64 "Courage, Ada, courage!'' exclaimed the baronet. See what a beautiful day has come. Let us think of ourselves as a pleasure party blown out to sea further than we intended to go. There is no danger; a little patience, my love, and all will be well;" and he locked at her, lightly shaking his head, and smiling mournfully. I glanced at her, to see how she bore all this hard usage of the sea. Her roughened hair, her pale face full of deep anxiety and grief, her apparel creased and defaced by the wet and the wear and tear of shipwreck did not in my sight, at all events, in the least degree impair her beauty. Indeed, I could not help thinking that all this disorder of attire, and the wild sparkle in her pretty eyes, and the restlessness of her movements and glances, gave her charms a character that accentuated them with a fresh and fascinating picturesqueness. Norie appeared to share in this opinion, for he would frequently look at her with fervent admiration. Mrs. Stretton, on the other hand, was much more passive. She gazed dreamily at us with her fine dark eyes as we conversed, yet was always quick to give a smile to any of us who met her glance. She had a rougher appearance than Miss Tuke, owing to her black hair, which, as I have elsewhere said, was remarkably abundant, and hard to stow away without combs and hairpins and such things. She, too, was very pale, but her lips were red and healthy, and her eyes clear and shining. But more stubbornly than Miss Tuke. the truth is, and most men's experience confirms it, the more thoroughbred a woman is, the more effectually can she cope with and support trouble. I would rather any day be in peril with a lady, with no experience whatever of hardships, than with a woman of mean extraction, who has had to rough it, who has had to work, and who therefore you might imagine would be a great help in time of danger, or when hearty activity or the negative virtue of fortitude was wanted. * Carey's box, that had already done service as a baler, was now used as a washbasin. I filled it with salt water, and the women refreshed themselves by bathing their hands and faces. We men cooled ourselves by splashing up the water over the side. This done, I served out some salt beef and biscuit. I had taken Hunter's place, and was steering the boat, eating with one hand and balancing the tiller with the other. The seamen were forward, Hunter feeding the dog. I was pointing to the figures I had scribbled upon the thwart, and Sir Mordaunt was calculating with me the distance we had traversed, when I was startled by a vehement cry from Tripshore, and, raising my eyes, I saw him standing with his arm around the mast, and pointing to the sea over our bows. "Sail ho!" he yelled. At this magic sound the whole of us sprang to our feet as one person. The sun being well on the left of us, the horizon ahead was beautifully clear and the sea a soft violet, and upon it, quite visible to the naked eye, was a speck of white. 44 Certainly it is," he replied; "but it is impossible to tell which way she is going. The glass was passed from hand to hand. "Let us finish our breakfast," said I, sitting down again. "Though that vessel should pass without noticing us, it is enough that we have seen her to prove that we are in navigable waters at last. There will be other vessels about, though we should miss yonder one: be sure of that." They all seated themselves except Tripshore, who had the glass, and kept it fixed on that small white spot; but though Sir Mordaunt and Miss Tuke pretended to eat, I saw that the sight of that sail had taken away their appetite. They could not remove their eyes from the horizon where that gleaming speck was. I dare say my own emotions were not less strong than theirs, but I perceived the need of assuming an unconcerned demeanor, so that, if the vessel passed away from us, I should be able with a good face to say that her disappearance signified no more than another spell of patience for us, and that other, sails would be showing before sundown, Nevertheless, I was looking, too, all the time, at that distant sail, and every moment growing more and more puzzled by its steadiness and appear "But do we rise it?" I asked. "No sir. All that it does is to grow bigger, without rising," he answered. I told him to pass me the glass, and I took another steady look. The object was unquestionably a ship's sail-apparently, as Tripshore had said, the main-royal of a ship; it was square, and white as silver; it was certainly bigger too than it was when I had first looked at it, which struck me as most extraordinary, for the enlargement of the sail proved that we were approaching it, and I could not conceive how it was that other portions of the vessel did not show themselves. "No use speculating," said I; "we must wait and see.” There was a light swell rolling up from the westward, that made the water look like a waving sheet of dark blue shot-silk; the sea was crisped with little foamy ripples, which ran along with us; but the sun had gathered its fires fast, and was pouring them fiercely down upon our unsheltered bodies; whilst the atmos phere seemed almost breezeless, in consequence of our being dead before the wind. At intervals a number of flying fish would spark out of the melting glass-like blue of the water, and scatter in prismatic flashes. A frigate-bird came up out of the north, and hovered at a height of about thirty feet over the boat, balancing itself on its exquisitely graceful wings for a minute or so, and then fled and vanished like a beam of light. But we took no notice of these things, nor of the stinging heat of the sun, our thoughts being chained to that sail ahead, that was slowly enlarging its form, but never rising, so as to exhibit other sails beneath it. 'That's no ship, sir," said Hunter, breaking a long silence. "It looks like a small lugger-rigged boat," exclaimed Sir Mordaunt. It certainly is not a ship," said I. We waited and watched. The sail was a most clear object now, and with the naked eye we could see that it was well on this side the horizon-indeed, the blue water-line rose beyond it. On a sudden Tripshore let drop the glass to his side, and, looking around, motioned to me with his head. I quitted the helm, and clambered over to where he stood. "Look!" said he, in a low voice, with a note of horror in it. You may see what it is now. His manner startled me. glass hurriedly, and levelled it. My God!" I cried, "what a meet ing !'' It was the raft we had sent adrift on the preceding day! The sail was full, the strange machine was swarming along steadily, at the masthead was the piece of inscribed plank, forming a cross upon the water, and with his back to the mast sat the dead messenger. sea. "If we are rescued, the news will soon get about," I answered. We drew rapidly away from the forlorn and dismal fabric, yet it excited a fascination that constrained me to keep I took the on stealing glances at it. The condition of mind to which our shipwreck had reduced me was well qualified to furnish a wild and ghastly significance to that dead seaman sailing along out there. I could not dispossess my imagination of the idea that he was following me with his eyes, and I figured a kind of blind upbraiding in them for leaving him in that mocking, unconsecrated plight. I had the face before me as I had seen it when we sent the raft adrift. It was a dreadful memory to come into my mind at such a time, and a foolish disposition to shed tears assured me of what I had not before suspected, that our hardships and anxieties had lamentably reduced my strength, and that, if we continued in this state much longer, those weakly women there would be able to boast of much more physical stamina than I. My blood ran cold. It was a dreadful object to encounter upon that lonely And now that it was come, the disappointment stung me like the very fang of death. I looked round upon my companions with a hopeless face. What is it?" cried Miss Tuke, instantly remarking my looks. "The raft we sent afloat yesterday," I answered. She hid her face in her hands. Sir Mordaunt sat looking at the thing with stony eyes, but neither he nor Mrs. Stretton nor Carey made any observation. The raft was right ahead, and in a short time we should be up with it. To us, who knew what its freight was, it was bad enough to have even the sail of it in sight; but to come within eyeshot of the corpse, that would by this time be a most loathsome object, was a thing that would have been unendurable to our shaken and agitated and weary hearts. Interpreting my companions' thoughts by my own, I returned to the helm, and headed the boat into the west. This brought the wind abeam; the little craft felt the increased pressure and buzzed along sharply, riding over the swell, that was now dead ahead, like a cork. I whispered to the baronet that the corpse would have been too shocking an object for the women to see. Yes," he answered, under his breath; and for us too. I could not have borne it. But I hope, now that the raft can no longer serve our purpose, it may speedily go to pieces. The inscription will set people hunting for us." I believe this very thought was in my head when I was aroused from the miserable reverie into which I had sunk by Hunter shouting, "Sail ho!" at the very top of his voice. I started up savagely, maddened for the moment by the fear of another disappointment. The man was pointing into the north-west, and Mrs. Stretton and Miss Tuke, clinging to each other, looked wildly in that direction, while Sir Mordaunt and Norie stood peering, with their hands shading their eyes. "Do you see her, sir?" shouted Hunter. It's no raft this time! See how she rises !" I looked, and saw a sail-this time no raft indeed, as Hunter had said, but a vessel swiftly rearing her white canvas above the blue, inch by inch, foot by foot, so that, watching her with the glass, I saw her fore course come up until the arching foot of it was exposed, and then the glimmering top of the black hull quivered in the refractive light upon the water-line. She was heading dead for us. Until we were sure of this, no one spoke; but when I cried out the news, Tripshore and Hunter and Norie uttered a loud hurrah! Miss Tuke clasped her hands above her head, and gave a long, mad laugh; Mrs. Stretton sobbed as if her heart would break; Carey fell a dancing in the bottom of the boat; and Sir Mordaunt threw his arms round my neck, and with his head lying on my shoulder, breathed like a dying man. I broke away from my poor friend, and bawled to Hunter to lower the sail and stop the boat's way; and, whipping a handkerchief out of Norie's pocket, I fastened it to one of the paddles, and bade Tripshore stand up in the bows of the boat and wave the signal. The vessel came down upon us fast. What her rig was I could not yet see. She had a main skysail set, and a coil of foam sparkled at her glossy sides, and ran up the sea behind her in a flashing white line. We had cheered, and given way to the passion of excitement and rapture that the sight of her had kindled in us; but we grew silent very soon, and watched her coming breathlessly. I knew her people could not fail to see us. But would they heaveto? Would they attempt our rescue? We had to find that out, and the waiting was such mental agony as there are no words to convey any idea of. One of the most moving memories which my heart carries of our shipwreck, is the faces of my companions turned toward the approaching vessel. Expectation had so wrought upon their lineaments as to harden them into the severity and immobility of marble; they looked to have been petrified at the very moment when their staring eyes, their parted lips, the forward posture of their heads, showed that the hope and the fear in them were at their greatest height. Suddenly Tripshore turned his gaping face aft, and cried, in a hoarse voice of triumph, "She'll heave-to, sir!" And, as he said this, the vessel, with her mainsail hanging in the leech-lines and her skysail halliards let go, slightly shifted her helm, and went past us at a distance of about five times her own point, that was apparently the roof of a deck cabin, several men were watching us, and forward a small crowd of heads overhung the bulwarks. As soon as she was to leeward of us, she put her helm down, swung her foreyards, and lay hove-to. "Out with your paddles, men!" I shouted; and, in a fury of impatience, Tripshore and Hunter threw over the rude oars, and the boat went slowly toward the barque. As we approached, we were hailed by one of the men on the poop, "Boat ahoy! What boat is that?" I was overjoyed to be addressed in English, for I had feared from the appearance of the vessel that she was a foreigner. I put my hand to the side of my mouth, and shouted back: "We are the survivors of the passen gers and crew of the schooner yacht Lady Maud," that was lost four days since on a cay about sixty miles distant from here. We have been adrift since yesterday. Will you take us on board? He waved his hand, and answered, "Yes, yes; come alongside. But is that another boat out there?" pointing in the direction where we had last seen the raft. "No," I cried. "I will explain what that is when we get aboard." A rope was flung to us, the gangway unshipped, and some steps thrown over. All hands had assembled to see us ar rive. was The first to be handed up Miss Tuke; she was followed by Mrs. Stretton and Carey; then went Sir Mordaunt and Norie, the rest of us fo lowing with the dog. On gaining the deck a giddiness seized me, and I had to keep fast hold of the arm of the mi I who had helped me up the steps, to save myself from falling. It was, truth, the effect of a wild hurry of com flicting emotions; but a short stern strug gle subdued the sensation, and glancing around at the men, who were staring at the women and ourselves with open mouths, I asked for the captain. "I'm the master, sir,' said a quiet length, drawing out as she passed into a looking, sunburnt man, who stood close small handsome barque of about three hundred and fifty tons, with a clipper to the gangway. I grasped his hand and shook it, and board, and a white netting round her short raised after-deck. From this bow and elliptical stern, a low free- then, without further preface, told him our story, briefly indeed, though I gave him all the facts. do 66 Well sir," said he, when I had done, glancing at Sir Mordaunt very respectfully, "you've had a hard time of it, and I'm glad to have come across you. This barque is the Princess Louise,' from New Providence to Porto Rico. I hope Porto Rico isn t out of your way?" No," I answered. We should be able to get to Europe from Porto Rico without trouble." "Certainly," said he. "But we sighted a small boat out yonder. Does she belong to your people?"’ I told him that she was a raft we had sent adrift from the island, with a board at the mast-head inscribed with the circumstances of our shipwreck; but I said nothing about the dead man on it. I then begged him to tell us what reckoning his vessel was now in, explaining that Sir Mordaunt Brookes was anxious to have the bearings of the rock on which we had been wrecked, that he might recover the remains of his wife for interment in England. 66 Can you give me your course, and distance run?" said he. I answered that it was jotted down on the after-thwart in the boat. He at once went over the side into the boat, entered the figures in a pocket-book, and returned. too "We'll get the bearings of your island fast enough presently," said he. "That's a good boat of yours good to send adrift. Here, Mr. Swift," he sung out to a man I afterward learnt was his chief mate, "get that boat cleared out, will you, and slung aboard. You can stow her on the booms. And swing the fore-yards as soon as that job's done. Bo'sun, take charge of these two men "-indicating Tripshore and Hunter-" and see that they get something to eat at once. Will you follow me, ladies and gentlemen ?" He led the way into the cabin, or deck-house. We hobbled after him, for, owing to our confinement in the boat and the want of space to stretch our limbs, we had some ado to work our legs properly. The cabin was a very plain interior, with a table amidships, flanked by hair sofas, and a row of five small berths on the port side. We sat down, not because we were weary, but because we found exercise an awkward 66 ure. I reflected, and then addressing Sir Mordaunt, "Those bearings," said I, prove that Purchase was heavily out in his latitude as well as his longitude." He motioned, with an imploring gest"For God's sake, don't recall the man!" said he. "I desire," he continued, turning to the skipper, "that you will look upon us as passengers, for whose accommodation and entertainment you will charge as you think proper; though," he said, extending his hand for the other to shake, and speaking with great emotion, “no recompense we can make you will express our gratitude for the prompt and generous help you have given us." Say nothing about it, sir," answered the skipper, in a blunt, sailorly way. 'It seems hard that shipwreck should befall gentlemen like you, to whom the sea is no business; and I am very sorry indeed for the ladies"-giving them a low bow. "Now, steward, bear a hand with the grub, man! Shove it on the table, can't ye?" We had not long before eaten our breakfast in the boat, and even had we not already broken our fast, I question whether the emotions which kept our hearts hammering in our breasts would |