cut
their throats whenever they found them. Bad as we are off, they, poor
fellows, are much worse. We may be thankful, Sam, that we are where we
are. This isn't the first time that I've been in a boat out in
mid-ocean, without a drop of water, and with nothing to eat except maybe
a flying-fish and a brace of noddies we caught, and a dead bird we
picked up, till we came across a whale floating, and, fed on the blubber
for a week or more, though we had to hold our noses as we put it into
our mouths, till we were at length picked up. So you see, bad off as we
may be, we've no business to give way to despair; help will come from
one side or the other."

These remarks contributed to keep up the spirits of all the party, which
had naturally begun to flag. As the day advanced the heat became
greater and greater. They did what they could to keep themselves cool;
they wetted their shirts and their clothes, but they very speedily
became dry again. The evening of another day was approaching; nearly
four-and-twenty hours had passed since they had taken any food, and not
a biscuit had anyone by chance in his pocket. At length, after
rummaging in his pocket for some time, Sam Potts drew out a
black-looking lump of about the size of the end joint of his thumb.
"Hurrah!" he exclaimed; "here's a treasure! Jerry, ask the young
gentlemen if they'd like to have a chaw, I suppose they won't take it
amiss, seeing we're all in the same boat."

The midshipmen thanked Sam, but declined his offer, feeling that it was
more likely to increase their thirst than to lessen it. Jerry, however,
expressed his gratitude to his mate, who generously gave him half his
precious quid, which he immediately stuffed into his cheek. "Ah, this
is something like!" he exclaimed; "bless my heart, it's like meat and
drink. Them as never was out at sea in an open boat, without as much
food as would cover a sixpence, they shouldn't cry out and abuse us poor
fellows for taking a chaw, or enjoying a blow of baccy when we've a
chance."

"You're right, mate," said Sam; "I'd have given my last golden guinea
for a quid, and I believe it will help to keep our bodies and souls
together better nor anything else we was likely to find out here."

The midshipmen, who had heard Jerry's remarks about noddies and
flying-fish, kept looking out in the hopes that they might get hold of
some denizens of the sea or air. Though occasionally the fin of a shark
appeared abo