minute will be our last!'

He clasped his hands in prayer, and raised his kindling eye to the
frowning heavens above him. But his eye of faith could look through
those dark clouds, and see a Father's hand of love and mercy governing
and controlling the elements: and his spirit was at peace.

'Now God be praised!' cried Seaton, as he drew a long shivering breath;
and snatching up both the oars, projected them on each side of the boat
to protect it from the rocks that bounded the narrow channel. 'We have
entered the passage; and, with Heaven's help, we shall yet be saved.'

They had, indeed, dashed straight into the opening that divided the
reef, and through which the waves were rushing at a terrific rate; and
their only apparent chance of safety lay in the possibility of guiding
the little bark through the channel, without its being impelled against
the rugged sides. Williams caught one of the oars from his friend, and
both directed their whole strength to this object. There was a brief
interval of breathless suspense; and then the boat struck on a hidden
coral rock. It was but for a moment--another swelling wave lifted it
again, and rolled forward, bearing the little vessel on its summit into
the smooth water that lay, like a narrow lake, between the dangerous
reef and the flat sandy shore.

But the peril was not yet over. The blow-on the rock, though momentary,
had been so violent as to spring a leak in the bottom of the boat; and
through this the water gushed up with fearful rapidity, threatening to
sink it before the shore could be reached. Again the oars were pulled
with the strength of desperation; and again the danger was averted. But
Roger Williams and his friend found themselves on a desert and
uninhabited coast, with a useless vessel, and no means of proceeding to
Plymouth.

Still their lives had been providentially preserved, and they were
deeply grateful to the Divine power which had been exerted for their
rescue. And faith and courage, and bodily strength were their portion
likewise: and they did not despair. They slept long and soundly; and
the following morning, having ascertained that the boat was too
seriously injured to be repaired by any means at their command, they
resolved on abandoning it, and recommenced their journey on foot.

The extreme difficulty of reaching Plymouth by land, and the wide
circuit from the course that he wished ultimately to pursue that must
be traveled in order to reach t