hole formed a raft just about
large enough for two, and safe enough in calm weather, but under a gale,
or even a strong wind, such a structure would have been overwhelmed at
once.

But my companion had no intention of going to sea with such a craft.
His idea had been that he might get it ready before the great raft could
be finished, and the sooner escape from the dangerous proximity of the
powder. Even if it had taken him quite as long to prepare it, there was
still a greater chance of safety by our being so far forward upon the
vessel. If the powder had exploded there would have been a chance of
our not being blown to atoms. The after-part of the vessel might be
shivered in pieces, and, of course, the rest would soon sink; but still,
by keeping out by the head, there were many chances in our favour. It
was from these considerations that the sailor had hurried away from
amidships, and set to making his raft at the bows. It was only intended
as a temporary retreat--to enable us at the earliest moment to get
beyond the circle of danger; and, should the men succeed in completing
the larger structure, ours could afterward be brought alongside and
joined on to it.

The large raft was completed as soon as our little one, and all hands
had gone down upon it. As I returned on deck to strike up the hatch, I
saw not a soul of the _Pandora's_ crew. They had all gone out of the
vessel, and betaken themselves to the raft. From the deck I could not
see either them or the raft--as the latter was still close in under the
beam-ends of the barque.

As soon as I had got fairly down, my companion pushed off, and the next
moment the great raft came under our view. Both it, and those who were
on it, were seen as distinctly as though it had been daylight--for the
burning vessel was no longer a combination of flame and smoke. Her
whole quarter-deck, from the taffrail to the main-hatch, was enveloped
in a bright flame that illumined the surface of the sea to the distance
of miles. Under this light, we perceived the raft and the men standing
or crouching upon it.

They had pushed off some ten or twelve yards from the side of the
vessel, in order to be clear of the flames. There was another reason
that induced them to get some distance away, and that was the fear that
there might be powder aboard. Although no positive alarm had been given
to that effect, there existed a doubt about the thing, and they were not
without apprehens