nly knew where to head now, I might strike the Cape Verdes. I suppose
I might hit Africa if I went east long enough; that is, supposing I
didn't capsize or founder, or starve, or something. Heigho! How weak
I feel. Believe I'll take breakfast."

So he took up the keg and drank heartily, for his wound had made him
slightly feverish.

"I must touch it lighter than this," he said as he put down the keg.
"Lord only knows when or where I will get it filled again."

As the sun came up, a flaming red ball, the wind slowly increased.

Ralph, though by no means experienced in boat sailing, had learned how
to steer. The sail was too small and weakly fastened to render it
liable to endanger the safety of the craft and for a time the interest
aroused by the novelty of sailing by himself kept his spirits up.

But in an hour or so he felt weary. The sea had slowly risen so that
an occasional dash of water flew over the bow whenever he headed in the
least to windward.

"What is the use of tiring myself out?" he thought at last. "It don't
make any difference where I go, or whether I go at all."

So he unstepped his mast, stowed it in the boat's bottom, and lay down
on the sail. The sun dazzled him and he drew his hat over his eyes.

Probably his wound and weakness made him drowsy, for he fell asleep.
When he again awoke the sun was nearly overhead. The hot glare was
stifling. His very clothing seemed to burn his flesh. He staggered to
his feet and looked around the horizon wearily.

Suddenly his eyes brightened and his whole figure became animated and
eager.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Ralph's Sufferings.

Low down in the northwestern horizon was a faint speck of white.
Everywhere else the blue of the sky and ocean was unrelieved. The
"mares' tails" of clouds had disappeared and the sea was a gently
heaving plain of glass.

"A sail!" exclaimed the boy. "It must be a sail."

He hurriedly set up his mast again and hastened back to the tiller.
But there was no wind; the canvas hung limp, while the sun was broiling
the paint on the little forward deck.

"I don't suppose they can see me," thought he dejectedly. "It must be
only their topsails that I see, and so small a boat as this would be
invisible. Perhaps if they had a glass at the mast head, they might
find me. Oh, if I only had a wind!"

Reflection, however, convinced him that a breeze would be as apt to
carry the strange vessel off as to bring it nearer,