lay down--or "turned in," as
we used to call it--rejoicing in the hope of setting our feet on dry
ground the next morning, and getting a plentiful supply of provisions.
I had to keep the middle watch with Jim. I took good care not to let my
eyes close, for we were at no great distance from the reef, and I knew
the danger of being drifted on it. Now I looked to windward to make
sure that no vessel was approaching to run us down, now at the reef to
find out whether we were drifting nearer it than was safe. After a long
silence Jim spoke to me.

"There's something on my mind, Peter," he said. "I'm afraid that now
you have found your brother Jack you'll not be caring for me as you used
to do, for the whole of the last day you have not opened your lips to
me, while you have been talking away to him."

"Don't let such an idea rest on your mind, Jim," I answered. "I very
naturally talked to Jack, for of course I wanted to hear everything he
had been about since he first went to sea, and it's only lately I have
been able to get him to say much. I don't think that anything will make
me forget your affection for me. Though Jack is my brother, you've been
more than a brother, and as brothers we shall remain till the end of
life."

In this way I did my best to satisfy Jim's mind. It hadn't before
occurred to me that there was any spice of jealousy in him, and I
determined in future to do my best to prevent him having any such
feeling. We talked on just as we used to do after that.

The wind was light, and except a slight swell coming from the eastward,
the sea was perfectly smooth. If it hadn't been for the talking I
should have found it a hard matter to keep my eyes open. After I lay
down, I had been for some time asleep, as I fancied, when I heard the
mate cry--

"Out oars, lads! Pull for your lives!"

I jumped up in a moment.

The strong current into which the boat had got was carrying her along at
the rate of five knots an hour towards the reef, over which the sea was
breaking and rising up in a wall of white foam.

There was now not a breath of wind, but a much greater swell was coming
in than before.

We all bent to our oars, and had good reason to be thankful that we had
got them to help us, for a sailing vessel would very quickly have been
dashed to pieces on the reef, and every soul aboard lost.

The mate headed the boat off from the shore in a diagonal course, so
that we hoped soon to get out of