It's true;
yes, I am sure of that."

"Let us pray, sir, that God's Holy Spirit will bring it home to your
heart," said Peter, as if the remark had been made to him. "God has
said we shall not ask in vain."

The captain's eye brightened; a new hope, new thoughts and feelings,
rose in his bosom.

Peter again turned to his book. He read many portions, the captain
appearing in no way wearied.

He was so employed when a shout reached their ears, and Peter, going out
of the tent, saw old Hixon making his way down the rocks. He brought
his sou'-wester full of water.

"Praised be God, we have found a spring two miles off. There was
nothing else to bring it in but this," he said, offering the water to
the captain and Peter. "The rest of the men collected near it, but when
I told them that they ought to come and help to carry you up the hill,
captain, they said they were free now, and didn't acknowledge any man's
authority."

"I should have thought, Hixon, from what I know of you, that you would
have been among them," observed the captain.

"So I should, sir, a few weeks ago, but Peter there, out of his Bible,
showed me what a sinner I was, and how I must love Jesus Christ and obey
Him, and I know He would not have left any man to perish, and so, sir,
as long as you live--and I hope we shall escape from this rock--I will
not leave you."

"Thank you, Hixon," said the captain; "I am sure you speak the truth.
But what has become of Emery and Bill?"

"They said they would stop and have some food, and then come back and
try and get you up to the spring, which is a warmer and pleasanter place
than this."

In a short time the other men appeared, but the captain felt so much
pain when they attempted to move him, that he begged them to let him
remain where he was.

"I am afraid, sir, they will soon have eaten up all their provisions,
and then they will be coming down to get what we have collected,"
observed Bill. "Perhaps, if you are among them, you might persuade them
to put themselves on an allowance."

The captain sent a message by Hixon, but the men only laughed at him,
and replied that a ship was sure soon to appear, and take them off,
though they took no pains to make their situation known. The captain,
however, told Hixon and the rest to form a flag-staff out of the spars
which had been cast ashore, and to erect it on the highest point with a
piece of the cloth which they had found, as a flag. They did so.