of carrying a greater weight. Sails,
too, were thrown loosely over all, and then, last of all, the biscuit
and water--such quantities of each as could be found amid the confusion.

At length the raft was deemed complete. It could not have exceeded
fifteen minutes from the sinking of the long-boat, until the cheering
fact was announced, that the raft was ready!

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE.

But short as was the time it appeared an age to me. With that dread
secret shut up in my breast, every minute seemed an hour; and I knew not
the moment that was to be our last. When the long-boat went down, I had
resigned all hope--not dreaming that a raft could be got ready before
the explosion would take place.

It is metaphorical to say that every minute seemed an hour; but so tardy
did the time appear that I began to wonder why the awful event was so
long delayed. Perhaps, thought I, the powder may be far down, covered
over with other things--such as boxes and bales--and the fire has not
yet been able to get at it? I knew that a barrel of powder, even when
thrown into the midst of a red-hot fire, takes a considerable time to
explode. An intense heat must be generated in the wood before the
powder inside will ignite; and, for this reason, the barrel must be a
good while exposed to the fire. Perhaps the flames had not yet reached
it? Was this the reason why the catastrophe was delayed?

Or was it that the powder was not in the store-room, or the cabin
either, or in the after-part of the vessel at all? About its
whereabouts the skipper had said nothing, and it was upon this point I
had desired explanation as the gig rowed off. A knowledge of this might
have been of the greatest importance; but the captain had not even
thrown out a hint. What after all if there was no gun-power on board?
What if the man had meant it as a jest--ill-timed and unfeeling though
it was?

What if he had intended it not as a piece of pleasantry, but an act of
refined cruelty?

There were circumstances that favoured this last supposition. For the
preceding twenty hours he had been at loggerheads with the crew. Ever
since morning, since the commencement of the water trouble, the men had
been sulky and mutinous, and both mate and captain had been slightly
treated--their orders in most cases altogether disregarded. In fact,
both had been bearded and threatened, and several angry altercations had
occurred between them and the crew. It was nat