the circulation which had well-nigh
been arrested, and when she had been clothed in the dry garments, Ailie
felt comparatively comfortable, and expressed her thanks to Phil Briant
with tears in her eyes.

A calm often succeeds a storm somewhat suddenly, especially in southern
latitudes. Soon after daybreak the wind moderated, and before noon it
ceased entirely, though the sea kept breaking in huge rolling billows on
the sandbank for many hours afterwards. The sun, too, came out hot and
brilliant, shedding a warm radiance over the little sea-girt spot as
well as over the hearts of the crew.

Human nature exhibits wonderful and sudden changes. Men spring from the
depths of despair to the very summit, of light-hearted hope, and very
frequently, too, without a very obvious cause to account for the violent
change. Before the day after the storm was far advanced, every one on
the sandbank seemed to be as joyous as though there was no danger of
starvation whatever. There was, however, sufficient to produce the
change in the altered aspect of affairs. For one thing, the warm sun
began to make them feel comfortable--and really it is wonderful how
ready men are to shut their eyes to the actual state of existing things
if they can only enjoy a little present comfort. Then the ship was
driven so high up on the rocks as to be almost beyond the reach of the
waves, and she had not been dashed to pieces, as had at first been
deemed inevitable, so that the stores and provisions in her might be
secured, and the party be thus enabled to subsist on their ocean prison
until set free by some passing ship.

Under the happy influence of these improved circumstances every one went
about the work of rendering their island home more comfortable, in good,
almost in gleeful spirits. Phil Briant indulged in jests which a few
hours ago would have been deemed profane, and Gurney actually
volunteered the song of the "man wot got his nose froze;" but every one
declined to listen to it, on the plea that it reminded them too forcibly
of the cold of the early morning. Even the saturnine steward, Tarquin,
looked less ferocious than usual, and King Bumble became so loquacious
that he was ordered more than once to hold his tongue and to "shut up."

The work they had to do was indeed of no light nature. They had to
travel to and fro between the ship and the rocks on the rope-cable, a
somewhat laborious achievement, in order to bring ashore such t