Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home."
Amen was echoed by all.
Their hearts were cheered, their fears calmed, as, amid that dark and
raging ocean, those sounds of prayer and praise ascended to Heaven.
Mrs Rumbelow now insisted that those whom she considered under her
especial charge should return to their cabin, though she had no little
difficulty in stowing them away. The baby had, notwithstanding the cold
and wetting it had endured, completely recovered, and still received the
attention it required from the young woman who had taken it in charge.
During the day, the other boat's sail had been continually watched with
great anxiety. Frequently it could with difficulty be seen amid the
foaming seas; now, as the sun went down, though Willy and Paul Lizard
strained their eyes to the utmost, they could no longer distinguish it.
Still Harry, in the hopes that their small consort was yet afloat,
ordered a lantern to be hoisted to their after-mast, that she might be
able to follow them during the night. Happily, the night would not last
long. A short time after the sun went down the clouds began to clear
away. The beautiful Southern Cross shone brilliantly forth; other
bright stars appeared, and cheered the voyagers with their calm light.
The boat was now kept perfectly free of water, and all, with the
exception of the look-out forward, and two or three seamen required to
tend the sails, coiled themselves away to sleep. Harry, though growing
very weary, would not resign his post at the helm, and Willy Dicey
insisted on sitting near him.
"You know, Shafto, I may never have such an opportunity of learning how
to steer a boat in such a sea as this," he observed.
"I hope you never may, Willy," said Harry; "but we may thank God, more
than my skill, for having been preserved hitherto. We have many a long
league to go over before we can reach even the Auckland Islands; and I
pray that the weather may continue fine till we get there."
In spite, however, of Willy's resolution he often dropped asleep, though
he roused himself up on such occasions, and again spoke to Shafto.
Harry himself at times felt that, had he not been standing up, he should
have fallen asleep too; and he promised Willy that, should the sea go
down, he would in the morning let Paul Lizard relieve him at the helm.
How anxiously he longed for daylight, hoping at noon to take an
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