learly."

The mate drew himself up till his head was as high as the chest.

"It's an empty cask," he exclaimed; "and will serve to rest one of us,
though it will not assist us while towing the chest."

They swam towards it, and found that it was a large empty cask--probably
one which had floated out of the American whaler which had gone down.

"Now, Mr Shobbrok, you get on de cask; you want rest more dan I do,"
said Nub. "But take care dat you not roll round and round. It no easy
matter to sit on an empty cask in de water."

The mate tried to do as Nub advised, but he found that the cask would
roll round, and that the only way he could rest on it was by throwing
himself length-wise along it--though he had considerable difficulty in
keeping it steady. He was thus, however, able to regain his strength.

When he found himself somewhat recovered, he resigned his place to Nub,
who managed by working his feet on either side to sit across it, holding
on to the chest. Scarcely had he taken his seat when he
exclaimed,--"Oh, I can smell de flowers and de fruit! Here come de
land-breeze; but den it will drive us back faster dan we came along."

Nub was right. In another minute a strong breeze, smelling of the
earth, blew in their faces; and the water, which had hitherto been calm,
was soon rippled over with small waves, which rapidly increased in
height, hissing and bubbling around them. This was excessively trying
to the mate, who could with difficulty keep his head above the foam
which drove in his face. His heart began to fail him, for while the
breeze continued the little hope he ever had of reaching the land must
be abandoned. All he could do was to hold on to the chest, which Nub
balanced on the opposite side, without attempting to make any progress.
He was, for the first time, beginning to lose hope of saving the little
girl, when he was aroused by hearing Nub exclaim--

"Hurrah! here come de raft! De wind catch her sail, and drive her back.
We soon see Massa Walter, and I hope he soon see us."

"I see him! I see him!" cried Alice, lifting up her head.

The mate raised himself also; and then, sure enough, he caught sight of
the raft skimming along at a rapid rate over the seas.

Whether Walter saw them or not, they could not tell; but they supposed
that he had recovered his senses, and was steering the raft,--and that,
finding the breeze in his favour, he was endeavouring to reach the spot
where he had