ated to them. Standing
erect upon an elevated part of the raft, the boy had the advantage of
them, and could note every movement they were making, without being seen
by them.

He did not spend much time in merely looking at them. He knew that that
would be of no avail; and after giving utterance to one or two joyous
ejaculations, he returned to the oar, if possible plying it with greater
energy than ever, from the renewed encouragement which he now derived
from the confidence of success.

When he turned again and stood upright, looking to windward, the tableau
had changed. Lilly Lalee was still lying along the lid of the chest,
but only one head was seen in the water! It was that of the sailor, as
the white face and the long flowing hair told him.

Where was the cranium of the sea-cook? Where was the skull of Snowball?
Gone with his body to the bottom?

These interrogatories flashed across the brain of the lad, causing him a
feeling of alarm. It was of short continuance, however. In the next
moment they were answered, and to his satisfaction. The Coromantee was
seen astride of the cask, more conspicuous than ever: only, being now in
a slightly different direction, he had not been seen at the first
glance.

Without shouting, or making any other idle demonstration, the
intelligent youth once more applied himself to the oars, and vigorously
propelled the raft to windward.

He did not again desist, until a voice falling upon his ear and,
pronouncing his name, caused him to look once more in the direction of
the swimmers.

Then, instead of seeing the Coromantee astride of the cask, he perceived
the round black physiognomy of that individual above the surface of the
water, and scarce a cable's length from the _Catamaran_!

A double line of frothy ripple proceeding from each of his large spread
ears, and running rapidly into his wake, indicated the direction in
which he was swimming,--towards the raft,--while his eyeballs showing
fearfully, and white as the froth itself,--the spluttering and blowing
that proceeded from his thick lips, and the agitation of the sea around
him,--all told that he was doing his very best to come up with the
_Catamaran_.

"Golly!" he gasped out, on perceiving himself within safe distance of
being heard. "Row dis way, lilly Willy! Row like de debbil, good lad!
I'se most done up,--dat I be. In de space ob anoder cable length dis
chile he muss a gub up!"

And ending his speech