ich a couple of fowls still remained, he sprang up again to assist
Alice down, as he had a feeling that she would be safer on the raft than
on board the ship. He had secured a boat-hook for the purpose of
catching hold of the articles he threw overboard, and was stretching out
his arm to reach a piece of timber which had floated away, while Alice
was holding on to a rope close to him, when a thundering sound echoed in
their ears.

"O Nub, what is that?" cried Alice in a terrified tone, gazing at the
fearful scene before her.

"Ship blow up, I s'pose," answered Nub, working away energetically.
"Hold on, Missie Alice; no harm come to you,--we shove off directly."

An explosion had, indeed, taken place in the fore-part of the ship,
scattering destruction around, blowing up the deck, and sending all on
that part into the water, killing some and fearfully mangling others.
The fire now burst forth with increased fury, enveloping in flames the
whole of the fore-part of the ship. Nub, fearing that another explosion
of still more terrific character would occur should the fire reach the
chief magazine, which it would do, he thought, before long, shoved off
with his young charge, so precious in his sight, to put as great a
distance as possible between her and the danger he apprehended. He had
already fastened together several pieces of wood, which he had not time
to secure as perfectly as he desired; and on his way he picked up many
more such fragments, as well as some casks which had been on deck, and
were sent overboard by the explosion. Without loss of time he began
lashing them together, soon forming a raft which he considered would be
able to withstand a tolerable amount of knocking about should the sea
get up.

Nub was not destitute of humanity, but though he heard the cries of his
shipmates as they struggled in the water, he continued labouring away at
the raft without attempting to go to the rescue.

"Oh, poor men! cannot we help them?" exclaimed Alice.

"Dey take care of demselves, Missie Alice," answered Nub. "My business
is to sabe you."

"Oh, don't think of me," exclaimed Alice. "I cannot bear the thoughts
of their perishing if it is possible to save them."

"It not possible, den," answered Nub; "unless I run de risk ob losing
you." And he worked away as before.

The flames had now burst forth from all sides of the ship, affording him
sufficient light for the purpose. Having preserved a stout spar to