ur had not escaped the notice of the captain;
and he commented on it to Mr Meldrum, saying that he thought the lesson
he had given him had had a very satisfactory result. "There is
nothing," said he, "so persuasive as a knock-down argument!"

The other, however, did not believe in the rapid conversion.

"I've heard of shamming Abraham before," said he. "The rascal may have
something to gain, and wishes to put you off your guard by his apparent
alacrity and willingness to work. If you had seen the scowl he gave you
when your back was turned that time after you knocked him down, you
wouldn't trust him further than you could help! I believe all this good
behaviour of his is put on, and that you'll see the real animal come out
by and by."

"All right!" said Captain Dinks as cheerfully as if the matter were of
no moment to him; "we'll see! But we must first observe the tide and
the ship's position on the rocks; I think we'll be able to decide those
points before the other matter can be settled, by a long way!"

When the _Nancy Bell_ struck, it had been close upon six bells in the
second dog-watch--seven o'clock in the evening--the entire afternoon
having passed away so rapidly while those on board were anxiously
watching the struggle of the vessel against the wind and sea in her
endeavours to weather the cape, that, in their intense excitement as
they awaited the denouement which would solve all their hopes and fears,
they took no heed of the flight of time. It seemed really but a few
brief minutes, instead of hours, from the period when Captain Dinks had
taken the sun at noon to the terrible moment of the catastrophe.

Now, it was midnight, or approaching to it, the intervening period
having glided by much more speedily through the fact of everybody having
been engaged in doing something towards the common safety of all. Not
even the lady passengers had been exempted from the task, Mr Meldrum
having told Kate to go below and collect whatever she saw in the cabins
that might be of use to them on the island; while Mrs Negus, dropping
her dignity for once, cordially assisted. As for Florry and Maurice
they participated in the work with the greatest glee, looking upon the
wreck as if it had been specially brought about for their enjoyment,
like an impromptu picnic--it was the realisation of their wildest
childish dreams.

All this while the ship lay quiet, as has been stated, save that after a
time she took a slig