ed off the coil of rope to the end of which
it was attached. In a few seconds it was about forty yards away to
windward, and formed a sort of floating breakwater, which, slight though
it was, proved to be sufficient to check the full force of the seas, so
that the little boat found partial shelter to leeward.

The shelter was terribly slight, however; only just sufficient to save
them from absolute destruction; and it was still necessary for one of
their number to be constantly employed in baling out the water.

During the night the clouds cleared away, but there was no abatement of
the wind; and having no water they were obliged to eat their allowance
of biscuit either in a dry state or moistened in the sea.

Next day the sun rose in a cloudless sky, and all day it shone upon them
fiercely, and the wind moderated enough to render baling unnecessary,
but still they did not dare to haul in their floating bulwark.

Extreme thirst now assailed them, and Graddy began in an excited state
to drink copiously of salt water.

"Don't go for to do that, cap'n," remonstrated Gaff.

A derisive laugh was the only reply.

Presently Graddy arose, and going into the head of the boat, took up the
baling-dish and again drank deeply of the sea-water. "Ha! ha!" he
laughed, tossing his arms wildly in the air, and gazing at Gaff with the
glaring eyes of a maniac, "that's the nectar for me. Come, boys, I'll
sing you a ditty."

With that he burst into a roaring bacchanalian song, and continued to
shout, and yell, and drink the brine until he was hoarse. But he did
not seem to get exhausted; on the contrary, his eyes glared more and
more brightly, and his face became scarlet as the fires that were raging
within him increased in intensity.

Billy clung to his father, and looked at the captain in speechless
horror. Even Gaff himself felt an overpowering sense of dread creep
over him, for he now knew that he had to deal with a raving maniac. Not
knowing what to do, he sat still and silent in the stern of the boat
with the tiller in his hand, and his eyes fixed immovably on those of
the madman, who seemed to feel that it was a trial as to which should
stare the other down, for he soon gave up singing and drinking, and
devoted all his energies of body and soul to glaring at his enemy.

Thus they continued until the sun began to set. Then Gaff's heart sank
within him, for he felt sure that, whenever it was too dark for each to
see th