nd
them to look very dark."

"It may be so," returned Dominick doubtfully. "But we shall soon see,
for a squall won't take very long to bring her down to us."

They watched the approaching vessel with intense eagerness, but did not
again speak for a considerable time. Anxiety and doubt kept them
silent. There was the danger that the vessel might fail to observe
them, and as their oars had been washed away they had no means of
hoisting a flag of distress. Then there was the unaccountable something
about the vessel's appearance, which puzzled and filled them with
uncertainty. At last they drew so near that Dominick became all too
well aware of what it was, and a sinking of the heart kept him still
silent for a time.

"Brother," said Pauline at last in a sad voice, as she turned her dark
eyes on Dominick, "I fear it is only a wreck."

"You are right," he replied gloomily; "a wreck on a barren shore, too.
Not a scrap of vegetation on it, as far as I can see--a mere sandbank.
Currents are carrying us towards it, and have led us to fancy that the
vessel was moving."

He spoke with bitterness, for the disappointment was very great, and
physical weakness had rendered him less able to bear it than he might
otherwise have been.

"Don't get grumpy, Dom," said Otto, with a slightly humorous look that
was peculiar to him--a look which had not lighted up his eyes for many
days past.

"I _won't_ get grumpy," returned Dominick with sudden energy, patting
the boy's head. "It is quite clear that a good feed and a long rest
were all you required to set up your plucky little spirit again."

"Dom," said Pauline, who had been looking intently at the wreck, "is
there not something like a line of white close to the wreck?"

"Ay, there is," replied Dominick, his countenance again becoming grave;
"it is a line of breakers, through which it will be very difficult to
steer our little boat."

"Steer, Dom," exclaimed Otto, with a look of surprise; "how can you talk
of steering at all, without oar or helm?"

"I must make one of the floor-planks do for both," returned Dominick.

"I say," continued the boy, "I'm horribly hungry. Mayn't I have just a
bite or two more?"

"Stay, I'm thinking," replied the other.

"Think fast then, please, for the wolf inside of me is howling."

The result of Dominick's thinking was that he resolved to consume as
much of their stock of provisions as possible in one meal, in order to
secure all th