ned with a couple of axes. One he gave to
Walter, and the other he took himself, and they both began cutting away
at the taffrail and quarter rail. He then sprang aloft, and telling
Walter to stand from under, with a few strokes brought the gaff, the
cross-jack, and mizzen-topsail yards down on deck, while he at the same
time cleared the mass of the running rigging, preserving the most
perfect coolness and exhibiting the most wonderful activity. He soon
collected ample materials for the purpose he had in view. The spars
were light, and were soon cut into the lengths he required; and ably
seconded by Walter he quickly hove them overboard, secured to ropes to
prevent them from floating away from the ship as she moved through the
water. Having collected their materials, they descended upon their
former raft and began at once to lash the pieces of timber closely
together, so as to form an oblong and compact raft.

"Take care, Walter, to secure every lashing properly," said Mr
Shobbrok; "it is better to spend a little more time about it now, than
to find our raft come to pieces in the first heavy sea we encounter."

The mizzen-royal, which had been sent down at nightfall, remained on
deck, and the mate had lowered it on to their first raft. The framework
having been formed, he once more sprang up on deck.

"You remain, Walter; I will be back in a moment," he sang out.

Walter was very anxious while he was gone, for he had not forgotten what
Mr Shobbrok had said about the magazine. He soon heard him crying
out,--"Take hold of this, and see it does not capsize." Looking up, he
found that a basket was being lowered. He placed it on the most secure
part of the raft. Directly afterwards Mr Shobbrok lowered down a
hammer and a large bag of nails.

"I must see what more can be got," he cried out. Directly afterwards he
sprang over the side and descended rapidly on to the raft.

"Shove off, my boy, shove off! there's not an instant to be lost!" he
exclaimed; and he and Walter, seizing the oars, pulled away on their
former raft, towing the one they had just formed after them. As it
floated lightly, they managed to make fair way, though by this time the
sea had somewhat increased, the wind having suddenly got up. They had
not got more than two cables length from the ship when a loud roar
announced that the magazine had exploded; the foremast and mainmast,
which had hitherto stood, fell over the side, while the mizzen