it rolled over and over he
must inevitably have lost his hold and been drowned.

Though he had had very little of what is called enjoyment in life, and
his prospects, as far as he could see, were none of the brightest, he
still had no wish to die, and the instinct of self-preservation made him
cling to the wreck with might and main.

The tide, which was setting towards the shore, had got hold of his raft,
which was also driven by the wind in the same direction, and he found
himself drifting gradually away from the burning ship, and his chance of
being picked up by one of the boats diminishing.

He remembered that land had been in sight some time before the action,
but how far the ship had been from it when she caught fire he could not
tell, and when he turned his eyes to the southward he could see nothing
of it.

Some hours had passed away, so it seemed to him, when, as he turned his
eyes towards the ship, the flames appeared to rise up higher than ever.
Her stout hull was a mass of fire fore and aft--she was burning down to
the water's edge. Then came the end--the wild waves washed over her,
and all was dark.

"There goes the old ship," thought Bill. "I wonder how many on board
her a few hours ago are now alive. Shall I reach the shore to-morrow
morning? I don't see much chance of it, and if I don't, how shall I
ever live through another day?"

CHAPTER FIVE.

PICKED UP BY A FISHING-VESSEL.

After a time, Bill began to feel very hungry, and then he recollected
that at dinner he had clapped a biscuit into his pocket. He felt for
it. It was soaked through and through, and nearly turned into paste,
but it served to stay his appetite, and to keep up his strength. At
length he became somewhat drowsy, but he did his best to keep awake.
Feeling about, he got hold of a piece of rope, with which he managed to
secure himself to the raft. Had he found it before, it would have saved
him much exertion.

The feeling that there was now less risk of being washed away, made him
not so anxious as at first to withstand the strong desire which had
attacked him, and yielding to it, his eyes closed, and he dropped off to
sleep.

How long he had been in that state he could not tell, when he was
aroused by the sound of human voices. Opening his eyes, he found that
the sun was shining down upon him, and looking round, he saw a small
vessel approaching. He soon made her out to be a fishing craft with
five people on b