istance.

"Stubbs knows where the island is," said the captain, "and if they've
lived they'll make for it. We can't turn aside to search all over the
sea for 'em."

Robert after a while fell asleep also in his seat, and despite his
extraordinary situation slept soundly, though it was rather an
unconsciousness that came from extreme exhaustion, both bodily and
mental. He awoke some time later to find that the darkness had come back
and that the wind was rising again.

"You can take a hand at the oar once more, Peter," said the captain. "I
let you sleep because I knew that it would refresh you and we need the
strength of everybody. The storm, as I predicted, is returning, not as
strong as it was at first, perhaps, but strong enough."

He wakened the other men who were sleeping, and all took to the oars.
The waves were running high, and the boat began to ship water. Several
of the men, under instructions from the captain, dropped their oars and
bailed it out with their caps or one or two small tin vessels that they
had stored aboard.

"Luckily the wind is blowing in the right direction," said the captain.
"It comes out of the northeast, and that carries us toward the island.
Now, lads, all we have to do is to keep the boat steady, and not let it
ship too much water. The wind itself will carry us on our way."

But the wind rose yet more, and it required intense labor and vigilance
to fight the waves that threatened every moment to sink their craft.
Robert pulled on the oar until his arms ached. Everybody toiled except
the captain, who directed, and Robert saw that he had all the qualities
to make him a leader of slavers or pirates. In extreme danger he was the
boldest and most confident of them all, and he stood by his men. They
could see that he would not desert them, that their fortune was his
fortune. He was wounded, Robert did not yet know how badly, but he never
yielded to his hurt. He was a figure of strength in the boat, and the
men drew courage from him to struggle for life against the overmastering
sea. Somehow, for the time at least, Robert looked upon him as his own
leader, obeying his commands, willingly and without question.

He was drenched anew with the salt water, but as they were in warm seas
he never thought of it. Now and then he rested from his oar and helped
bail the water from the boat.

A pale dawn showed at last through the driving clouds, but it was not
encouraging. The sea was running high