ave
utterance to every possible cry of joy and gratitude. But it was the
other three occupants of the raft that most excited the attention of
Claude and Zac.

An old man was seated there, with thin, emaciated frame, and
snow-white hair. He was holding in his arms a young girl, while
beside her knelt another young girl who seemed like the attendant of
the first, and both the old man and the maid were most solicitous in
their attentions. The object of these attentions was exquisitely
beautiful. Her slender frame seemed to have been worn by long
privation, and weakened by famine and exposure. Her face was pale and
wan, but still showed the rounded outlines of youth. Her hair was all
dishevelled, as though it had been long the sport of the rude tempest
and the ocean billow, and hung in disordered masses over her head and
shoulders. Her dress, though saturated with wet from the sea and the
fog, was of rich material, and showed her to belong to lofty rank;
while the costume of the old man indicated the same high social
position. The young lady was not senseless, but only weak, perhaps
from sudden excitement. As she reclined in the old man's arms, her
eyes were fixed upon the open boat; and Claude, as he turned to grasp
the raft, caught her full gaze fixed upon him, with a glance from her
large dark eyes that thrilled through him, full of unutterable
gratitude. Her lips moved, not a word escaped, but tears more
eloquent than words rolled slowly down.

Such was the sight that greeted Claude as he stepped from the boat
upon the raft. In an instant he was caught in the embraces of the
men, who, frenzied with joy at the approach of deliverance, flung
themselves upon him. But Claude had no eyes for any one but the
lovely young girl, whose gaze of speechless gratitude was never
removed from him.

"Messieurs," said Claude, who knew them to be French, and addressed
them in their own language, "you shall all be saved; but we cannot
all go at once; we must save the weakest first; and will, therefore,
take these now, and come back for you afterwards."

Saying this, he stooped down so to raise the young lady in his arms,
and carry her aboard. The old man held her up, uttering inarticulate
murmurs, that sounded like blessings on their deliverer. Claude
lifted the girl as though she had been a child, and stepped towards
the boat. Zac was already on the raft, and held the boat, while
Claude stepped aboard. The old man then tried to r