guess and too far ahead in the other!"
said the captain quietly. "It is Sunday, the seventh day since our
trials began."

"Well," responded the other; "it is a lucky day for us, whatever it may
be, sir. I confess I never expected such a fortunate ending as this to
our sad misfortunes. I had made up my mind that we must go to the
bottom; and pretty soon too, after the wind rose again!"

"I hoped for the best," answered Captain Miles, shaking himself like a
big Newfoundland dog, and stepping gingerly along the poop as if half
afraid to walk. "I never despaired even in our darkest hour; and I'm
glad to say I didn't, for I trusted in Providence! But come," he added,
with all his old brisk manner restored in a moment, smiling cheerfully,
"we must see about getting things ship-shape around us; for it would be
a poor return for the mercy we have received to sit down idly now and do
nothing to help ourselves. Look alive, men, there's plenty to see to!"

There was; so much, indeed, that it almost seemed a puzzle where to
begin.

Our first consideration was the masts, which were still attached to the
hull by all the starboard rigging, and were banging against that side of
the vessel with each send of the sea, threatening to knock the lower
timbers in; so, a working party being quickly organised under the
indefatigable Jackson, the axe was called into use again and the
remaining shrouds cut away, the fore and main-braces being passed round
the stump of the foremast, which stood some twenty feet or so from the
deck, in order to prevent the span from going adrift when the shrouds
parted.

The lee rigging, tautened by the strain of the masts dependent from it,
was soon severed; and then, the ship being more buoyant, floated away
some yards leeward--the spars veered out to the length of the braces,
serving as a sort of breakwater and keeping the waves from coming in
over the bows as she tended, for her stern at once coming round caused
her to ride easily, head to wind, just as if she were anchored.

"Now, men," cried Captain Miles when this was managed, and no pressing
danger stared us in the face, "we must now see whether we can't get up
anything to eat from the after-hold. I daresay you fellows feel a bit
hungry, eh?"

You should have only seen the look on every face when he said this!

The very idea of food made all ravenous; and it was as much as Captain
Miles could do to prevent the hands from rushing in a body in