At length they allowed the
water to escape from the sail. Scarcely had they done so when, a light
breeze springing up, they hoisted it and stood on to the westward. The
raft made but slow progress; and though the voyagers no longer suffered
from thirst, they could not help feeling anxious as they looked after
each meal at the scanty supply of food which remained. The meat was
almost exhausted, and scarcely half-a-dozen biscuits were left, while
their piece of cheese had been reduced to very small dimensions.

"We have a bottle of oil," said the mate, as he saw Walter gazing
anxiously into the basket. "That will help to keep life in us; though
train oil was never much to my fancy."

"Nor to mine," said Walter. "But our biscuits would prove more
nutritious if we were to soak them in it; though I confess that I would
rather eat them as they are."

"We will try your plan," said the mate; and accordingly, the next time
he served out provisions, he broke up some biscuit into the cup, and
poured a little oil upon it. Walter made a wry face as he took his
share; but he ate it notwithstanding, owning that, although the taste
was not pleasant, it seemed to go much further than dry biscuit itself.
The mate being of opinion that there was no use in dying by inches, gave
Walter rather more of the meat and cheese than perhaps was prudent--he
taking a much less quantity himself.

Another day passed away, and the only food remaining were the biscuits,
with the oil, which, nauseous as it tasted, was not to be despised. The
calm continued. The old mate felt conscious that he himself was growing
weaker and weaker, and he feared that poor Walter would begin to suffer
even more severely before long. There was just wind enough to waft on
the raft; but many days must pass before they could possibly reach land.
Wine and water would help to sustain them, and they might even gnaw the
leather of their shoes.

"Well, well," thought the mate, "I won't alarm the lad; and Heaven may
send us aid when we least expect it."

CHAPTER SIX.

WALTER AND THE MATE'S VOYAGE ON THE RAFT CONTINUED--FLYING-FISH CAUGHT--
A THUNDER STORM--MEETING OF ALICE AND WALTER--THE RAFT INCREASED--IS IT
AN ISLAND!--REACH AN ENORMOUS DEAD WHALE OF A NEW SPECIES.

The raft glided on over the smooth surface of the ocean. The old mate
was standing up steering, while Walter, already feeling the pangs of
hunger, was lying stretched at his length in the shade