th the
steering oar, which effectually stayed any further proceedings on its
part. "Pipe all hands to dinner."

Both the boys said afterwards, when detailing their experiences during
that voyage in an open boat across the ocean when they were lost at sea,
that they never before or since ever enjoyed such a meal in their lives
as that cape pigeon, which they plucked, and divided into two equal
portions, eating the raw flesh, share and share alike, with the greatest
gusto, even licking up afterwards the blood that dropped from it on to
the thwarts.

The repast gave them new life and spirits, and from that hour the tide
of their affairs seemed to flow more favourably, as shortly afterwards
they caught a molly hawk, which they carefully put away in the boat's
locker along with the water, which David was very particular in
allowancing out, giving Jonathan and himself only a small quantity twice
a day out of a measure he had made by cutting off the toe part of one of
his boots.

Towards the afternoon of the same day the heavens grew dark right ahead,
a big black cloud spreading across the horizon like a great curtain, and
mounting gradually till it hid the sun from view.

"We're going to have a squall, Jonathan," said David. "You must look
out sharp to shift the sheet when I tell you, and unstep the mast, if
necessary, the very moment I say, mind!"

"Right you are," answered the other, who had now lost all that
nervousness for which David used to chaff him when on board the _Sea
Rover_. "You only give the word, old man, and you'll find me all
there."

The squall, however, passed away without touching them, having vented
its force in some other quarter; but the wind veered round to the
eastwards, much to David's disgust, as he had to let the boat's head
fall off from the course he wished to steer, and, strange to say, the
great black cloud they had first seen seemed still to face them and keep
right ahead, although their direction had been altered--it looked,
really, just as if standing like a sentry to bar their progress.

"I don't know what it can mean," said David anxiously. "The wind has
shifted, so why can't it shift too?"

"It doesn't appear so big as it was," observed Jonathan. "It is
gradually narrowing at the bottom as it spreads out on top. And look,
David, the end of it, close to the sea, comes down into a point just
like a thread."

Presently, as the boat ran nearer towards the cloud, which seemed