thing of the land.

They were soon to be gratified by having this expectation realized. The
curving lines that began to glimmer dimly through the obscurity, were
the outlines of rounded objects that could not be ocean waves. They were
too white for these. They could only be the sand-hills, which they had
seen before the going down of the sun. As they were now but knee-deep in
the water, and the night was still misty and dark, these objects could
be at no great distance, and deep water need no longer be dreaded.

The three castaways considered themselves as having reached the shore.

Harry and Terence were about to continue on to the beach, when Colin
called to them to come to a stop.

"Why?" inquired Harry.

"What for?" asked Terence.

"Before touching dry land," suggested the thoughtful Colin, "suppose we
decide what has been the fate of poor Old Bill."

"How can we tell that?" interrogated the other two.

"Stand still awhile; we shall soon see whether his head is yet above
water."

Harry and Terence consented to the proposal of their comrade, but
without exactly comprehending its import.

"What do you mean, Coley?" asked the impatient Hibernian.

"To see if the tide's still rising," was the explanation given by the
Scotch youth.

"And what if it be?" demanded Terence.

"Only, that if it be, we will never more see the old sailor in the land
of the living. We may look for his lifeless corpse after it has been
washed ashore."

"Ah! I comprehend you," said Terence.

"You're right," added Harry. "If the tide be still rising, Old Bill is
under it by this time. I dare say his body will drift ashore before
morning."

They stood still,--all three of them. They watched the water, as it
rippled up against their limbs, taking note of its ebbing and flowing.
They watched with eyes full of anxious solicitude. They continued this
curious vigil for full twenty minutes. They would have patiently
prolonged it still further had it been necessary. But it was not. No
further observation was required to convince them that the tidal current
was still carried towards the shore; and that the water was yet
deepening around them.

The data thus obtained were sufficient to guide them to the solution of
the sad problem. During that interval, while they were swimming and
wading across the bay, the tide must have been continually on the
increase. It must have risen at least a yard. A foot would be sufficient
to have submerged