ng that if once at the top they should find shelter; but this
proved to be impossible. Equally impossible was it to get round the
promontory on which they had been cast. They were therefore compelled
to shelter themselves as they best might, in the crevices of the exposed
point, and cling to each other for warmth.

It was a long long night to those castaways. Minutes appeared to pass
like hours, and it seemed to them as if night had finally and for ever
settled down on the dreary world. The wind too, although not very cold,
was sufficiently so to chill them, and long before day began to break
they were so much benumbed as to be scarcely able to maintain their
position.

During all this time they were harassed by uncertainty as to the nature
of the rock on which they were cast. It might be a mere barren islet,
perhaps one which the sea covered at high-water, in which case there was
the possibility of their being swept away before morning.

When morning came, however, it revealed to them the fact that they were
upon a small promontory, which was connected by a narrow neck of sand
with the land.

As soon as the light rendered this apparent, Gaff put his hand on
Billy's head and spoke softly to him--

"Now then, lad, look up--ye an't sleepin', sure, are ye?"

"No, daddy, only dozin' and dreamin'," said Billy, rousing himself.

"Well, we must stop dreamin', and git ashore as fast as we can. I think
there's dry land all the way to the beach; if not, it'll only be a short
swim. Whether it's an island or what, I don't know; but let's be
thankful, boy, that it looks big enough to hold us. Come, cheer up!"

To this Billy replied that he was quite jolly, and ready for anything;
and, by way of proving his fitness for exertion, began to crawl over the
rocks like a snail!

"That'll never do," said Gaff with a short laugh; "come, wrestle with
me, youngster."

The Bu'ster accepted the challenge at once by throwing his arms round
his father's waist, and endeavouring to throw him. Gaff resisted, and
the result was that, in ten minutes or so, they were comparatively warm,
and capable of active exertion.

Then they clambered over the rocks, traversed the neck of sand, and
quickly gained the shore.

Ascending the cliffs with eager haste, they reached the summit just as
the sun rose and tinged the topmost pinnacles with a golden hue.
Pushing on towards an elevated ridge of rock, they climbed to the top of
a mound, fro