would be knocked out of their bodies,
they were not carried off; and they found that their raft was being
driven rapidly towards the shore, now scarcely a quarter of a mile from
them. Every instant they expected the raft to be turned over and over,
but it floated as before, and, now lifted high on the summit of a
breaker, and now sunk down into the hollow of the sea, went on and on
till they felt it ground on the beach.

Tom told them to cast themselves adrift, when, seizing each by the arm,
he dragged them forward, and in another instant they were on dry ground.

"Praise God for His mercy! We are safe!" cried Tom. "But now, boys,
let us see if we can help any of our shipmates."

They looked along the beach on either hand, but for some minutes they
could discover no one.

"There is a man!" at length cried Tom. "I caught sight of his head and
hand among the foam."

They ran in the direction Tom pointed, waiting anxiously, in the hope of
dragging the man out of the surf as it broke on the shore. Tom rushed
in and seized him, as for an instant he was thrown on the beach, or the
receding waves would have carried him back. The boys assisted Tom.
They recognised the features of the captain, but the hue of death was on
his face. His arms fell down as they placed him on the ground.

"He has gone!" cried Tom.

They did what they could to revive him, but life was extinct.

Two other bodies were washed up, but not a human being besides
themselves reached the shore alive. They looked around them. The whole
bay into which they had been thrown presented a scene of barren wildness
and grandeur. A valley opened up from it, and in the distance rose the
summit of a lofty volcano, the stream of lava from which had caused the
desolation they saw around.

"I am glad we have got ashore alive; but I am afraid we shall die of
hunger if we cannot manage to get out of this soon," said Bass.

"He who brought us on shore will take care of us," observed Tom. "But
we must do our best. The sooner we set off to look for some natives the
better."

"If there are any Christians about here, we are sure, if we can find
them, to be treated kindly."

Having examined the coast as far as they could see on either hand, they
agreed to move to the east, in which direction some green shrubs and
trees were distinguishable. As they all felt weak and exhausted, there
was no time to be lost.

"Won't it be well to get hold of something to d