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observed to Boxall; "and I cannot help thinking that Jose is right. We must not forget the sample they have given us of their feelings." "I am afraid it must be so," said Boxall with a sigh. "For our own safety, we must make for the shore without further delay. Hoist the sail, Ben. I will take the steering-oar; Jose can manage the bow oar; and you, Halliday, and Charlie can tend the halyards and sheet." We assisted Ben to hoist the sail, which was somewhat large for the raft, except under a very light wind. Before the sail was set, however, the breeze had greatly increased, and scarcely had we brought the sheet aft when over went the mast, carried off at the heel. We of course set to work to get in the sail, while Ben, with an axe, endeavoured to cut out the broken heel from the step, in which he had fixed it. This took some time, as the raft was rocking about far more than it had hitherto done, and he could not work quickly in the darkness. Having at length succeeded, he had next to chop the heel of the mast to the proper size to fit the step. He was working away as rapidly as possible, and we were stooping down to assist him, when Jose shouted out, "They are coming, they are coming!" Looking round, we observed that the sail of the big raft was hoisted, and that she was coming towards us faster than we should have supposed it was possible for her to move. In little more than a minute she might be up with us; while the wild shouts and execrations of the miscreants who were on the raft rang in our ears, and showed us what he had to expect from them. Ben worked away as composedly but as rapidly as he could, while we were engaged in taking a reef in the sail. "It's done," cried Ben at last; and lifting the mast, we found, to our great satisfaction, that the heel fitted into the step. We immediately set up four stays. "Be smart now," cried Boxall. "Hoist away with the sail." He had good reason to give the order, for, as we looked round, we saw the head of the big raft with several people on it, some rowing to give it more impetus, while one stood with a boat-hook ready to catch hold of us. In another instant the fellow might have hooked on, or have run the point of it into the back of Boxall, who had again resumed the steering-oar; but, hoisting away with all our might, we got the sail up, and while Ben was making fast the halyards Halliday and I carried the sheet aft. Over the now foaming sea w
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