o exert themselves to move the boat at the rate of two knots
an hour. Still progress was being made. They should in time reach the
most northern of the Ladrones, where they might venture on shore without
fear of being killed and eaten, as would certainly be their lot on any
of the islands further to the south-west. Rowing all day under a
burning sun is not conducive to health, and though none of the party
were actually ill, they began to long for a breeze, which would send
them more rapidly on their course; while their spirits, which had
hitherto been kept up, also flagged considerably. Each day, too, they
made less progress than on the former one, a sign that their strength
was somewhat failing. They had hitherto had an ample supply of food.
The salt junk found on board the wreck had been kept to be used only in
case of necessity. Of their turtle, one had been killed, and they had
feasted on it for a couple of days, until the remainder grew bad, and
they were compelled to throw it overboard. One morning Pat, who had
taken charge of the animals, announced that the other was dead, having
died during the night, and that unless it was quickly eaten it would be
lost. This proved to be the case, especially to Billy's regret, who saw
the tempting morsels swallowed by the shark, which had, since its first
appearance, followed the boat. The still more alarming announcement was
that several of their hams, which they had fancied so well cured, were
also getting bad. Some were consigned to the maw of the voracious
shark, though others, which were only slightly tainted, were kept until
the continued heat rendered them uneatable. Pat could not make it out,
but it was discovered on examination that neither the smoke nor salt had
penetrated to any depth, and that they would have done better to have
cut the meat in thin strips and attempted thus to preserve it.

"Well, we shall have fish enough and roots, before we attack the junk;
we must husband the biscuit and other things," observed Tom.

He accordingly put all hands on an allowance. It was with no small
anxiety that he examined the cured fish, which he was grieved to find
emitted far from a pleasant odour; still, as it was at present eatable,
he continued to serve it out.

"It is not often I have known a calm last so long as this," exclaimed
Jerry, when a whole week had passed, and not a breath of air had filled
their sails. "We would have been better off on shore ha