de,
and additional lashings had been applied to keep the top-mast and the
larger yards in their places, Ludlow, by joining those who were around the
mast-head, tacitly admitted that little more could be done to avert the
chances of the elements.

During the few hours occupied in this important duty, Alida and her
companion addressed themselves to God, in long and fervent petitions. With
woman's faith in that divine being who alone could avail them, and with
woman's high mental fortitude in moments of protracted trial, they had
both known how to control the exhibition of their terrors, and had sought
their support in the same appeal to a power superior to all of earth.
Ludlow was therefore more than rewarded by the sound of Alida's voice,
speaking to him cheerfully, as she thanked him for what he had done, when
he admitted that he could now do no more.

"The rest is with Providence!" added Alida. "All that bold and skilful
seamen can do, have ye done; and all that woman in such a situation can
do, have we done in your behalf!"

"Thou hast thought of me in thy prayers, Alida! It is an intercession that
the stoutest needs, and which none but the fool derides."

"And thou, Eudora! thou hast remembered him who quiets the waters!" said a
deep voice, near the bending form of the counterfeit Seadrift.

"I have."

"'Tis well.--There are points to which manhood and experience may pass,
and there are those where all is left to one mightier than the elements!"

Words like these, coming from the lips of one of the known character of
the 'Skimmer of the Seas,' were not given to the winds. Even Ludlow cast
an uneasy look at the heavens, when they came upon his ear, as if they
conveyed a secret notice of the whole extremity of the danger by which
they were environed. None answered; and a long silence succeeded, during
which some of the more fatigued slumbered uneasily, spite of their fearful
situation.

In this manner did the night pass, in weariness and anxiety. Little was
said, and for hours scarce a limb was moved, in the group that clustered
around the mess-chest. As the signs of day appeared, however, every
faculty was keenly awake, to catch the first signs of what they had to
hope, or the first certainty of what they had to fear.

The surface of the ocean was still smooth, though the long swells in which
the element was heaving and setting, sufficiently indicated that the raft
had floated far from the land. This fact wa