er similar circumstances. I prayed for strength and courage to Him
who is alone able to give them to those in deep distress. He heard me,
or I should not be alive to tell my tale. Again I seized my paddle, and
plied it with all my might. Still I drifted towards the roaring
breakers. I vividly pictured the horrid fate which awaited me. I
scarcely dared look seaward. I kept my eye on the shore, paddling
without intermission. Suddenly I felt the raft arrested in its progress
towards the breakers. It was partly whirled round, and I found it
gliding parallel with the shore. This encouraged me; hope once more
revived. I directed the raft towards the shore. I saw Jerry waving his
hands with joy; he was answered by a cheerful bark from Surley. I got
nearer and nearer. Oh, how thankful I felt when I found the blade of my
paddle grasped by Jerry, and was towed by him safely to the shore! Old
Surley sprang off on to dry ground, and began leaping up and licking
Jerry's cheeks and hands, to show his gratitude. Jerry and I hauled up
the raft, with its little tender, and landed my things; and then,
overcome with fatigue and the revulsion of feeling which I experienced,
I fainted. I very soon, however, recovered, and kneeling down, joined
by Jerry, I returned my heartfelt thanks to Him whose arm I knew most
certainly had saved me. Afterwards I dressed; and sitting down, we made
a supper from some of the provisions we had brought with us.

We had lost so much time that it was impossible to get back to our
companions that night; so we set to work to prepare a hut and bed for
ourselves before we were overtaken by the darkness, which comes on so
rapidly in those latitudes. We were not long in constructing a bower
and in raising a platform, under and on which we might sleep secure from
the attacks of the snakes and other crawling things which abounded; but
night came down on us before our work was quite completed. However,
free from all fear of savages or wild beasts, we lay down, and were soon
asleep.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

OUR RESIDENCE ON THE ISLAND.

Our journey back appeared very long, for I was weak and tired, and from
the exertion I had undergone, every muscle in my body ached. We met
Cousin Silas coming to look for us; for he had become anxious at not
seeing Jerry return at all events, and feared something might have
happened to us. Ben Yool had set off in the other direction to search
for me. Therefore,