l was startled, and
he thought of his God and his Saviour as he had never thought before.
Despite his efforts to restrain them, tears, but not unmanly tears,
_would_ flow down his cheeks as he sat that evening on his raft;
meditated on the past, the present, and the future, and realised the
terrible solemnity of his position--without water or food--almost
without hope--alone on the deep. [See Frontispiece.]

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

AN UNEXPECTED MEETING--DOINGS ON THE ISLE OF PALMS--GASCOYNE'S DESPAIR.

It was not without some difficulty that the boat reached the shore after
the squall burst upon them. On landing, the party observed, dark though
it was, that their leader's countenance wore an expression of the
deepest anxiety; yet there were lines upon it that indicated the raging
of conflicting passions which he found it difficult to restrain.

"I fear me," said Ole Thorwald in a troubled voice, "that our young
friend Henry Stuart is in danger."

"Lost!" said Gascoyne, in a voice so low and grating that it startled
his hearers.

"Say not so," said Mr Mason, earnestly. "He is a brave and a clever
youth, and knows how to manage the cutter until we can row back and
fetch him ashore."

"Row back!" exclaimed Gascoyne, almost fiercely.

"Think you that I would stand here idle if our boat could live in such a
sea as now rolls on the rocks? The _Wasp_ must have been washed over
the reef by this time. She may pass the next without being dashed to
pieces, but she is too rickety to stand the third. No, there is no
hope!"

While he spoke the missionary's eyes were closed, and his lips moved as
if in silent prayer. Seizing Gascoyne nervously by the arm, he
said--"You cannot tell that there is no hope. That is known only to One
who has encouraged us to `hope against hope.' Henry is a stout youth
and a good swimmer. He may succeed in clinging to some portion of the
wreck."

"True, true," cried Gascoyne, eagerly grasping at this hope, slight
though it was. "Come, we waste time. There is but one chance. The
schooner must be secured without delay. Lads, you will follow Mr
Thorwald. Do whatever he bids you. And now," he added, leading the
merchant aside, "the time for action has come. I will conduct you to a
certain point on the island where you will remain concealed among the
bushes until I return to you."

"And suppose you never return to us, Mister Gascoyne?" said Ole, who
regarded every act of the pi