der the wather. What
was that but the tops'l yard. Hech! I was na long in mountin' on to it.
I've left it out there afther I feeled my toes trailin' along the
bottom. Now, my bonny babies, that's how Old Bill's been able to rejoin
ye. Flippers all round once more; and then let's see what sort o' a
shore we've got to make port upon."

An enthusiastic shake of the hands passed between the old sailor and his
youthful companions; after which the faces of all were turned towards
the shore, still only dimly distinguishable, and uninviting as seen, but
more welcome to the sight than the wilderness of water stretching as if
to infinity behind them.

CHAPTER IX.

UNCOMFORTABLE QUARTERS.

The waders had still some distance to go before reaching dry land; but,
after splashing for about twenty minutes longer, they at length stood
upon the shore. As the tide was still flowing in they continued up the
beach; so as to place themselves beyond the reach of the water, in the
event of its rising still higher.

They had to cross a wide stretch of wet sand before they could find a
spot sufficiently elevated to secure them against the further influx of
the tide. Having, at length, discovered such a spot, they stopped to
deliberate on what was best to be done.

They would fain have had a fire to dry their dripping garments: for the
night had grown chilly under the influence of the fog.

The old sailor had his flint, steel, and tinder--the latter still safe
in its water-tight tin box; but there was no fuel to be found near. The
spar, even could they have broken it up, was still floating, or
stranded, in the shoal water--more than a mile to seaward.

In the absence of a fire they adopted the only other mode they could
think of to get a little of the water out of their clothes. They
stripped themselves to the skin, wrung out each article separately; and
then, giving each a good shake, put them on again--leaving it to the
natural warmth of their bodies to complete the process of drying.

By the time they had finished this operation, the mist had become
sensibly thinner; and the moon, suddenly emerging from under a cloud,
enabled them to obtain a better view of the shore upon which they had
set foot.

Landward, as far as they could see, there appeared to be nothing but
white sand--shining like silver under the light of the moon. Up and down
the coast the same landscape could be dimly distinguished.

It was not a level surface