a mast, upon which was hoisted the remains of what had once
been a boat's lug sail. He noticed also that it was occupied by a
little group of recumbent figures, whose attitudes were grimly
suggestive of an ocean tragedy. They were mostly lying prone upon the
raft, with the water washing round them; but one figure was seated with
his back supported against the little mast. They were evidently all
insensible, for though the catamaran was by this time quite close to
them there was no attempt made by any one of them to signal her; there
was nothing indeed to indicate that life still lingered upon that
forlorn little ocean waif.

Taking room for the manoeuvre, Leslie tacked at the right moment, and,
with fore sheet to windward, slid gradually and with steadily decreasing
way up to the lee side of the raft, which he reached just as, with the
main sheet eased full off, the catamaran lost way altogether. And as he
glided up alongside the helplessly drifting fabric there came to his
nostrils a whiff of poisoned air that told its own tale only too
clearly. Still, although death was so obviously present, it was
possible that life might be there too; so taking a rope's-end with him
he sprang on to the little structure, and secured the two craft
together. Then he rapidly examined the motionless figures, one after
the other. There were five of them altogether, and of these five, three
were undoubtedly dead; but in the case of the other two it seemed just
possible that life was not quite extinct, and he therefore hurriedly
removed them both to the catamaran, and as hurriedly cast the raft
adrift again. Luckily Flora was once more asleep, and so escaped the
dreadful sight presented by that little platform of broken planking and
odds and ends of splintered timber, with its ghastly load, the empty
water-breaker and entire absence of food on the raft telling at a glance
the whole history of the tragedy.

The moment that the catamaran was again clear of the raft, Leslie turned
his attention to the two pitifully emaciated and rag-clad objects that
he had rescued, and commenced operations by administering a small
quantity of brandy to each; his efforts being eventually rewarded by the
discovery of signs of returning animation in both. Thus encouraged, he
assiduously persevered, and presently one of them opened his eyes, and,
staring vacantly about him, huskily murmured: "O God, have pity, and
give me water--_water_!"

Leslie the