h; and the _Nancy Bell_, braced round on the
starboard tack and with the wind a little more aft than when she was
running eastwards just now, stood towards the boat that Kate had been
the first to perceive, drifting a bout upon the wild ocean so far away
from land.

At this juncture, Frank Harness sprang up into the fore cross-trees to
con the ship, by Captain Dink's directions; and presently his orders to
the steersman could be heard ringing out clear and distinct above the
creaking of the cordage and the wash of the sea alongside--those on the
poop, listening to all they could hear with intense eagerness, and
waiting for the moment when they could see for themselves the object of
the ship's quest.

"Keep her up a bit--steady!"

"Aye, aye, sir; steady it is!"

"Port!"

"Port it is!"

"Steady!"

"Steady it is!"

"Luff!"

"Aye, aye, sir!"

"Keep her so!"

"There is a man in her, sir!" Frank now called out in a different tone
of voice; "I can see him distinctly! He is trying to wave a
handkerchief or something. He looks almost dead, poor fellow!"

The excitement on board at hearing this piece of news became all the
more intensified.

"Are we nearing him?" shouted out Captain Dinks.

"Oh yes, sir; the boat bears now broad on the weather beam. Keep her
steady as she is, and we can round-to close alongside. Look out, we're
getting pretty close now!"

"Look out forward there!" cried the captain: but several hands were
there already with the first mate at their head, a coil of rope in his
hand, on the watch to heave it over the boat as soon as she was
approached near enough.

"Time to come about, sir," hailed Frank from the cross-trees; and,
"Hands 'bout ship!" roared out Captain Dinks, almost in the same breath.

During the bustle that ensued, those on the poop could not see what was
going on forward; but when the _Nancy Bell_ paid off again from the wind
on the port tack--thus resuming again what had been her previous course
before the boat had been sighted--it was found that the object for which
they had gone out of their way was safely alongside.

It was a shocking sight!

Four dead bodies were stretched, in every conceivable attitude of agony,
across the thwarts and in the bottom of the boat, which from its shape
had evidently belonged to some whaling vessel; while, sitting up in the
stern-sheets, close to the helm, which his feeble hands were powerless
to grasp, was the living skeleton of