slipped
into my hand.

"Give it him," M. Letourneur went on under his breath, "give it him; but
do not let any one see you; the monsters would murder you if they knew
it. This is only for to-day; I will give you some more to-morrow."

The poor fellow did not trust me, and well he might not, for I had the
greatest difficulty to withstand the temptation to carry the biscuit to
my mouth, But I resisted the impulse, and those alone who have suffered
like me can know what the effort was.

Night came on with the rapidity peculiar to these low latitudes, and I
glided gently up to Andre and slipped the piece of biscuit into his hand
as "a present from myself." The young man clutched at it eagerly.

"But my father?" he said inquiringly.

I assured him that his father and I had each had our share, and that he
must eat this now, and, perhaps, I should be able to bring him some more
another time. Andre asked no more questions, and eagerly devoured the
morsel of food.

So this evening at least, notwithstanding M. Letourneur's offer, I have
tasted nothing.

CHAPTER XL.

JANUARY 7th.--During the last few days since the wind has freshened, the
salt water constantly dashing over the raft has terribly punished the
feet and legs of some of the sailors. Owen, whom the boatswain ever
since the revolt kept bound to the mast, is in a deplorable state, and
at our request has been released from his restraint. Sandon and Burke
are also suffering from the severe smarting caused in this way, and
it is only owing to our more sheltered position on the aft-part of the
raft, that we have not; all shared the same inconvenience.

Today the boatswain, maddened by starvation, laid hands upon everything
that met his voracious eyes, and I could hear the grating of his teeth
as he gnawed at fragments of sails and bits of wood, instinctively
endeavouring to fill his stomach by putting the mucus' into circulation
at length, by dint of an eager search, he came upon a piece of leather
hanging to one of the spars that supported the platform. He snatched
it off and devoured it greedily, and as it was animal matter, it really
seemed as though the absorption of the substance afforded him some
temporary relief. Instantly we all followed his example; a leather hat,
the rims of caps, in short, anything that contained any animal matter
at all, were gnawed and sucked with the utmost avidity. Never shall I
forget the scene. We were no longer human, the impu