t of
sufficient size to carry the whole party as well as provisions. By
lashing underneath two rows of casks, it would be sufficiently buoyant.

They were thus employed until daylight, when Tom, who had sprung up to
the poop to look out, exclaimed--"A ship in sight! a ship in sight!
she's only just hull down."

His shout brought the rest of the party up around him, and all were
eagerly looking out in the direction be pointed. As daylight increased,
Tim began to rub his eyes--

"Arrah now, ill-luck to it; but my ship has just turned into a white
rock," he cried out. "Shure but it's a mighty disappointment."

The expectation of speedy deliverance was thus suddenly destroyed; but
the shipwrecked party continued looking round on every side, in the hope
of discovering land. The light yet further increasing, Tom's
countenance brightened as he observed what looked like the masts of a
ship rising, far off, out of the water.

"Why, I believe those are three cocoa-nut trees," he cried out
cheerfully. "I see several others away to the eastward."

"If there are cocoa-nut trees, there must be land too, for they don't
grow out of the sea," said Billy, "and I hope we may be able to get
there."

"You need not doubt about our doing that," said Tom.

This announcement raised every one's spirits. The weather had much
moderated. The sea between the reef on which the ship lay and the land
was tolerably smooth.

The forlorn party began to cheer up. All now began to feel hungry.
"I'll tell you what it is: if we don't get something to eat soon, I for
one shall die of inanition," exclaimed Billy. "I can't stand starving
at the best of times, and I am suffering dreadfully."

"We will see what can be done, Billy," said Tom, and as if it was a
matter of course, he told Peter to get breakfast ready.

"Yes, massa officer, me soon do dat same," answered the black, grinning
and looking towards where the caboose had lately stood. "Me try what
can do in de cabin," he added, diving below.

Though the caboose had been washed away Peter managed to light a fire in
the cabin stove and to cook a tolerable breakfast, of which all
thankfully partook.

"'Faith! we're not so badly off after all," observed Gerald. "If the
boatswain and the poor fellows with him had stuck to the ship, they
might all have been alive now and have reached land without difficulty."

Immediately after breakfast they began to put the raft together, which
Tom