re to
be found, nor had they a file with which to manufacture any out of old
nails, as they had often heard of being done.

"Necessity is the mother of invention," exclaimed Adair suddenly.
"Here's a piece of tin. I have some scissors in my dressing-case, and I
think I could manage to cut out a hook or two before they are quite
blunted. Let's try, at all events."

The scissors were produced, when, to their great delight, a file for
finger-nails was discovered at the back of the blades. Not only were
two tin hooks cut out, but three more were manufactured out of some
nails before the files were rendered completely useless. Bait was the
next thing to be procured. As there was nothing eatable on board, how
was it to be got? That was the question. Adair solved it by trying one
of his hooks without any. "Hurrah!" he exclaimed in less than five
minutes, "I have a bite. Hurrah!" Up came a curious-looking monster in
the shape of a fish. It was a question whether or not it was poisonous.
A fire was made and a pot put on to boil, into which the creature, part
of it being cut off for bait, was immediately popped. They would rather
have caught a young shark, with whose character they were acquainted;
but starving men are not particular. Before the pot had begun to boil,
a fresh breeze came in from the offing, and away flew the little
schooner with more liveliness than she had displayed for many a day.
The lines were hauled in. Murray and Adair agreed not to touch the
strange fish. They also advised the men not to eat of it. The sun went
down, and all night they ran on at a fair rate. The next morning land
was in sight. They hoped that it might be near their destination.
Adair had just relieved Murray, who had turned in to go to sleep. He
observed the black man looking very miserable, and presently the black
boy complained of being very ill.

"What have you been about, Sambo?" asked Adair, looking into the
caboose.

"Oh! massa, massa, me eat fish," groaned the poor lad.

"It ought to have been thrown overboard, to have removed temptation out
of your way," observed Adair, taking the pot with the intention of
suiting the action to the word, but on lifting the lid he found it
empty. The negroes had eaten up every particle of the fish. They
groaned and rolled about for some time evidently in some pain and in
considerable alarm. It was no wonder they were ill, but it was evident
also that the fish could not ha