below,
under a sort of false bottom, were found a fine and a coarse saw, some
parcels of large heavy nails, two cold irons, and several pieces of iron
of various shapes, which altogether had served to ballast the chest
while in the water.

"I don't know that in our present circumstances we can make much use of
these things," observed the mate; "but if we get on shore on an
uninhabited island, they will serve us either for putting up a house, or
for building a boat, and we may be thankful that we obtained them; and
should the sea get up, the chest will also serve to add buoyancy to the
raft."

By this time it was almost dark, and the wind had again begun to drop.
As night drew on it was a complete calm. The mate and Nub rowed on for
some time; but they found that they were overtaxing their strength, and
were obliged to desist, hoping to get a breeze from the eastward the
next day.

They had now less fear of want of food than of want of water. Their
stock of the latter necessary of life had already begun to run short.
The mate, therefore, proposed that they should reduce their daily
allowance, though they gave Alice as much as she would consent to take.

The party on the raft had been so accustomed to the sort of life they
were leading, that it no longer appeared strange to them. Now and then
Walter woke up, and saw the stars shining brightly overhead, and
reflected on the wild ocean around him; then he went to sleep again
almost with the same sense of security which he had felt on board ship.
He began to fancy that the raft would stand any amount of sea, and he
fully expected to reach the shore at last. Alice slept on more calmly
than on the previous night, the comparatively wholesome meal she had
taken making her feel more comfortable than before. Now the mate took
his watch, now Nub his; and as Alice opened her eyes, she saw either one
or the other on the lookout, so she soon again closed them, feeling as
secure as did Walter. Towards morning both were awakened by finding the
raft tossing about far more violently than it had hitherto done. The
mate was steering, and Nub was attending to the sheets with the sail
hoisted only half-way up.

"What's the matter?" asked Walter.

"We have got a stiffish breeze, and it will carry us the sooner to the
shore, if it does not come on to blow harder," answered the mate. "But
do you and Miss Alice sit quiet; the weather does not look threatening,
and if the wind brin