t.

"I cannot say you nay, Dick," answered the boatswain; "but all this
comes of having babies aboard; we must try and keep the ship above
water, anyhow."

The raft being completed, Dick got hold of a small beaker of water,
which he secured to it; he also formed a paddle, and laid alongside of
it a spar of considerable length. Having finished his work, he slipped
below, and brought up little Charley, with a bundle of bedding and a
blanket. The child greatly objected to go to bed in the basket, and
still more so to be lashed in, as Dick was doing. Dick knew that nobody
would interfere with the child, but still he placed him as much out of
sight as possible, just abaft the fore-mast.

"You be good boy, Charley, and don't cry out," he said, trying to soothe
him. "There is a biscuit--chaw it, lad. I have to take a spell at the
pumps, and will be back directly."

As soon as Dick could leave his work at the pumps, he hurried back to
the child, and threw himself down to rest by his side.

The ship flew on before the gale. Every one, knowing that their lives
depended on their exertions, laboured away with desperation: some were
sent below to bale with buckets, which were passed up to others
stationed on deck, but all their efforts, it appeared too likely, would
be of no avail. Still the water gained on them. The only hope was that
the hurricane might cease, and that a sail might be got under the ship's
bottom. Preparations were made for doing this as soon as it was
practicable, but the wind blew harder and harder. The main-mast had
before been badly sprung, and during one of the fearful lurches the
ill-fated ship made, down it came, crushing the launch, on which
depended the only hope of saving the lives of some of them. Dick rushed
forward, fearing his little charge had suffered, but Charley still lay
unhurt in his basket on the raft. Suddenly there came a lull, and the
hurricane ceased almost as rapidly as it had commenced: the sea,
however, still tumbled and tossed about fiercely on either side, the
ship lying helpless in the midst of the foaming waves. The crew
laboured as gallantly as before, though their stout arms were giving
way, and many knew too well that all hope was nearly gone. Some with
the sharpest eyes were sent to the mast-head, to look out for any ship
which might have approached before the calm came on; but as they cast
their anxious eyes around the horizon, not a sail was to be seen rising