lower. We were in a bad
way. There was no one to say, "Trust in God."

The mate was ill before the ship was cast away. He now lost all spirit,
and thought that his end was coming. He told us that we were still
nearly two hundred miles from land to the south-west of us, and
described the stars we should steer by. The next day he died, and two
other strong-looking men died within two days of him. The rest of them
thought that they should never reach land.

I said at last, "Let us trust in God. Let us pray that He will send us
help."

Two of the men answered that God did not care for such poor wretched
fellows as they were.

I said that I was sure He cared for everybody, and that He would hear us
if we prayed to Him, however poor and wretched we were. I only know
that I prayed as hard as ever I did, and Bill prayed too.

Two days more passed away. At night the stars came out, and we steered
the course the mate had given us. I was at the helm looking now at the
stars, now ahead, when I saw a dark object right before me.

It was a ship sailing across our course. I shouted loudly. The shout
roused those who were asleep. They all sprang to their oars, and pulled
away as hard as their remaining strength would allow, we all shouting at
the top of our voices. I saw the ship heave-to, and I burst into tears.
We were soon alongside, but without help we were too weak to get on
deck.

I heard voices I knew giving orders. Yes, there stood Captain Bolton on
the quarter-deck, and Mr Alder seeing to the boat being hoisted up.
Another person stood before me, watching the men helping us up, it was
Toby Potts. Now I felt sure that I was in a dream. Toby had been lost
so many months before on the other side of the Pacific. He did not know
either Bill or me. No one knew us. That made it still more like a
dream. I forgot how many months had passed by since we were on board
the _Rose_, and that we were well-nigh starved to death.

The captain came round as we sat on the deck, and spoke very kindly to
us, and told us that hammocks should be got ready, and that we should
have some food as soon as it could be warmed up.

"Don't you know me, Captain Bolton?" I asked as he came up to me.

He looked at me hard, as the light of the lantern fell on my face.
"What! Tom Trueman! I should say, if I didn't believe that he has long
ago been in another world," he exclaimed; "if it is Tom, I am right glad
to see you, lad.