, a thin stream of light shot upwards
from the dark ocean, and broke into a thousand beautiful coruscations
above our heads. "A rocket! the schooner had some on board for
signals," cried Burkett. "She is under weigh to look for us!"

About the light we had no doubt; but it was scarcely possible that he
could have heard any sound. None, at all events, had reached our ears.
A few moments before, we had been prepared to die; now life, with its
many fancied advantages, occupied all our thoughts. With intense
eagerness we looked towards the spot whence the rocket had ascended.
All was darkness. Suddenly a light burst forth; of intense brightness
it seemed, as it shed its rays over the foam-sprinkled, dancing water,
and showed us clearly the spars, and rigging, and white canvas of the
schooner. We shouted long and lustily, but we were too far off to be
heard. Our hearts sunk, for she was standing away from us. Once more
we shouted. Our shout was answered from a different direction from that
where we had seen the schooner. Earnestly we listened. We could
distinguish, too, the loud barking of a dog.

"Old Surley is safe, at all events. I am glad of that, poor fellow,"
exclaimed Gerard. "I like that old dog."

We watched eagerly. A light was observed dancing over the seas. Again
we cried out. How cheery struck those sounds on our ears, which we had
thought would never hear the human voice again. In less than five
minutes a whale-boat dashed up to us, with old Surley in her bow, and at
her stern sat Cousin Silas. We were saved! and before we could speak,
we sank down on our knees, to return thanks to Him whose right arm had
preserved us. A few words served to tell us how Cousin Silas had
reached the shore a little way above the station, with old Surley as his
companion; how kindly he had been received, and how promptly every one
rushed to man the boats to hasten to our rescue.

In less than an hour we were at the station, when the schooner and the
other boats soon returned. We were put to bed and rubbed with blankets,
and had hot rum and water poured down our throats, so that very soon we
recovered; nor did we suffer any material injury from the cold and wet
to which we had been so long exposed. The schooner had been delayed,
being unable to complete her cargo of seal-skins by the time expected.
The next day we sailed, and in three days arrived safely in Stanley. We
found the _Triton_ ready for sea, and o