han before, the glare falling fully on a white
sail, which seemed at no great distance off. Once more all was dark;
but Alice and Nub continued to gaze in the direction where they had seen
the sail, in the expectation that it would reappear. They waited in
vain. They raised their voices together, and shouted, in the hope of
being heard by those on board. Nub's voice, however, was weak and
hollow; Alice's was almost as loud, and far shriller.

"Dey cannot hear us," said Nub at length. "Dey too far off." Still he
stood and gazed, and again and again shouted out. His fear was that the
boat, (for such, he conjectured, was the object he had seen, and which
appeared to be running before the wind), might pass in the darkness
either on one side or the other, and that he and his beloved charge
might be left to perish on the waste of waters. He waited for some
time.

"Dey must be bit nearer now," he said at length. "We try to make dem
hear." He and Alice again lifted up their voices, and shouted till they
could shout no more.

"Hark!" cried Nub, "I tink I hear a voice."

CHAPTER FIVE.

WALTER AND THE MATE VISIT THE SHIP--THE "CHAMPION" BLOWS UP--CONSTRUCT A
RAFT--THE VOYAGE ON IT--SUFFERINGS FROM WANT OF WATER--A SHOWER OF
RAIN--LOOKING OUT FOR THE BOATS--NO SAIL IN SIGHT.

We left Walter and Mr Shobbrok on their hastily-constructed raft at the
moment they had discovered that the ship was on fire. Having now a
light from the burning ship to direct their course, they got out their
oars and urged on the raft with all the strength they could exert. They
had succeeded in fixing the bow of the shattered boat to one end of it,
and they were thus able, in the calm water, to make far better way than
they would otherwise have done. They were in a terrible state of
anxiety. Walter more than ever blamed himself for having left the ship.
Had he remained on board, he might have been able to assist Alice; and
should she perish, he could never forgive himself. There were no boats
on board, they knew, and the people would scarcely have time to
construct a raft without an officer of experience to direct them. They
rowed and rowed with all their power, and it was evident that they were
approaching the ship.

"The fire seems at present to be confined to the fore-part of the ship,"
observed Mr Shobbrok. "If so, we may have time to assist in forming a
raft for saving ourselves and the rest. If I had been on board, I woul