ir through
which I viewed her so distorted her shape and proportions that it bore
as much resemblance to the one as to the other; but, if a sail, it was
certainly doing no good, for I could see by the peculiar lift and flap
of it that both tack and sheet were adrift. As to whether she had any
occupants or not, I could not for the life of me determine; for although
I remained aloft there in the top for a good half-hour, with my eye
glued to the telescope all the while, only once did I detect what had
the appearance of something moving on board her; but the sight was so
transitory and unsatisfactory that I might easily have been mistaken.
However, we had by this time neared her to within some five miles; so,
as another hour would decide the question, I determined to possess my
soul in patience until then, and accordingly closed the telescope, slung
it over my shoulder, and returned to the deck. As I wended my way down
the ratlines I noticed two of the men--who were now supposed to be
busily engaged in clearing up the decks after the work of the day--
standing halfway up the topgallant forecastle ladder, and staring so
intently ahead that they were altogether oblivious of my close
proximity, from which I concluded that the boat must be already visible
to them. As I swung myself out of the rigging on to the deck I heard
one of them exclaim to the other--

"There, did ye see that? I swear I saw somebody get up and wave his
hand, and then fall back again into the bottom of the boat!"

This description answered so accurately to what I thought I also had
seen through the glass, that the doubts I had hitherto entertained as to
the presence of people on board the boat now began to yield to the
belief that there were, especially as the man who had just spoken bore
the reputation of being the keenest-sighted man in the ship. I held my
peace, however, and made my way aft to the poop, where Sir Edgar and his
party--himself and the two ladies armed with binoculars--were still
assembled, eagerly scanning the horizon ahead.

"Oh, captain," exclaimed Lady Emily, as I joined the little group, "is
it really true that there are shipwrecked people in that little boat?
You have been up there watching it for so long through your telescope
that you will be able to tell us for certain."

"I am afraid I cannot do anything of the kind," answered I. "It is true
that for a single moment I thought I detected a movement of some kind on
board