several specimens have long since
been brought to England from the island of New Britain, the natives of
which call it the "mooruk," and hold it in some degree sacred.  When
they are found very young, they are brought up as pets, and become
thoroughly domesticated, exhibiting the most perfect confidence and a
wonderfully curious disposition.

Dan and the doctor had both started up with their bows; Nub had taken
his, but when the mooruk kicked him it had been sent flying out of his
hand, and before he could recover it the bird had got to such a distance
that his arrow would have glanced harmlessly off its thick feathers, had
he attempted to shoot.  Dan was excessively vexed at having let the bird
escape.

"Shure, now, if we had thought of throwing a noose over its head, we
might have caught the baste; and it would have given us as many dinners
as a good-sized sheep!" he exclaimed.

"Not for five hundred pounds would I have allowed it to have been
killed!" cried the doctor.  "If we could have taken it to England, it
would have been of inestimable value, and would have made ample amends
for all the dangers and hardships we have gone through."

"Well, well, doctor, I don't know that the owners of the _Champion_
would be exactly of your opinion, any more than the rest of us,"
observed the mate, laughing; "but perhaps we may find some other curious
creature before long to recompense you for your loss.  It's time,
however, to be on the tramp.  I should like to ascertain before dark how
far we are from the mainland; for that we are on an island I feel
confident."

The explorers accordingly once more got into motion.  As they advanced,
they found the sun still shining down on the shore, a proof that they
were making a westerly course, and as it sank in the sky they saw that
it almost faced them.

"I have no longer any doubt about the matter," observed the mate.  "See
yonder distant line of blue land which runs nearly due north and south.
We have evidently almost reached the extreme western end of the island;
and I believe that we shall have no difficulty in getting back along the
southern shore by to-morrow evening.  We will go on a mile or two
further, and then make preparations for encamping.  We must provide
proper accommodation for our little lady here; and we shall want
daylight in which to build our hut, and to collect firewood."

The party continued on much as before, and though, as a precautionary
measure, Dan still went ahead to scout, on the possibility of meeting
with Indians, they had no longer much apprehension on the subject.  At
length they reached an open spot close to the seashore, though somewhat
raised above it, well suited for an encampment.  They accordingly
resolved to remain there for the night.  Tall trees rose on either side
and behind them, with a sandy beach in front; beneath was a line of low
rocky cliffs, which formed a bulwark to the land.  A wide channel ran
between them and the mainland, which could be dimly seen in the
distance.

All hands immediately set to work: the mate, doctor, and Walter to build
a substantial hut for Alice; and Nub and Dan to collect firewood for
cooking their evening meal.  Alice was not idle.  She employed herself
in gathering leaves and dry grass to form her bed, which, at the
doctor's suggestion, was made with a layer of twigs and small branches,
the leaves being thickly strewed on the top of them.

"I wish that, instead of taking so much pains about me, you would
arrange some better accommodation for yourselves than you seem to think
of doing," she said.  "I feel as if I was very selfish, in allowing you
to take all this trouble about me."

"You require to be more carefully attended to than we do," answered the
doctor.  "You are more delicately constituted than we are, and though
your spirit might sustain you, you would suffer more from exposure than
we should."

The doctor's arguments quieted Alice's scruples; so a small hut was
formed for her, with a thick roof of palm-leaves tied down with the
vines they had before found so useful.  The rest of the party formed
their sleeping-places of twigs and small boughs, which Walter declared
made as good beds as any sailors need require.  By the time these
arrangements were finished supper was ready, and they sat down to their
repast with thoroughly good appetites.

"I am thankful that we came, though I was rather doubtful at first about
making the journey," observed the mate.  "It has shown us that we are on
a small island; and also that, to a certainty, it is uninhabited, so
that we need not be compelled to proceed on our voyage till the
favourable season comes round.  If we were to go to sea now we should
very likely encounter heavy gales, which would sorely try our little
craft, even though she might be enlarged and strengthened to the utmost
of our power.  In the meantime, we shall have enough to do in preparing
provisions for the voyage, and we need have no fear of starving while we
remain."

"I thought that we were going to sail as soon as the boat could be got
ready," observed Alice in a tone of disappointment.

"So we will, Miss Alice," said the mate; "but it will take us many weeks
to get her ready, with the limited number of tools and the scanty
materials we possess.  As we have no saw, we must split the planks; and
every plank will have to be brought down to the required thickness with
our single axe or our knives; and we shall have to cut out the ribs in
the same way.  Patience and perseverance can alone enable us to overcome
the difficulties before us."

"Well, I am ready to do my best," said Walter; "and perhaps our raft may
be cast on shore, and that will help us."

While they were talking, the gloom of night was coming on; but the fire
cast a cheerful blaze, lighting up the trunks of the tall trees around
them, shedding a glare over the yellow sand, and tingeing the thin white
line of foam which rolled over it, now running up some way, now receding
with a measured, hissing sound, scarcely amounting to a roar.

Nub, who was sitting nearest the sea, had been looking out across the
sand.  Suddenly he exclaimed, "I see someting! hist! hist!  I know what
it is.  Come along, Dan; we will catch it."  Saying this, he started up,
followed by Dan.  "You go on one side, I go on de oder, and den we run
as fast as our legs can carry us," he cried to his companion.

They were soon scampering along over the sand, at some distance apart
from each other.  Not far from the water they again united, by which
time the rest of the party had got up, and were proceeding in the same
direction.  They could just make them out engaged apparently in a
desperate struggle with a dark object; and shortly afterwards they heard
Dan's Irish shouts of "Hurrah! hurrah!  Erin go bragh!" and Nub
exclaiming, "We got one big turtle.  Come, Massa Shobbrok,--come, Massa
Lawrie, and drag him up.  We get fine food for supper."

The mate had brought several pieces of rope, which were fastened round
the fins of the turtle, and the poor creature was dragged on its back up
to the encampment.  The doctor was eager to cut it up; but the mate
suggested that it would be better to let it remain alive till the
morning, that they might be able to carry some of the meat home with
them.  "At all events, we may hope, as this turtle has come to the
shore, that others may also visit it, and afford us an abundant supply
of wholesome food," he observed.

The turtle cannot move when turned on its back, but as a further
security it was tethered by the two fore paws to a stick stuck in the
ground near the fire.

As all the party were tired, they did not sit up late; but soon lay down
in their respective bed-places, with a few boughs stuck in the ground to
shelter their heads.  They had not been long asleep when they were all
aroused by a terrific peal of thunder, and looking up, they saw that the
sky, which had been glittering with countless stars when they went to
sleep, was now obscured by dark masses of clouds rushing across it.
Vivid flashes of lightning illumined the air, now darting across the
ocean, now playing round the topmost boughs of the trees; while the wind
began to blow with great violence, increasing every instant, and sending
the leaves and twigs flying around them, sometimes tearing off huge
branches, and even breaking the stout stems in two, or hurling whole
trees to the ground.  Alice was sheltered in her hut; the mate did not
at first like to propose that she should leave it, but he watched with
great anxiety the tree-tops bending.  At last he felt that it would be
wrong for them any longer to run the risk of being crushed by a falling
tree, or being injured by the lightning which ever and anon played
around the trees near them.

"We shall be safer under yonder rocks than here," he said; "although our
little lady will, I fear, soon be drenched to the skin."

The doctor agreed with him.  "And the sooner we are off the better," he
added.  The mate, therefore, called to Alice, and, accompanied by Walter
and the rest of the party, hurried down to a high rock which overhung
the beach, where a hollow at the bottom of it afforded some protection
from the storm.  Scarcely had they left their encampment when a
tremendous crash was heard; and Walter, looking back, saw that a tall
tree had fallen nearly over the spot where they had been sitting, and
directly on Alice's hut.  Most mercifully had they been preserved; a
moment later, and his dear little sister must have been crushed to
death.  They all sat down in the cave, with Alice in the midst of them--
by which means they managed to shield her from the rain, which came
pouring down in torrents--and they could hear the water rushing over the
ground like a mill-sluice.  Looking out seaward, they saw the waves,
foam-crested, rolling in large billows across the channel; but, happily,
as they were on the lee side of the island, the surf did not reach them,
though it sometimes came hissing up to within twenty feet of where they
were sitting.  The question was, whether the tide was rising.  If it
was, too probably they might be driven from their retreat, and be
compelled to retire back to the high ground, where they would be again
exposed to the danger of falling trees.  They anxiously watched the
foaming waters which thundered and dashed on the projecting rocks, and,
as the seas came rolling round from the weather side, sent the white
foam high into the air, glittering brightly amid the darkness during the
repeated flashes of vivid lightning which darted from the clouds.

"What should we have done had we been at sea!" exclaimed Alice.

"I tink we all go to de bottom," observed Nub.  "Bery glad we here."

"We may all be very thankful that we are here," said the mate.  "I
dreaded bad weather when I first thought of continuing our voyage in the
boat, but I hope that we may not be exposed to such a gale as is now
raging.  As far as I can judge from the look of things, the present gale
is as heavy as any we are likely to encounter."

They sat watching the surf as it rolled up over the smooth sand.  Nearer
and nearer it came.  The mate had ascertained that there was a secure
retreat to the high ground, or he would not have ventured to remain so
long.  He held Alice securely in his arms, as, should the surf come
higher up than before,--not unfrequently the case during a storm,--she
would be safe from the risk of being swept away, or from the lesser
danger of being wetted through.  Alice had witnessed two or three
thunderstorms at sea, but this surpassed them all.  Crash succeeded
crash with fearful rapidity.  The lightning often showed objects around
as clearly as at noonday, and the next moment all was inky darkness.
But few words were exchanged among the party, for who could speak at
such a fearful time?

"De sea come nearer still, Massa Shobbrok," said Nub at length, as he
darted forward a few paces to ascertain how far the surf had reached.

"Shove in your stick, Nub; and if the water comes a foot beyond it, we
must lift our anchor and risk the falling trees," said the mate.

Nub did as he was bid, and then springing back, crouched down again
under the rock, with his eyes intently fixed on the stick.  Sea after
sea came roaring up, but the surf did not get so far as the stick.
Another came with a roar very much louder than its predecessors, and
Alice felt the mate half rise with her in his arms, while the doctor
seized Walter's hand.  On came the surf with a roaring hiss, high enough
apparently to sweep a strong man off his legs; but it barely reached the
stick, and went rushing back again as rapidly as it had advanced.

The mate sank down once more into his seat.  "Unless the tide rises
higher, we are safer where we are than we should be anywhere else," he
observed.

The tide apparently was not rising, for though the surf rolled over the
sand, the fiat had gone forth, "Thus far shalt thou come, and no
further."  Still the occasional sound of falling trees, and the crashing
of boughs rudely rent off, showed that the storm continued with unabated
fury.

Daylight came stealing silently over the tumultuous ocean, still tossing
and foaming before them; but there the explorers sat safe from harm,
sheltered beneath a rock which no tempest could move.  They did not
forget to kneel and offer up a morning prayer, returning thanks for
their preservation.

"I tink Missie Alice hungry," said Nub at last.  "I go and get de fish
and de oder tings we leave at de camp."

The mate, though anxious to obtain food and water, especially for Alice,
was unwilling to let the black risk his life.  But Nub promised that he
would keep his eyes open, and rush out of the way should he see any
branches likely to fall.

He soon came back, carrying a single small cask of water and one bundle
of dried fish.

"All de rest washed away," he exclaimed in a disappointed tone.  "De
turtle still dere, too, but de tree fall down and crush him.  Still I
tink I get meat enough for dinner."

This was not satisfactory news; for though they might obtain water after
all the rain that had fallen, they could not replace the sago flour; nor
would it be satisfactory to eat the raw turtle, and it would be
impossible to light a fire unless the sun should shine forth and dry the
wood.

"But I brought my case of sago with me.  I snatched it up when you
called me out of the hut.  Here it is," said Alice.

"Then you shall benefit by it," said the mate; "though I am afraid that
we have nothing to mix it in at present."

"I find someting," cried Nub; and darting out, he soon returned with a
big shell, in which some sago flour was quickly stirred up with water.
Though not very palatable, Alice was very glad of it; and the rest of
the party satisfied their hunger with the smoked fish.

While the storm lasted they remained under shelter of the rock, where
they were perfectly dry; and they congratulated themselves that they had
no friends waiting for them at home.  As the day drew on, though the
wind continued blowing, the clouds broke away; and the sun coming out,
quickly dried the lighter wood, which Nub and Dan soon collected.  A
fire was lighted under the rock by the side of the cave.  They then
brought down a portion of the turtle and roasted it.  Though not
particularly well done, it was wholesome food, and Alice was glad to
take some of it.  The tempest now somewhat abated, and she and Walter
were able to take some exercise under shelter of the rock.

Another night was spent in the cave, one of the party being on the watch
lest the tide should unexpectedly rise and sweep over them.  However,
the water did not reach even so far as on the previous night; and they
all awoke much refreshed, and ready to continue their journey.  More of
the turtle was first cooked, to serve them for breakfast, and to afford
them another meal should they not meet with any game on their way.  They
determined rather to continue their journey round the island than to go
back the road they had come.  Just before starting, Nub and Dan made
another search near the encampment, and were fortunate enough to find a
second cask of water and a case of flour, so that they had now no fear
of starvation.

As they proceeded along the western coast, they found the country
generally much flatter than on the other side.  In some parts near the
coast it consisted of a sandy plain free from trees, partly barren and
partly covered with long wavy grass.  By keeping close to the higher
ground, they were able to cut off a considerable point, and soon found
themselves with their faces eastward.  They were also fortunate enough
to come upon a stream, which, flowing down from the central hill, lost
itself in the plain.  It enabled them fully to quench the thirst from
which they were suffering.

Soon after they had crossed the stream, Dan, who had gone ahead, came
hurrying back.  "Advance aisy now," he exclaimed in a low voice.
"There's something worth seeing, and maybe worth getting too.  Just as I
was creeping along, not two hundred yards ahead, what should I see
before me but a score of big birds all dancing and jigging away
together, for all the world as if they were at a wake or some sort of
merrymaking.  They were all so busy that none of them saw me, and I
hurried back, lest you should come upon them suddenly and frighten them
away."

Warned by Dan, the party advanced cautiously, hiding themselves among
the tall grass.  He led them to a spot slightly elevated above the
plain; and peering forth from their hiding-place, they caught sight of a
number of large birds, apparently employed as Dan had described.  They
soon saw, however, that the birds had some object in their movements.
They formed a circle, with a mound in the centre, towards which they
were busily removing the earth with their feet, throwing it up behind
them towards the centre.  When they reached a certain point, they turned
round, and walked away with a steady pace to recommence the same
process.

Nub, without saying anything, had stolen away, carrying a long pole with
a noose fixed at the end of it.  No one noticed his absence till he was
seen creeping along the ground, with his head scarcely raised above it,
and his stick in advance.  The birds, (which were about the size of
turkeys, their heads bare, and their necks ornamented with large frills
of feathers), not descrying the approach of an enemy, continued their
labours, and had already produced a mound two feet in height and a dozen
or more yards in circumference.  It was evident, from the way they
worked, and the quantity of earth thrown up at each movement, that they
had remarkably strong legs and claws.  Walter doubted much whether Nub
would succeed in catching one; and so got ready an arrow to shoot, in
case they should, on discovering the black, take to flight, and pass
near them, as he thought it probable they would do.

Sometimes Nub lay perfectly still; then again he crept forward, shoving
his noose carefully along the ground till it got very near the outer
circle, to which the birds advanced before beginning to kick up the
soil.  At length reaching the last tuft of grass which would assist in
concealing him, he shoved forward his pole to its utmost extent.  Back
came one of the birds, and Walter saw that it had actually passed the
noose; then round it turned and began energetically kicking away, not
noticing the trap laid in its path.  Presently it stepped into the very
middle of the noose, when Nub by a violent jerk drew it tight, and
starting up, rushed away, dragging the astonished bird after him.  The
rest looked about for a moment, very much surprised at the unusual
movements of their companion; but its cries and the appearance of the
black soon told them what had happened, when with loud, croaking sounds
they set off, and rushed towards the very spot where the party lay hid,
evidently intending to fly into the neighbouring trees for shelter.  As
they came close, Walter started up, bow in hand, and instantly shot at
the nearest bird; but, to his great disappointment, he missed.  The
doctor was equally well prepared; and shooting with steady aim, down
came a bird close to his feet, when, in spite of its struggles and the
fierce way it defended itself with its beak, it was quickly captured Dan
managed to let fly an arrow; but missing, he immediately gave chase to
the rest, several of which, trusting to their feet rather than to their
wings, rushed by him, and went scuttling away at a rapid rate amid the
brushwood.

"Arrah, now," he exclaimed, as he came back, "they all vanished like
imps just in one moment, before I could get hold even of the tail of one
of them."

However, the two birds which had been killed by Nub and the doctor were
of great value.  The latter said that he believed they were a species of
the "brush-turkey," often found in New South Wales, and that their flesh
was excellent.

On examining the mound, they discovered several eggs buried deep down in
it, leaving them in no doubt as to the purpose for which it was made by
the birds,--namely, that of hatching their young.  Half-a-dozen fine
eggs were secured, and Dan and Nub, hanging the turkeys on a pole,
carried them along in triumph between them.

As the party had still a long day's march before them, they pushed on
without stopping, the doctor and the mate insisting on carrying Alice
between them.  She declared that she did not feel at all tired; however,
as they were anxious to reach home if possible that night, they would
not listen to her expostulations.  In reality, she was very thankful to
be conveyed in so comfortable a manner.

Just before dark they caught sight of their harbour.  The house was
standing,--a proof of the sailor-like way in which it had been
constructed; but when they looked for the boat, which had been hauled up
on shore, out of reach of the sea, as they conceived, she was nowhere to
be seen.



CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

A FLAGSTAFF AND LOOKOUT TOWER ERECTED--A CANOE BUILT--MORE GAME CAUGHT--
A SAIL IN SIGHT--CAPTAIN TREDEAGLE FINDS HIS CHILDREN--HIS ADVENTURES--A
WRECK--A VESSEL BUILT--VOYAGE TO SYDNEY--THE WHOLE PARTY SETTLE IN NEW
SOUTH WALES--CONCLUSION.

The first impulse of all the party was to rush along the shore of the
harbour in search of the boat.  Their worst fears were quickly realised.
Fragments of the wreck lay scattered along the beach, giving certain
evidence of her fate.  The sea, aroused by the gale, which struck
directly on the coast, had rushed up the harbour; and the water rising
much above its usual height, had floated the boat and then dashed her to
pieces on the rocks.

Alice, giving way to despair, wrung her hands.  "Oh, poor papa!" she
exclaimed; "we shall never be able to go in search of him, and he will
think that we are all lost."

Walter felt very much as Alice did, but after being silent for some
time, he took her arm and said, "Remember, our father always told us to
trust in God; and I am sure we ought to do so, and must do so, if we
would not live in constant anxiety and fear.  He will guide us and
direct us, and find a way for us to escape."

"I know that.  I was very weak and wrong to say what I did; but it seems
so impossible now that we shall ever get home, that I cannot help it,"
answered Alice.

"Perhaps it is the very best thing that could have happened to us," said
Walter; "and I am sure of it, as God ordered that it should be so," he
added.

In the meantime the rest of the party were giving vent to feelings of
dismay and sorrow at what had happened, till Nub made a remark very
similar to Walter's.

"You are right, Nub," said the mate.  "I always doubted the prudence of
putting to sea in that boat.  I know well that God could, if He chose,
have enabled us to reach Sydney in her; but we have no business to run
risks which our sense and experience tell us are very great: and it's my
belief that had a storm of half the violence of that which has passed
over this island overtaken us, we should have foundered.  We must now,
like wise men, make the best of our position.  The first thing we have
to do is to see what damage our house has suffered, and to repair it.
We must then set to work to collect provisions.  After that, I tell you
what we must do: we must establish a lookout place on the high point at
the south side of our harbour, from whence we can obtain a wide range
over the ocean, and signal to any vessel which may heave in sight.
There is every reason to hope that one may come near us some day or
other; and we have a much better chance of getting off from an outlying
island, like this one, than we should have enjoyed had we landed an the
mainland, or on any dangerous cluster surrounded by reefs.  So, my
friends, you see we have plenty to do to keep our minds from dwelling on
our misfortune; and I have good reason to believe that help will come in
time."

The mate's remarks restored cheerfulness to all the party, who no longer
spoke of the loss of the boat as an unmitigated misfortune.

"We must depend on the land, however, for supplying us with provisions,
as we cannot go out fishing," observed the doctor.

"Not so _sure_ of dat, sir," said Nub.  "We build a canoe, which go out
quite far enough to catch fish.  No bery difficult job, I tink."

"You are right, Nub," said the mate; "and we will put her in hand as
_soon_ as our lookout station is established."

"Capital!" exclaimed Walter.  "That is the very thing I thought of
doing, for I have very often fancied how delightful it would be to
`paddle my own canoe.'"

On visiting the house, the settlers found that the water had penetrated
in all directions, and that the wind had torn away part of the verandah,
as well as the roof, and blown down their safe.  Bamboo canes had
therefore to be cut and palm-leaves collected; and by the evening of the
next day all was set to rights, and Alice and Walter took possession of
their snug little cabins.

A tall tree, suitable for a flagstaff, was found and cut down.  It took
some time to fit the rigging to it; and as it was formed of creeping
vines, the mate acknowledged that it had not a very ship-shape
appearance.  It was set up on the highest part of the point, and a flag
manufactured with the mate and Nub's red handkerchiefs and the linings
of the jackets of all the party.  (Alice wanted to contribute a portion
of her dress, but this was not accepted.)  The flag even then was not of
sufficient size to be seen at any great distance.

"We ought to be able to manufacture a material to answer instead of
bunting," observed the doctor; "I cannot help thinking that it can be
done."

"Of course it can," said the mate.  "We should deserve to be left here
for ever if we cannot do that."

After considering the matter for a short time, the doctor constructed a
large frame, the size of the intended flag.  Then procuring an ample
supply of fine fibre, it was soon woven into material scarcely inferior
to bunting.  It had, however, to be coloured.  Here, again, the doctor's
science was of use.  From the trunk of the sandal-wood he produced a
fine red dye.

The flag, when finished, presented a large red cross on a white ground.
It was hoisted with loud acclamations, and was soon floating in the
breeze.  At the foot of the flagstaff a substantial hut was next
erected, so that one of the party might be there from daybreak to dark--
and also at night, when the moon shone brightly; a quantity of faggots
was next collected, and a pile got ready at a little distance from the
flagstaff, that fire might be set to it should a ship appear during the
evening.

The doctor and Dan went out hunting the greater part of each day.  They
found an ample supply of fruit, which the storm had shaken down; and
though some had been attacked by insects or birds, enough remained to
supply their wants.  They managed generally on each excursion to bring
down three or four birds, Dan having by degrees found how to make his
bow shoot straight.  He one day killed what he took to be a large bat,
but on showing it to the doctor, he was highly delighted to find that it
was in reality a flying lemur.  It had a largely developed membrane,
connecting the fore limbs with the others, and the hind limbs with the
tail.  With this apparatus the animal can fly from one bough to another
separated by a wide distance, which it could not possibly reach by a
mere leap.  Dan caught sight of it as it was making its way through the
forest; but at each flight it reached a bough somewhat lower than the
one it had left, till it pitched very near the ground, when, closing the
membrane round its body, it ran nimbly up the trunk, its sharp claws
enabling it to do so with great ease and speed.  After this Dan killed
several smaller animals, the flesh of which was found to be palatable.
Nub, also, who had an especial fondness for turtle, made an excursion in
the hope of finding some along the seashore.  He brought back the
satisfactory report that he had turned a couple, which were waiting to
be brought home and eaten; while he exhibited a dozen eggs which he had
discovered in the sand.  He then, accompanied by the doctor and Dan,
returned and dragged home the two turtles; one of which being placed in
the shade, and kept constantly covered with wet grass, was preserved
alive till required for food.

The sago bags left in the pool had remained undisturbed, with the
contents perfectly good.  The doctor, however, made a further supply, as
the consumption of it, from the want of farinaceous food, was
considerable.

A proper tree having been found for the canoe, it was cut down, and the
mate, with Nub and Walter, began to shape it.  They afterwards hollowed
it out with fire.  It was somewhat heavy; but when a weatherboard was
placed round it, the mate considered that the craft was fit not only to
paddle about in their harbour, but to go out to sea in fine weather.
Walter having manufactured some more hooks and fish-lines during the
evenings, an ample supply of fish was procured.

Thus day after day and week after week went rapidly by, and had not the
mate kept careful note of the time, in Robinson Crusoe fashion, by
cutting notches on a stick, the settlers would soon have forgotten how
long they had been on the island.  The Sabbath was duly observed, as far
as they had the means.  Although they had no Bible, the mate recollected
large portions of Scripture which he had learned in his youth; while
Walter and Alice knew the Sermon on the Mount and several psalms by
heart.  The mate was also well acquainted with the subjects of many
other parts of Scripture, which every Sunday he explained in simple
language to his hearers, while one or more psalms were repeated; and
thus they were able to keep, if not to the form, at all events to the
spirit of a Sabbath service.

They had many causes for thankfulness.  Notwithstanding the hardships
they had gone through, their health was excellent--even Alice never had
an hour's illness--while the products of the island and the ocean
supplied them with an abundance of wholesome food.  Besides, they had
plenty of work to keep their minds occupied.  Alice, taking a hint from
the doctor's frame for forming a flag, contrived a loom, with the
assistance of Walter, with which she set diligently to work to
manufacture material which would serve as clothing when her own garments
were worn out.  The doctor also took into consideration various means
for replacing their shoes when these should come to pieces,--which his
and Dan's already gave signs of doing.

By the mate's calculation they had already been three months on the
island; and though a good lookout had been kept from their watch-house
during that time, not a sail had appeared in sight.  One evening Dan had
been keeping the afternoon watch, when Nub, whose turn it was to keep
the first watch, went to relieve him.  He soon came running back,
however, dancing, leaping, and clapping his hands, as if he had gone
mad, while he shouted at the top of his voice--

"A sail! a sail!  She come dis way."

The doctor was away shooting and botanising; but the mate and Walter
immediately hurried towards the point; while Alice, who had heard Nub's
shouts, dropped her work and quickly followed them.  They all looked out
eagerly in the direction Dan pointed, where, in the north, just rising
above the horizon, was seen the white sail of a vessel, lighted up by
the rays of the setting sun.  The wind came from the point where she was
seen, and it was evident that she was standing towards the south; but
whether or not she would pass near enough to observe their signal was
extremely uncertain.  The wind being fresh, sent the stranger rapidly
along; and though she was still too far off to see the flag, it was at
once hoisted.  How the hearts of all the party throbbed with anxiety!
Darkness was coming on, and would soon shroud her from sight, and also
prevent those on board from seeing the flag.

"We must make our fire blaze up brightly as soon as night falls," said
the mate.

"Yas, Massa Shobbrok, we make it blaze, neber fear," said Nub,
readjusting the faggots, and shoving in a few handfuls of dry leaves
under them.

"If the wind holds, she will be down in time to see our signal,"
observed the mate.

"Oh, I do hope so," exclaimed Alice.  "Is the ship standing towards the
shore, do you think?"

"She is certainly not standing away from it," answered the mate; "but I
doubt whether the wind will keep up.  It has dropped since I came here."

They stood intently watching the sail, too anxious to talk.  Already the
shades of night were stealing over the ocean.  The sun went down, and
the vessel's white canvas changed to an inky hue.  Still the mate could
discern her, and he declared that she was a brigantine or a
square-topsail schooner.  Gradually, however, the wind dropped, and the
ocean assumed a glass-like appearance.  There could be little doubt that
by this time the stranger was becalmed.  But darkness now came on, and
completely shut her out from sight.

The mate having struck a light, the fire soon blazed up brightly.  "Put
on more faggots, Nub," he cried.  "She may stand nearer the shore if the
breeze gets up again; but she is as likely to stand away from us, and we
may not have so good an opportunity of being seen as now."

Walter ran off to a distance, so as to be out of the glare of the fire,
and peered with all his might into the darkness; but no vessel could he
see, and he began to fear that she must, as the mate had thought
probable, have stood away from the land.  His heart fell, but he did not
like to tell Alice.

All of them were still too anxious to leave the spot.  They were at
length joined by the doctor, who surmised where they had gone from
seeing the glare of the fire in the distance.  The mate advised Alice
and Walter to go back to the house; but they both declared that they
should not sleep a wink, and would much rather remain where they were.
"Perhaps the fire may be seen, and a boat sent on shore from the vessel
to ascertain the cause of it," said Walter.

"She is too far off, I suspect, for the fire to be seen," answered the
mate.  "We must have patience.  Daylight will come at last, and the
matter will then be settled."

"But suppose she has sailed away," said Walter.

"Oh, don't think of such a dreadful thing," cried Alice.

"If she has, we must have patience still," said the mate.  "We talk a
good deal about putting our trust in God; this is an occasion which will
show whether our trust is real.  We are _always_ to trust Him."

"So I try to do," said Alice.  "I will not doubt again that He will
order all things for the best."

"Well, my little girl, you must take my advice, and go back to the house
with your brother.  Your staying here won't bring the vessel nearer; and
I will send for you at daybreak should she be seen."

The doctor, approving of the mate's advice, accompanied Walter and
Alice, and promised to stay in the house with them; while the mate, Nub,
and Dan remained at the station to keep the fire burning.  Alice thought
that she should not go to sleep; but she did, notwithstanding, and
afterwards confessed that she dreamed all sorts of delightful dreams--
and, what was not altogether wonderful, some of them came perfectly
true.

The light was streaming through the chinks in her shutters, when she was
awakened by Nub shouting out, "De vessel in sight! de vessel in sight!"
Walter was so fast asleep that she had to call him, and she was ready to
leave her room as soon as he was.  The doctor had waited for them, and
all three followed Nub, who had run back to the flagstaff.

A light breeze was floating out the flag, and filling the sails of a
small schooner, which came gliding on towards the mouth of their
harbour.  When at about a mile distant she hove-to, and a boat was
launched from her deck, and, impelled by four lusty rowers, rapidly
approached the shore.

The mate watched her eagerly.  "She is a whale-boat," he exclaimed; "and
I cannot help thinking that I have seen her and her crew before, as well
as the man standing up and steering with an oar.  Alice,--Walter, can
you guess who that man is?"

"Yes! yes!" exclaimed Walter; "I know his attitude.  Alice, it is our
father!"

Alice did not faint, but she cried for joy.  The mate waved with his
hand, pointing to the entrance of the harbour; and then they all hurried
down, and along the shore to the nearest spot where the boat could
safely put in.  The doctor and Walter had to support Alice; while Nub,
frantic with joy, eagerly rushed on ahead.

The boat had hardly reached the rocks when the father recognised his
children, and in a few minutes he had sprung on shore and clasped them
in his arms.  Neither could speak for some minutes.  He then shook the
mate and the doctor warmly by the hand; while Nub and Dan were
exchanging greetings with the crew, and learning something about each
other's adventures.  The captain then accompanied the party to the
house, and on the way they briefly told him what they had gone through.
He also had a long story to tell.  He was much pleased with the
appearance of their house, and expressed his deep gratitude to the
faithful men who had so carefully watched over his children.  On seeing
the pile of sandal-wood, with the nature of which he was well
acquainted, he remarked that it was of considerable value, and although
he could carry but a small portion of it at present, it would be well
worth while to send a vessel back for a cargo.  As he had several people
on board the small schooner, he was anxious to continue the voyage to
Sydney--to which port he was bound--without delay.  He therefore took
off his children, with the doctor, Nub, and Dan; while the mate remained
to ship the provisions they had in store,--which the captain said would
be very welcome,--as well as a small quantity of sandal-wood.

By noon the whole party had embarked, and the little schooner, under all
sail, was standing on her course for Sydney.

"She's a strange-looking craft this of yours, captain," observed the
mate, as he stepped on board.

"Not more strange than the way in which she was built," answered Captain
Tredeagle.

"Oh father, that's what Alice and I want so much to hear about!"
exclaimed Walter.

The captain, however, had no leisure to satisfy his children's curiosity
till they were seated at tea in the cabin.  They had in the meantime
recognised many of their old shipmates, besides whom there were several
strangers on board.

Alice having resumed her old place at the table, and poured out tea for
those assembled, the captain began the narrative of his adventures:--

"You may imagine my agony of mind, when I reached the neighbourhood of
the spot where I had left the ship, and found only a few blackened
pieces of wreck, which too surely told me what had happened.  Still I
hoped that some, if not all, had escaped, and that I should be picked
up; so I searched all round.  But the necessity of making land where we
could obtain some provisions and water compelled me to direct our course
towards the nearest island I knew of.  A heavy gale coming on, severely
tried the boat, and we were almost despairing of reaching a place of
shelter, when we caught sight of a small island, and steered towards it.
We were going round to the side on which I expected to land with least
danger, when I made out a vessel on a reef at some distance from the
shore.  I was able to approach her.  As I did so I was hailed by a voice
I knew, and I discovered that she was the prize we had taken, and which
had afterwards been driven on shore.  The masts were gone, and the
vessel was evidently a complete wreck.  Some of the people were clinging
to the bowsprit, and waving frantically to me.  In a short time, the
wind having fallen still more, I was able to board her; when I found
that many of the French crew had attempted to escape and had been lost,
and that those on the bowsprit were the only survivors.  Happily, the
hull of the vessel had not suffered so much as I had feared, for though
she was bilged, and her bulwarks and boats had been washed away, the
greater part of her cargo and stores were uninjured.  I therefore at
once set all hands to work to build a raft, on which we might land them.
The weather holding fine, we got everything of value on shore; but as
the island was utterly barren, I saw that before long we should be
reduced to starvation.  I therefore at once determined to build a vessel
from the wreck.  Fortunately, the brig had a fresh suit of sails, and a
good deal of the rigging was still clinging to her.  The French
carpenter and one of his crew had been among the saved, and I had two of
my carpenters; so, without loss of time, we pulled the wreck to pieces,
and set up a new vessel on the stocks.  She was launched but a week ago;
and we were steering a course for Sydney, when we were driven back by a
strong southerly gale.  We thought it a great misfortune, as our
provisions were running short; but it has proved to me indeed a happy
occurrence."

"And _we_ thought, when our boat was wrecked, that it was a great
misfortune," exclaimed Walter; "but now we see that it was ordered for
the best: for had we sailed away, we might have been lost; or had we
reached Sydney, we should very likely have gone up the country, and have
been a long time before we heard of you."

"Depend upon it, my children, everything is ordered for the best in the
affairs of those who trust God," said the captain solemnly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The little schooner, notwithstanding the way she had been built, reached
Sydney in safety; when Captain Tredeagle, weary of the sea, took
advantage of the liberal offers made by Government to settlers, and
accepted a grant of land--having determined to take up his abode there
with his children.  Dr Lawrie followed his example, and settled near
him.

Alice and Walter, growing up and marrying, had estates of their own; and
often at social gatherings they would talk over with old friends their
adventures at sea and their residence on "Refuge Island."  But their
great delight was to narrate these to their children, and to urge them
to put implicit confidence in the love and mercy of Him who guides those
who trust Him through darkness and trouble, and ever orders all things
for the best.

THE END.





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