ap; and now I set fire to de heap, and de fish
toast; and I give it to Missie Alice and Massa Walter to eat."

"Oh, thank you, Nub; but Walter and I shall not like to eat cooked fish
while Mr Shobbrok and you are eating it raw," said Alice.

"We see, Missie Alice, if we got enough for all," answered Nub.

"Your plan seems a good one, Nub," said the mate. "We will try it, at
all events."

Nub set to work and prepared the hearth, and by putting on only a few
pieces of blubber at a time, he was able to keep up a sufficient heat to
cook some small pieces of fish, which Alice and Walter gratefully ate.
There were a few pieces over, which he insisted that the mate should
take, he himself humbly saying that raw fish was "good enough for black
fellow." The mate and Walter stood by ready to throw water on the raft
should the fire burn into the wood; but though it nearly consumed the
skin, it only charred the boards beneath it.

There was still some blubber remaining, with which Nub proposed to cook
another meal for Alice on the following day. Part of the sword-fish was
now cut up into thin strips, which were hung up along the yard to dry in
the sun, as they would thus, it was hoped, keep longer. They had now
such food as they could require; though, eaten without any condiments,
it was not palatable, nor altogether wholesome. It would, however, keep
them from starving, and they were thankful. They knew that many
voyagers, under similar circumstances, had been much worse off than they
were.

They had been so much engaged that they had almost forgotten the chest
which had been the means of saving Alice. Walter, looking at it, asked
the mate if he would like to have it opened.

"Though I do not expect to find much within it, still there may be
something that will prove useful to us," answered the mate.

Not being very heavy, though of considerable size, it was easily hauled
up on the raft. It was a more difficult matter to get it open, for they
were afraid of breaking their axe should they attempt to prize the lid
off. Walter proposed to use one of the spear-heads, which might be
driven under the lock with a hammer. The attempt was immediately made,
and succeeded better than they anticipated. It was, as the mate had
suspected, a carpenter's chest. In the upper part was a drawer
containing boat-nails, brad-awls, gimlets, and other small tools. The
centre part, which had contained the larger tools, was empty; but