here were other small islands marked
down to the westward, one of which they might sight; and, if so, Tom
determined to land, and try to obtain water and any food they might be
able to find. They would most likely be able to get shellfish from the
rocks, which would be an improvement on the junk. It was night.
Desmond had the watch, and Tom was lying down fast asleep. He was
aroused by hearing Desmond sing out, "A breeze! a breeze! All hands
make sail!" Tom in a moment was on his feet. He looked around him and
up at the stars.

"From which quarter does it come?" he asked.

The binnacle lamp had not been lighted. A light was soon struck. Tom
examined the compass. "It is dead against us," he exclaimed, with
almost a groan.

"It is coming on very strong too, sir," observed Jerry. "It would be
better not to set the mainsail, until we see what happens."

As Jerry had feared, the wind became stronger, and they presently had as
much as the boat could stagger under, with only her mizzen and foresail
set. The sea, however, was not as heavy as might have been expected.
Tom kept the boat's head close to it, and she rode easily over the
fast-rising billows. The hatch, which had hitherto been of no use, was
shipped, and kept out the seas which occasionally broke on board. The
boat was much lighter than when she had started; indeed, as Jerry
observed, "she would have been the better for a few more sand-bags in
her bottom." Tom was delighted at her behaviour.

"She rides beautifully over the seas," he exclaimed. "I should have
been sorry not to have given her a trial. The wind will very likely
change before long, and we shall have a quick run to Faralon. I wish
that I knew more about it, but if we can get water and cocoa-nuts and
shellfish there, we must not complain. We can afterwards make our way
without difficulty to Guam, having plenty of islands to stop at in our
course."

Tom said this to keep up his own spirits and those of his companions.
They had not as yet begun to suffer from hunger, but he well knew that
they should in a few days unless they could reach land. They had none
of them calculated on the contingency which had occurred. The gale
continued all day. At night the sea went down, and the wind fell
considerably, but still blew from the southward. The boat was put
about, as Tom and Desmond agreed that they must try and beat up to
Faralon, which they might hope to sight in two or three days a