n our safety was secured. We had sometimes heard him swear before
that, and had always noticed, in contrast to Mr Clare, his indifference
to any religious service or subject; indeed, the only emotion we had
ever seen him display with regard to such matters was on the occasion of
Mr Clare's address after the combat between Drake and Alfred.

It was eight o'clock when we landed on our little rocky island of
deliverance. Boatswain's Reef was, as its name described, only half an
acre in extent--a jagged, stony reef, raised but a few yards at its
highest point above high-tide mark.

Very cold, somewhat anxious, and much exhausted, we found in a few
moments the only shelter it afforded--a level place of sand and sea
grass, about six yards square, defended on the south-west by a miniature
cliff. There a lot of seaweed had accumulated, and the driftings of
many gales collected. Several barrel staves, a large worm-eaten ship's
knee, part of a vessel's stern, with all but the letters "Conq"
obliterated, (the name had probably been _Conqueror_, conquered now, as
Alfred observed, by old ocean); and many pieces and splinters of spar.
The Captain made the discovery with us, and immediately suggested that
we should shelter ourselves there and light a fire.

"Thanks, boys, to the necessities of my pipe, I always have a tinder-box
in my pockets. Perhaps there are some not wet. Here, hunt for them;
I'll throw off my pea-jacket, for I must go to work and try to save
something from the poor _Youth_--our grub at least. I want you to stay
where you are, out of the storm, and to get a good fire going. It may
possibly show them on the cape that we are safe."

"O Captain!" exclaimed Walter, "do let me help you. I don't want to sit
here and do nothing but build a fire whilst you are at work and perhaps
in danger."

"Come along, then, as you are the biggest and strongest--come along,"
replied the Captain, and away they hurried to where our good old boat
was groaning on the beach and pounding against rocks with every beat of
the sea.

She had been driven up too far to get off easily, but with a big hole in
her bows it seemed probable that she would go to pieces before morning.

The sky was black everywhere. The roar of wind and waves was
tremendous. The spray dashed in sheets, at every blow of the sea, over
our spot of defence, so that it was difficult to start a fire. We were
successful, though, and its light showed the figures