and the one passionate thought in me now was, will she be in a fit state to carry us?

Nimbly as the men plied their paddles, the raft took a desperate long time in reaching the boat. I knew that not only by my impatience, but by the passage of the magnificent flood of light upon the sea. Even when the raft seemed quite close to the boat, she was still a good distance off, and I waited and waited to see the flash of the little paddles cease, until I believed the men would go on paddling for ever.

But even so weary a waiting must come to an end at last. The paddles were dropped, and keeping my eye at the glass, I perceived the men lean over and endeavour to right the boat. Three times they tried, each time depressing the keel to the water's edge, but no further; but the fourth time they succeeded; and then, instead of her keel, I saw the gunwales of the boat, like a black line upon the blue.

I now supposed they would make the line fast, and begin to tow her; instead of which they fell to baling her out, one with his boots and the other with his cap. This would be a tedious process; but on reflection I judged they would not be able to tow the boat full of water, for the raft was hard enough to propel alone. I watched the baling with a feeling of passionate expectation. If the boat was injured, the water would flow into her as fast as they threw it out; if uninjured, her gunwales would rise. I explained this to Miss Tuke and Norie, and we watched the boat as persons standing upon a gallows might watch for the messenger who is coming with a reprieve, but who may come too late.

At last I clearly perceived that the gunwales rose. I could not be deceived. The telescope was a good one: when I had first looked at the boat after they had righted her, her gunwales only made a thin line, and now they were showing to the height of three or four inches. By this I knew that if the boat leaked at all, the leak would be a trifling one, to yield to such baling as that; and in a transport of delight I shouted out that the boat was sound! that our deliverance was at hand! and ran to Sir Mordaunt, pointing to the boat, and calling that our deliverance was at hand! He was too much affected to speak; he got up, and stood looking. I gave him the glass, and asked him to judge for himself how the boat grew up out of the water. He rested the telescope on my shoulder, and I felt the tube trembling in his grasp. He peered, and exclaimed, There can be no question that she is the "Lady Maud's " boat, Walton. I see the gilt stripe round her.'

'She must be the boat that the men launched,' I answered, 'and that capsized with them. She must therefore have been floating about here ever since, and it is wonderful that we have not seen her before.'

'She was our biggest boat!'

"Certainly she was!' I cried. She will carry us all! We have but to rig and stock her with provisions and water, and sail away in. her.'

us!'

Ah!' he said, in a trembling voice, God has watched over

I felt that as profoundly as he, and could have fallen on my knees. It was as though a miracle had been wrought, to find that boat there close to the island, manifestly uninjured by the heavy seas which the gale had raised, drifting into our sight in time to stop. Hunter from risking his life on his miserable raft, and at the very moment when our prospects looked utterly dark and hopeless.

The men gave over baling after they had been at that work about three-quarters of an hour. The line of immersion indicated that there was still water in the boat, but she showed a good side, and was no longer the drowned thing she had been. The sinking of the sun warned them to stop baling; it was approaching the horizon, and there would be no twilight to help us when it was gone. They kept their places in the boat, and took the raft in tow, and by leaning over the side managed to paddle the boat along as fast again as they could have urged the raft. Indeed, they were not above twenty minutes in performing the journey. We stood on the beach to receive them, and when they were within earshot we all of us cheered and cried to them. They answered our shouts heartily; and so, paddling the boat around the point of reef, they brought her to the entrance of the creek and came ashore, bringing with them the end of the tow-line.

It would have moved you, I am sure, to have seen us shaking hands with the two men. We crowded round them, and only let them go because they said they were wild with thirst. Norie and I then waded into the water, and, laying hold of the boat's gunwale, looked into her. There was not more than a foot of water in her, and this being as bright as glass, I could clearly see that her bottom was perfectly sound. Indeed, I could not perceive that she had sustained any injury, unless I except the loss of her rudder and her amidship thwart, that was started on the port side.

I called to Sir Mordaunt : She is an old friend, and you were not mistaken. Here is the name "Lady Maud" in black and white' -pointing to the stern.

In truth she might well have been called the yacht's long-boat, for, when on the chocks just abaft the foremast, she had the look of a long-boat, with her square stern, plump sides, and motherly beam. Her brass rowlocks hung by their laniards; her rudder was, as I have said, gone, but the gudgeons were standing-that is, the eyes on which the rudder had been hung.

To secure her for the night, Norie and I hauled her to the head of the creek, which brought her close to the beach.

• There is nothing the matter with her,' said I to Tripshore, as he and Hunter rejoined us.

'Nothing, praise the Lord,' he replied.

'She'll want a new rudder,' said I, and we must rig her. But that is easily done. To-morrow morning we'll set to work and give her an outfit.'

Will she carry us all?' asked Miss Tuke.

'Ay, miss, and half as many again,' answered Hunter. That fore-tops'l yard there, Mr. Walton, will be the very thing for a mast. Pity we sent away the top-gallant-yard in the raft this morning, sir.' Oh, we'll find something to bend a sail to,' said I; glad to find that the man's mutinous manner had left him, and that he talked with his old civility.

As we strolled slowly back to the hut the sun sank, and so magnificent was the sight of the huge red and flashing luminary, poised like a vast wheel of fire upon the polished red water, that we all stopped to look at it, and kept silence as the orb gradually drew down. For a few minutes after it was gone, the sky in the west seemed as though a great city was burning out of sight under it, so terribly splendid was the crimson glare upon the heavens. But this awful and majestic light faded fast, sea and sky took a kind of yellow colour, and then they became grey, and quickly changed into darkness, and night came upon us with a single stride, with a bright moon overhead, and the water in the north full of starlight.

The discovery and possession of our boat had put us all into fine spirits. Instead of entering the hut, we seated ourselves upon the coral sand at the top of the beach, and clear of the grass, that soon began to sparkle in the moonshine with the dew. The air was moist, but it was deliciously cool, and it was pleasanter to sit in the light of the bland and beautiful planet than in the dark hut; and, moreover, there was something finely in harmony with our hopeful and grateful spirits in the peace of the sea, with the darkness and the stars in the north and east, and the flood of moonlight in the south, and in the soft creaming of the little breakers and the distant melodious wash of the swell over the line of reef.

We sat talking of our chances of escape, and in what direction we should steer the boat. I told them a story of three sailors who had sailed a smaller boat than ours over two thousand miles of sea, and related some of the hardships they had endured; how they never despaired, but manfully struggled on and on; until, after many days, and after they had measured the amazing distance of two thousand miles, they were picked up by a brig, and safely landed in England.

Then we talked over the provisioning of the boat. Miss Tuke asked how we should be able to carry water to drink.

"In the beef cask,' said I. We will test it. If it leaks, we must endeavour to make it tight.'

There's the sherry cask,' said Tripshore.

'I know,' I replied; but we will carry the sherry with us, if the other cask will hold water.'

'How much will it hold?' asked Sir Mordaunt.

'Between twenty and thirty gallons, I should say,' I replied.
And how long will that quantity last?' inquired Norie.

6

Why,' said I, don't you see, Norie, that must depend upon how much we use. Twenty-five gallons will be two hundred pints. There are eight of us, and even a liberal allowance would give us a fortnight's supply.'

'We could sail across the Gulf in that time,' exclaimed Mrs. Stretton.

'Norie,' said Sir Mordaunt, leaning towards the doctor, and speaking softly, though I heard him, 'before we quit the island, you will keep your promise?'

I will set about it in the morning,' responded Norie.

I knew this referred to the cross that Sir Mordaunt wished to erect over his wife's grave. Hearing what had been said, I remarked that, as there would be a deal of work to be done in the morning, it would be wise to settle the programme at once.

'You, Norie,' said I, 'will carry out Sir Mordaunt's wishes. That will be your part, and we shall expect nothing else from you. You and I, Tripshore, will fit and rig the boat. Hunter, you will help Mrs. Stretton and Miss Tuke to empty the beef cask, and then test it, and if it leaks you must turn to and make it tight-if you can; and if you can't, then we must capsize the sherry and use that cask. Mrs. Stretton, you will cook more beef after breakfast, so that we can ship a fair supply; and, indeed, you and Miss Tuke and Carey will see to the provisions, for when Hunter has done with the cask, he'll join us at the boat. Is my programme to your liking?'

They all said yes, it would do very well.

But what is my work?' said Sir Mordaunt.

• Why,' said I, 'you can act as overseer, and take care that there is no skulking among us.'

My poor friend probably felt that this was about as much as he could do, for though he begged a little to be made practically useful, he gave over his entreaties very soon.

For nearly an hour we remained talking in this manner; but now the dew was falling like rain, and I advised the ladies to withdraw to the hut.

Let us thank God, before we retire, for the mercy and goodness He has shown us this day,' said Sir Mordaunt.

So we all knelt down upon the sand in the moonlight, whilst the baronet prayed aloud; and when our thanksgiving was over we shook hands, and all of our company, except the seamen and I, withdrew to the hut.

We had better keep watch, as we did last night, my lads,' said I.

Ay, ay,' they answered.

We debated, and then settled that Tripshore should stand the first watch, Hunter the second, and I the last.

Is it worth while keeping the fire in?' asked Tripshore. 'No,' I replied. "I am satisfied that no vessels approach these waters, and a fire is useless. The weather looks settled; we shall have the sun in the morning, and then we can light the fire. Keep your eye on the boat, Tripshore, and watch for any more wreckage that may come ashore.'

So saying, I went to the hut, followed by Hunter, and dragging up a bit of the sail, so as to make a pillow, I put down my head, and was soon fast asleep.

(To be continued.)