der what steamer that was as run us down!" said Josh, as the vessel
he used to bale began now to scrape the wood at the bottom of the boat.

"French screw," replied Will. "An English boat would have kept a better
look-out. Why, you are cold!" he added, as he laid his hand on Dick.

"Ye-es," said the latter with a shudder. "It is horribly cold. Shall
we ever get ashore?"

"Ashore! yes," cried Josh. "Why, they'd be able, 'most to hear us now.
Let's try."

Taking a long breath, he placed both hands to his cheeks, and then gave
vent to a dismal hail--a hail in a minor key--the cry of the sailor in
dire peril, when he appeals to those on shore to come to his help, and
save him from the devouring storm-beaten sea.

"Ahoy--ah!" the last syllable in a sinking inflexion of the voice a few
seconds after the first.

Then again:

"Ahoy--ah!"

He went on baling till no more water could be thrown out, and the boat
drifted slowly on with the tide.

Away to their left there rose the lamp-lit windows and the pier light.
Lower down, too, were a couple of dim red lamps, one above the other,
telling of the little dock; but no answer came from the shore.

"There's sure to be some one on the cliff, Josh; hail again," said Will.

"Ay, if we had a flare now, we should bring out the life-boat to fetch
us in," cried Josh. "Why, Will lad, we shall be taken a mile away from
the town, and perhaps out to sea again. I wish I had an oar."

"Ahoy--ah!"

Then again and again; and still there was no response, while they
drifted slowly on over the sea, which looked to Dick, as he gazed down
into its depths, alive with tiny stars, and these not the reflections of
those above.

"Ahoy--ah!" shouted Josh again, with all the power of his stentorian
lungs.

"They're all asleep," he growled; "we shall have to drift ashore and
walk home. If I only had one oar I'd scull her back in no time. Ahoy--
ah!"

Still no response, and the boat floated on beneath the wondrous starry
sky, while every time those in the boat made the slightest movement a
golden rippling film seemed to run from her sides, and die away upon the
surface of the sea.

"She brimes a deal," said Josh, in allusion to the golden water; and
then, leaping up, he began to beat his breast with his arms; "I'm
a-cold!" he exclaimed. "Now, then; let's have a try;" and, placing his
hands to his face once more, he uttered a tremendous hail.

"Ahoy--ah!"

Long drawn out and di