what we are to do, unless--I say! what's that big box floating towards
us?"

Lionel looked in the direction in which I was pointing.

"It's an empty match-box," he said uninterestedly; "that's no good."

"I'm not so sure about that," said I. "Try and get hold of it as it
drifts this way. I've an idea."

"I can't see what good an empty match-box can be to us," grumbled
Lionel, doing his best, however, to aid me in capturing the prize as it
blew against the side of the overturned yacht, which we at last did with
some difficulty.

It was a very large box and had evidently been in the water for some
time; the paper around it had become unstuck from the sides and hung
loose in the water beside it.

"We must get the paper at all cost, and pray be careful not to tear it,"
I cried.

"Whatever for?" asked Lionel in amazement.

"Do as you're told and don't ask questions," I replied rather crossly,
for I was very anxious to try an experiment which I had in my mind. So
we hauled the paper aboard and stretched it on the bulwarks to dry.

Then we hauled the broken bowsprit aboard and freed it from the broken
ropes with our pen-knives--a long and difficult job--and by the time we
had finished, the paper which had been around the box had become dry and
quite stiff by reason of the gum with which it had been stuck to the
sides of the box.

"Oh, I see!" cried Lionel, as I clambered on to the box (which was
fastened by a rope to the side of the yacht) and began to cut a hole in
the middle. "You're going to make a raft."

"I'm going to try to," I answered grimly, for I wasn't at all sure that
my experiment would be a success.

By dint of real hard work, cutting and contriving, however, we did
eventually succeed in making a raft of a sort, the stiff paper, fixed to
the broken bowsprit, making a capital sail; and somewhat in fear and
trembling, we both got aboard and pushed off from the derelict yacht.

All went well for some time till we were nearing the shore, and then I
noticed something which caused me grave alarm.

We were both growing rapidly! The raft, which had before been quite
large enough to support us, was now low down in the water with our
weight, and there was great danger of the water getting into the inside
of the box, in which case it would undoubtedly sink.

Lionel noticed the difficulty at the same time as myself, for he gave me
a startled glance.

"We're getting bigger," he said. "Do you think the ra