loth covering and lay down to rest.

The planks were hard, no doubt, but our castaways were hardy; besides, a
few folds of the superfluous portions of the large sail helped to soften
the planks here and there.

"Now, boys," said Slagg, as he settled himself with a long-drawn sigh,
"the on'y thing we wants to make us perfectly happy is a submarine
telegraph cable 'tween this an' England, to let us say good-night to our
friend, ashore, an' hope they won't be long in sending out to search for
us."

It is sad to be obliged to record that, Slagg's companions being already
asleep, this tremendous and original piece of pleasantry was literally
cast upon the waters, where it probably made no impression whatever on
the inhabitants of the slumbering sea.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

IN WHICH WILL BE FOUND MORE SURPRISES THAN ONE.

Events of the most singular description are often prefaced by incidents
of the most commonplace character. Who is so inexperienced in the
vicissitudes of life as not to know this!

Early in the morning that succeeded their second night on the raft,
Robin Wright awoke with a very commonplace, indeed a vulgar, snore; we
might almost call it a snort. Such as it was, however, it proved to be
a most important link in the chain of events which it is our province to
narrate.

To explain: It must be understood that John Shanks, or Stumps, among
other eccentricities, practised sprawling in his sleep, spreading
himself abroad in inconceivable attitudes, shooting out an arm here, or
a leg there, to the alarm or indignation of bedfellows, insomuch that,
when known, bedfellows refused to remain with him.

Aware of Stumps's propensity, Slagg had so arranged that his friend
should lie at the stern of the raft with two strands of the
binding-cable between him and Robin, who lay next to him. During the
first part of the night, Stumps, either overcome by weariness or subdued
by his friends' discourses on the stellar world, behaved pretty well.
Only once did he fling out and bestow an unmerited blow on the
pork-barrel. But, about daybreak, he began to sprawl, gradually working
his way to the extreme edge of the raft, where a piece of wood, nailed
there on purpose, prevented him from rolling off altogether. It did
not, however, prevent his tossing one of his long legs over the edge,
which he accordingly did. The leg and foot were naked. He preferred
to sleep so, even when bedless, having been brought up in
sho