king silence for the first time since
they set out.

"The stroke is too steady and regular for Indians," said Jack. "Boat
ahoy!"

"Shore ahoy!" came back at once in the ringing tones of a seaman's
voice.

"Pull in; there's plenty of water!" shouted Jack.

"Ay, ay," was the response. In a few seconds the boat's keel grated on
the sand, and an active sailor jumped ashore. There were five other men
in the boat.

"Where have _you_ dropped from?" enquired Jack. "Well, the last place
we dropped from," answered the seaman, "was the port quarter davits of
the good ship Ontario, Captain Jones, from Liverpool to Quebec, with a
general cargo; that was last night, and ten minutes afterwards, the
Ontario dropped to the bottom of the sea."

"Wrecked!" exclaimed Jack.

"Just so. Leastwise, sprung a leak and gone to the bottom."

"No hands lost, I hope?"

"No, all saved in the boats; but we parted company in the night, and
haven't seen each other since. Is there any port hereabouts, where we
could get a bit o' summat to eat?"

"There is, friend. Just pull six miles farther along shore as you are
going, and you'll come to the place that I have the honour and happiness
to command--we call it Fort Desolation. You and your party are heartily
welcome to food and shelter there, and you'll find an Irishman in charge
who will be overjoyed, I doubt not, to act the part of host. To-morrow
night I shall return to the fort."

The shipwrecked mariners, who were half-starved, received this news with
a cheer, and pushing off, resumed their oars with fresh vigour, while
Jack and his man continued their journey.

They reached the fishery before dawn, and, without awakening the men,
retired at once to rest.

Before breakfast, Jack was up, and went out to inspect the place. He
found that his orders, about repairing the roof of the out-house and the
clearing up, had not been attended to. He said nothing at first, but,
from the quiet settled expression of his face, the men felt convinced
that he did not mean to let it pass.

He ordered Ladoc to repair the roof forthwith, and bade Rollo commence a
general clearing-up. He also set the other men to various occupations,
and gave each to understand, that when his job was finished he might
return to breakfast. The result of this was, that breakfast that
morning was delayed till between eleven and twelve, the fishery speedily
assumed quite a new aspect, and that the men ate a good