for many hours in a
state of partial insensibility.

CHAPTER SIX.

DESCRIBES A BOAT VOYAGE, AND TOUCHES ON CORAL ISLANDS.

The gale moderated to a fresh breeze, and all that day the long-boat of
the ill-fated _Foam_ flew over the sea towards the west.

"You see," said Captain Dall, in answer to a question put to him by Will
Osten, "I don't know exactly whereabouts we are, because there was a
longish spell of dirty weather afore the _Foam_ went down, and I hadn't
got a sight o' the sun for more than a week; but it's my belief that we
are nearer to some of the coral islands than to the coast of South
America, though how near I cannot tell. Five hundred miles, more or
less, perhaps."

"A mere trifle, sure!" said Larry, filling his pipe carefully--for his
was the only pipe that had been rescued from the sinking ship, and the
supply of tobacco was very small. Small as it was, however, the captain
had taken the precaution to collect it all together, causing every man
to empty his pockets of every inch that he possessed, and doled it out
in small equal quantities. The pipe, however, could not be treated
thus, so it had to be passed round--each man possessing it in turn for a
stated number of minutes, when, if he had not consumed his portion, he
was obliged to empty the pipe and give it up.

"It's my turn, Larry," cried Muggins, holding out his hand for the
coveted implement of fumigation.

"No, ye spalpeen, it's not," said Larry, continuing to press down the
precious weed, "owld Bob had it last, an' ivery wan knows that I come
after him."

"It's the first time I ever heard ye admit that you comed after
anybody," answered Muggins with a grin; "ye ginerally go before us all--
at least ye want to."

"Not at all," retorted the cook; "whin there's dirty work to be done, I
most usually kape modestly in the background, an' lets you go first,
bekase it's your nat'ral callin'. Arrah! the sun's goin' to set, boys,"
he added with a sigh, as he commenced to smoke.

This was true, and the knowledge that another long night of darkness was
about to set in depressed the spirits which had begun to revive a
little. Silence gradually ensued as they sat watching the waves or
gazing wistfully towards the gorgeous mass of clouds in which the sun
was setting. For a considerable time they sat thus, when suddenly Will
Osten started up, and, pointing towards the horizon a little to the left
of the sun, exclaimed--

"Look there