injunctions of the seaman, seized hold of
the end of rope thrown to him, and made it fast to one of the spars
which comprised his singular craft; while at the same time Ben busied
himself in tying the other end to the piece of handspike erected upon
his own.

Soon each completed his task; and after some time spent in a mutual
detail of the adventures that had befallen them since the hour of
separation on the deck of the ill-fated Pandora, it was agreed that all
should go to rest for the remainder of the night, and with the earliest
light of day take measures to perpetuate the union of the two wandering
waifs thus unexpectedly brought into companionship.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

RECONSTRUCTING THE RAFT.

The crews of both rafts were astir by early dawn, the sailor arousing
one and all from their slumbers. The rising sun, as it shone over the
ocean, fell upon four faces, all wearing a very different expression
from that which they had exhibited at his setting on the day before. If
not positively cheerful, there was at least hopefulness in their looks:
for their renewed companionship had mutually inspired one and all with
renewed hopes of deliverance. Indeed, it was evident even to the
youngest of the party, that this unexpected union of strength would
materially increase the chances of escape from the common danger; since
the two strong men working together could do many things that would have
been impossible to either of them alone,--to say nothing of the
encouragement and confidence always springing from concerted action.

The very fact of their having come together in the way they had done
seemed something more than accidental. It looked less like mere
accident than that they had been favoured by the hand of Providence; and
even the rude seaman, and the still ruder sea-cook, were only too glad
to give way to the fancy that Providence was interfering on their
behalf.

Certainly, the succession of fortunate events with which both had been
favoured,--and which had not only hitherto sustained them, but promised
to preserve their lives for a still longer period,--certainly, these
circumstances were sufficient to beget the belief that they were
specially under the protection of some power less capricious than mere
chance.

The fact of their having encountered each other--even when one of them
had been in the act of taking measures to avoid the encounter--was of
itself something to strengthen this conviction, a