ervation and ascertain their exact position. As the sun rose, its
bright rays shining on the eyes of several of the sleepers, roused them
up. Some at first looked bewildered, as if they had forgotten what had
occurred. When they found that the sea had gone down, and the wind
decreased to a moderate breeze, a gleam of satisfaction, such as had not
before been seen, appeared on their countenances. Harry was at length
about to summon Paul Lizard to relieve him at the helm, when Mrs Morley
and her daughters came out of their cabin. Their countenances were sad
and anxious. The boat was now moving rapidly under all sail over the
comparatively smooth ocean. Harry had, as soon as he was able, altered
the course to the north-east. Mrs Morley looked around, and then at
the compass.

"Oh, Mr Shafto!" she exclaimed, "are you not steering back to the ship?
Surely you would not willingly desert those on board!"

It was a trying question to Harry. "I would undoubtedly return, had I
the power," he answered; "but my orders were to carry the boat to the
nearest land we can make, where food and shelter can be found. Were I
to attempt to return, I should disobey those orders. It might take us
also three or four days to beat back to the spot where we left the ship,
and we might fail to find her after all."

Mrs Morley hid her face in her hands. It seemed as if her last hope
had gone.

"Oh, why was I separated from him?" she exclaimed, her feelings
overcoming for the moment her better judgment.

"For the sake of your daughters, marm, do cheer up," said Mrs Rumbelow,
who at once came to Harry's assistance. "Though you yourself, marm,
would go through any fresh dangers to join the colonel, just think how
ill able these young ladies are to bear them," she said, in a gentle,
soothing tone.

At first Mrs Morley seemed scarcely to understand what was said, but in
a short time she recovered herself, her daughters doing their utmost to
console her; and Mrs Rumbelow at length persuaded her to return to the
shelter of the awning.

Before lying down to take the rest he so much needed, Harry ordered the
provisions to be served out. On searching for the water-casks, only
three were found. The carpenter's mate giving a knock with his hammer
on one of them, it was empty. It had been carelessly put together, and
all the contents had leaked out. The other two small casks would last
so large a party but for a short time. Many days mi