red
to catch it. Down came the precious rain, quickly filling the sail;
while they eagerly opened their mouths, that not a drop more than they
could help should be lost. But as the water rose in the sail, they
could no longer help dipping down their heads and taking a long
refreshing draught. It produced an almost instantaneous effect on
Walter, whose strength seemed suddenly to return. "Oh, how merciful God
has been to us!" were the first words he uttered. "I now feel sure that
we shall be saved; but last night I had begun to fear that we were
doomed to perish."

"I thought the same," said the mate; "but it was wrong of us. Under all
circumstances, however hopeless, we should trust in God."

The cask had been placed directly under the centre of the sail, in which
the mate making a small hole with the point of his knife, the water ran
through into it. So rapidly descended the rain, that it was quickly
filled. Had they possessed another cask, they would gladly have filled
it; but they could not venture to withdraw any of the larger casks from
beneath their raft; and they trusted that the supply they had now
obtained would last them till land was made, or they were relieved by a
passing ship, "At all events," said Walter, "we may hope to get another
shower to replenish our cask of water when this is exhausted."

"You must not count too much on that, my lad," answered the mate.

"What think you, then, of throwing away some of the wine or spirits, and
filling up the bottles with water," asked Walter.

"I should be sorry to throw it all away; for, though the water is the
most precious liquid of the two, the wine may yet be of great service to
us, as it is the only medicine we have got. I am willing to empty one
bottle of wine and one of spirits; but we will keep the rest in case we
need it."

On this the mate drew two of the bottles out of the basket. He looked
at them, evidently doubting whether he was acting wisely in throwing the
contents away. At the bottom of the basket he discovered a large cup
which he had before overlooked. He half filled it with wine; then
casting an affectionate look at the bottle, he exclaimed, "It would be a
pity." And putting it to his mouth, sailor-like, he took a few hearty
gulps. "Now, Walter," he said, "before we throw the wine away, just
take some biscuit and this bit of beef. It will give you the strength
you want so much; and then, to my mind, some wine and water will