losophic mariner turned to
Glynn and said--

"In course we can't expect to be on full allowance."

"Of course not, old boy; the captain remarked, just as I left him, that
we'd have to be content with short allowance--very short allowance
indeed."

Gurney sighed deeply.

"How much?" inquired Tim.

"About three ounces of biscuit, one ounce of salt junk, and a quarter of
a pint of water per day."

Gurney groaned aloud.

"You, of all men," said Glynn, "have least reason to complain, Gurney,
for you've got fat enough on your own proper person to last you a week
at least!"

"Ay, a fortnight, or more," added Rokens; "an' even then ye'd scarcely
be redooced to a decent size."

"Ah, but," pleaded Gurney, "you scarecrow creatures don't know how
horrid sore the process o' comin' down is. An' one gets so cold, too.
It's just like taking off yer clo's."

"Sarves ye right for puttin' on so many," said Rokens, as he rose to
resume work, which he and Gurney had left off three-quarters of an hour
before, in order to enjoy a quiet, philosophical _tete-a-tete_ during
dinner.

"It's a bad business, that of the planking not being sufficient to deck
or even half-deck the boat," observed Glynn, as they went together
towards the place where the new boat was being built.

"It is," replied Rokens; "but it's a good thing that we've got plenty of
canvas to spare. It won't make an overly strong deck, to be sure; but
it's better than nothin'."

"A heavy sea would burst it in no time," remarked Gurney.

"We must hope to escape heavy seas, then," said Glynn, as they parted,
and went to their several occupations.

The boat that was now building with the most urgent despatch, had a keel
of exactly twenty-three feet long, and her breadth, at the widest part,
was seven feet. She was being as well and firmly put together as the
materials at their command would admit of, and, as far as the work had
yet proceeded, she bid fair to become an excellent boat, capable of
containing the whole crew, and their small quantity of provisions. This
last was diminishing so rapidly, that Captain Dunning resolved to put
all hands at once on short allowance. Notwithstanding this, the men
worked hard and hopefully; for, as each plank and nail was added to
their little bark, they felt as if they were a step nearer home. The
captain and the doctor, however, and one or two of the older men, could
not banish from their minds the fact that the voyage th