ion
until all were in a place of safety, and the boats were pulled about a
mile from the burning steamer, when, as if by common consent, they were
brought to a standstill to watch the destruction of the Sea Dream.

The jaunty little craft was moving through the water slowly, enveloped
in flames from bow to stern, and the boys gazed at her with a feeling of
sadness which did not arise solely from the fact of their present peril.
It seemed to them as if she could understand that those who should have
saved her had fled when her need of assistance was greatest, and she was
creeping slowly away to die alone.

"The poor thing can't swim much longer," Jake said, as if speaking to
himself. "The boiler will explode----"

Even as he spoke a black cloud of smoke shot up from amidships, followed
by a shower of fiery fragments, some of which struck in the immediate
vicinity of the boats, and then the glare of the conflagration suddenly
vanished as the Sea Dream sank beneath the waves.

It would have been strange indeed if each member of the little party had
not experienced a feeling of sorrow and desolation at this moment.

The yacht which, a few hours previous, had appeared so stanch, was no
longer afloat, and their only hope of reaching land was in the tiny
boats which could hardly be expected to live in an ordinary sailing
breeze.

The tears were very near Teddy's and Neal's eyelids, and Jake's voice
was quite the reverse of steady as he gave the word for the men to
resume work at the oars.

[Illustration: Instead of releasing his hold on Neal the reptile held
firm, etc. See Page 193.]

Night was close at hand. The sun had already set, and the short-lived
twilight cast a sinister grayish hue over the waters. Mr. Walters' boat
had the lantern raised at the bow on the end of an oar where it swung
gently to and fro, and in a few moments all the others could be
distinguished by the same signal.

During such time as they had been waiting to witness the end of the Sea
Dream the little crafts had drifted farther apart, until the one in
charge of Neal's father was nearly half a mile away, and the sailing
master could be heard shouting for them to be brought nearer together.

"We shall probably have a breeze to-night," he cried when Jake's boat
approached within easy hailing distance, "and if it should come you must
rig up something to serve as a sail, for your only chance of keeping
afloat will be to run before it. You have