ar, "--no man could swim for two minutes; nor
would there be a chance, if they could, of our finding them on so
dark a night. I am very sorry, my lad, but it cannot be helped. It
would take half an hour to bring the ship about, and go back to the
spot where the smack sunk; and we might not get within half a mile
of it. You know that, as well as I do."

Will had been long enough at sea to recognize the truth of what the
captain said. As he was led forward, he burst into tears at the
thought of the loss of his kind friend the captain, and the rest of
his mates. The sailor who accompanied him patted him on the back,
and spoke cheeringly to him in a foreign language; and he was soon
between decks with the crew. Several of these could speak English,
and Will found that he was on board a Dutch merchantman, bound with
troops for Java.

The wind got up and, in the morning, it was blowing a heavy gale
from the east; and the vessel, with reefed topsails, was running
for the straits between Dover and Calais, at twelve knots an hour.
After breakfast, the captain sent for William.

"I am sorry, for your sake, that the state of the weather will
prevent our communicating with any ship we may meet. But I promise
you that, if the gale breaks before we are fairly out from the
channel, I will heave to and put you on board a homeward-bound
ship."

Such a chance did not occur. For four or five days the gale
continued with great severity and, before it ceased, the ship was
well down the coast of Spain, on her way south. When the captain
saw that there was but small chance of his being able to transship
his involuntary passenger, he said to him:

"Look you, my lad. I fear that you will have to make the voyage
with me, for we shall not touch at any port, until we arrive at our
destination. If you like, I will ship you as a hand on board, as
from the day of the collision. A hand, more or less, will make no
difference to the owners; and the money will be useful to you, when
you leave the ship. Of course, you can return in her, if you think
fit; but it is likely enough that, when we reach Java, we may be
sent up to China for a homeward cargo--in which case I will procure
you a passage in the first ship sailing for your home."

Will gladly accepted the offer. He was, however, by no means
penniless for, upon the morning after his coming on board, the
Dutch officers and passengers--hearing what had happened in the
night--made a collection a