that there were other islands to the southward, the
natives of which were well spoken of. That was all he could say on the
subject. How far off they were he could not tell.

They had now a good supply of water; but they had put only a few
cocoa-nuts into the boat, and though they had several fish, they would
very soon be unfit to eat.

"He who has brought us thus far will still take care of us, lads, if we
will but trust Him," said old Tom.

This was the burden of his address day after day.

The fish they were still able to eat on the second day, so that they
could reserve their cocoa-nuts.

They had been living on the latter, with some water, for two days
longer, when again a covey of flying-fish passed over the boat, nearly a
dozen falling into her. This afforded them the means of subsistence for
two days more, then again they had to resort to the remainder of the
cocoa-nuts. These were, however, at length finished.

Day after day they sailed on, no land appearing in sight. Even should
they reach shore, they were aware that they might be received in the
same hostile way that they were before.

The last cocoa-nut was eaten, the last drop of water exhausted. The
hapless wanderers gazed with lack-lustre eyes in each other's faces.
What would next happen?

"All we can now do is to lay ourselves down and die," said Harry.

"No, no, lad; trust still in God," answered old Tom. "He has preserved
us hitherto. If He thinks fit He can still carry us safe to shore. See
away there over the starboard bow--what do you make out?"

Harry and Dickey lifted their heads and gazed in the direction in which
old Tom pointed.

"My old eyes are sharper than your young ones," he observed, when they
made no reply.

"I make out the top of a mountain rising above the horizon. We shall
see more of it before nightfall if the wind holds; let us pray that it
may."

The rest of the people would not believe old Tom, and declared that he
was mistaken; but he persisted in his assertion that land was ahead, and
urged them to keep up their spirits.

Before nightfall land appeared clearly in view, but still at a great
distance. All night long they ran on, old Tom sitting at the helm, for
he would trust no one else, while Harry and Dickey did their best to
keep a look-out ahead, for, young as they were, they endured their
sufferings better than the older men, who lay stretched out on the
thwarts.

When morning dawned a beautif