were put on board the boat. Tom had still to make his frugal
repast; but this was soon accomplished, and he felt again a sense of
exceeding thankfulness at the possession of the box of biscuit. At
length his evening meal was over, and by the time that he had finished
it, it had grown quite dark. He now went to the boat, and tied up the
sail around the mast. There was nothing to which he could fasten the
boat; but it was not necessary, as he was on the watch. The water
continued smooth, the wind was from the north, as before, and there was
no sign of fog. Overhead the sky was free from clouds, and the stars
twinkled pleasantly to his upturned eyes, as if to encourage him. There
was no moon, however, and though it was not very dark, yet it was
sufficiently so to veil the nearest shores in gloom, and finally to
withdraw them altogether from his view. Still it was not a matter of
necessity that he should see the opposite shores, for he knew that his
chief, and indeed his only reliance must be upon the tide; and this
would bear him in its upward course on the morrow. The night was only
needed to float the boat down as far as low-water mark. The process of
floating her would serve to test the security of the fastenings, and
show whether he could venture to make the attempt.

For hours Tom waited, sometimes seated in the boat, at other times
walking along the beach down to the water. He found it difficult to
keep himself awake, and therefore did not venture to sit down long.
Wearied with his long work through the day, the necessity of constant
exertion wearied him still more, until at length he could scarce draw
his legs after him. But all things have an end, and so it was with
Tom's dreary watch; for at length the waters came up, and touched the
boat, and surrounded it, until at last, to his great joy, Tom found
himself afloat. He seized his stick, and pushed the boat into deeper
water, a few yards off, with the intention of keeping her at about that
distance from the shore.

The one thought that was now in his mind referred exclusively to his
work in the boat. Was it firm? Would it hold? Did it leak? The boat
was floating, certainly. How long would if continue to do so? For a
few minutes he waited anxiously, as he floated there in deep water,
with his eyes fixed on the work in the bow, and his ears listening
intently to detect any sign of that warning, gurgling sound, which had
struck terror to his heart o