llow, but no moving had the effect of rousing him up. David felt as
he had never felt before; sitting there, the only being conscious of
external affairs in that lone boat, running on amidst those huge
billows. As long as the gale continued, on the boat must go, he well
knew, or run almost the certainty of being swamped. The short sleep he
had enjoyed had refreshed him, and he thought that he should now be able
to keep awake. He felt very hungry, though. No wonder! Most people
would have been hungry who had eaten nothing but raw fish during upwards
of twenty-four hours. He, however, would now have been very glad to get
some more raw fish, but he could not reach the hamper, and he dared not
leave the helm for an instant. There was a locker under where he sat.
He had just bailed out the boat, when stooping down, he put his hand in,
and, feeling round, discovered to his great joy a large piece of bread,
the best part of a quartern loaf. It was very stale, but he was not
inclined to be particular. Never had he tasted bread so sweet. He
took, though, only a small portion, as he did not like to eat more
without having Harry to share it with him, or old Jefferies, if he could
be aroused. The bread, with a little fresh water, greatly revived him.
He thought, indeed, that he should be able to keep awake all the night,
if Harry should sleep on. He tried his best. He stood up, then he
bailed, but as much less water came into the boat than before, he had
but little to do in that way. He tried to sing and whistle, but the
tunes were somewhat melancholy. The wind was certainly decreasing, and
the sea going down. "I must wake up Harry, and then, if we can but
manage to rig a fore and aft sail, we might haul our wind, and stand to
the north-east," he said to himself. "But which is the north-east, I
wonder? The wind may have changed, and there is not a break in the
clouds. Without a compass, how can we find our way? If the clouds
clear away, the stars would help us--at least, I suppose Harry knows all
about them. I wish that I did. But I was lazy, and to this moment am
not quite certain as to the look of the Polar Bear. I remember that the
North Star is in that. However, we could not do much yet, and, with her
beam to the sea, the boat would not be steady enough to rig our mast
properly. We must wait patiently till morning. Dear me, how heavy my
head feels! They must be all wondering what has become of us at hom