brain, and he felt that unless the _Nautilus_ hove in sight, their
position was less to be envied than that of the poor negro lying dead
beneath the flat which hid his face from their sight.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

A TERRIBLE TASK.

Hunger at first--a sharp, grinding sensation of hunger attacked Mark
Vandean; but as the sun rose higher this was forgotten in the intense
thirst. For the heat rapidly grew scorching, and then, as Mark thought,
burning, and saving the flag in the stern-sheets there was not a scrap
of anything that could be used for an awning.

Every eye was strained westward in search of the returning _Nautilus_,
but in the clear morning light there was no sign of her; and as the sun
rose higher, the distance became obscured by a hot haze, which grew more
dense as the hours went on, till it was impossible to see a mile in any
direction, while this thickening of the atmosphere had the effect of
heightening the power of the rays of the sun.

"We shall never be able to see the ship, Mr Russell," said Mark towards
mid-day, as they lay there parched beyond endurance, rising slowly and
falling upon the smooth Atlantic swell. "Do you think they will fire
again?"

"Sure to, my lad," was the reply. "There, I'm glad you have spoken.
This silence was getting unbearable."

"I couldn't talk before," replied Mark; "it all seemed to be so horrible
lying here in this scorching heat, and I was so thirsty and faint I felt
as if I couldn't keep up."

"We all felt the same, my lad, but we must bear it till help comes.
There, you are my lieutenant now, and we must have a consultation as to
what is best to be done."

For they had lain there all the fore part of the day watching the west
for the return of their vessel. It was madness to order the men to go
on rowing, weary and suffering as they were under that burning sun,
farther away into the vast ocean in search of the _Nautilus_; and on the
other hand, Lieutenant Russell was unwilling to give up the chance of
being picked up by turning their backs on help and making for the coast.

But now the time had come for action. The men sat about in the boat
looking wild-eyed with thirst and heat, and the chances of being seen by
the returning ship were now growing small on account of the haze. So
feeling that Captain Maitland would give him the credit of making for
Port Goldby or one of the factories on the coast, Lieutenant Russell
announced his determination of makin