the land, should the breeze not fail. They scarcely
dared to contemplate their position should they be exposed another day
to the hot sun on the raft without water.

Owen and Langton agreed to keep watch and watch, the former taking Mike
and the latter Nat. For two or three hours after sunset the breeze
continued to blow steadily, and the cool night air greatly restored
their strength. The sky was clear and the stars shone brightly. They
had taken the bearings of the land, and had no fear of not keeping to
their proper course.

It was Owen's watch, the raft had been gliding on briskly, when suddenly
the sail gave a flap against the mast, and then hung down motionless.

"Let go the halyards!" he sang out. Before this could be done the sail
was taken aback. Owen sprang forward to assist Mike in lowering it.
Greatly was he disappointed to find the wind blow directly from the
shore, and all hope of further progress, unless it should again change,
denied them. He called up Langton, who at a glance perceived what had
happened.

"We must get out the paddles and work away during the cool of the
night," he said. "Perhaps some current may be setting towards the shore
and assist us."

The proposal was at once adopted. All night they paddled on until their
arms ached. Though sure that they were on their right course the land
could not be seen. Morning again came, when bitter was their
disappointment to find themselves still a long way from it.

A sigh escaped Langton. "It cannot be helped; it is God's will, we must
submit," he said. "Perhaps a breeze will again spring up." There was
nothing to be done; not a particle of fruit, not a biscuit remained.
Langton did not express his apprehensions to his younger companions, but
the dreadful thought forced itself upon him that they would all perish.
He knew that they could not without water endure another day exposed to
the rays of the sun. Hour after hour passed, the land within five or
six miles of them, and yet without the means of reaching it.

Evidently a current, instead of setting them towards the land, was
sweeping them away from it. In vain they tried to paddle against the
current, they had at length to give up the contest.

Collected around the platform in various attitudes they waited on. Mike
and Nat had thrown themselves down at full length. Owen, unwilling to
succumb, still sat upright, occasionally getting on his feet to look
about, but as the fev