ght be committed, sprang towards him, and aiming a blow at his tail,
struck directly on it, and instantly he was quieted. Scarcely was the
monster dead than the men's knives were cutting away at him. Some drank
his blood, and others eagerly ate the yet almost quivering flesh. The
officers, however ravenous they felt, got some thin slices, which they
dried in the sun before eating. Food had thus been providentially sent
them, but their sufferings from thirst soon became very painful. It was
piteous to hear some of the poor fellows crying out for water when there
was none to give them. Several more died from the grievous thirst they
were suffering. Mr Hemming anxiously looked round the horizon. Not a
sail was in sight in any direction. Hour after hour passed away. Their
tongues became parched, and clove to the roofs of their mouths.

"This is dreadful," whispered Jack; "I don't think I can stand it much
longer."

"I would give a guinea for a bottle of gingerbeer," exclaimed Terence.

"Oh, how delicious! don't talk of such a thing. I would give ten for a
pint of the dirtiest ditch-water in which a duck ever waddled," said
Jack; "however, we must try and not think about it."

Some hours passed slowly by after this, when Hemming's eye was seen to
brighten up.

"Is there a sail in sight?" asked Jack and Adair, who were constantly
watching his looks.

"No," he answered, "but there is a cloud in the horizon. It is a small
one, but it rises slowly in the north-west, and I trust betokens rain.
If it does not bring wind at the same time, our sufferings may be
relieved."

How anxiously all on the raft, who had yet consciousness left, watched
the progress of that little cloud, at first not bigger than a man's
hand. How their hearts sank within them when they thought that it had
stopped, or that its course was altered; but it had not stopped, though
it advanced but slowly. Still it grew, and grew, and extended wider and
wider on either hand, and grew darker and darker till it formed a black
canopy over their heads; and then there was a pattering, hissing noise
heard over the calm sea, and down came the rain in large drops thick and
fast. The men lifted up their grateful faces to heaven to catch the
refreshing liquid in their mouths as it fell, but Hemming lowered the
sail, and, ordering the men to stretch it wide, caught the rain in it,
and let it run off into the breaker till that was full. Then they
filled t