r. Now a huge
black sea came roaring up, which I thought must come down and swamp us;
but it broke just before it reached the boat and merely sent the foam
flying over our heads. Thus hour after hour passed slowly away. Some
of the men began to grumble, and to blame themselves for their folly in
leaving the privateer.

Andrews declared that it would have been better if we had cut out a
vessel, as at all events we should have been on board a craft fit to
combat the gale. La Motte, with more justice, remarked, that it was a
pity they had not consented to follow his suggestion, and to run for
Guernsey while we could have done so.

"But why not run there now?" asked some one.

"Because the whole island is surrounded by rocks, and it would be next
to a miracle if we escaped running on them," he answered. "Our only
course now is to stand on. Perhaps the wind will once more shift, and
we may be able, after all, to keep our course for England."

Never have I felt the hours draw on so slowly as they did during that
dreadful night. Still no new hour brought any change for the better. I
thought the morning never would come. As for sleep, that was out of the
question, nor did any of us feel an inclination for food. I believe
that not one of the party ever expected to see the sun rise again to
cheer our hearts.

Yet, in spite of our apprehensions, the little boat behaved beautifully.
Each sea, as it came roaring up, she surmounted like a wild fowl, and
though down she plunged into the trough, it was but to rise again in
triumph to the summit.

At length the rain ceased, but it blew as hard as ever. I was looking
eastward, when a pale, thin line appeared in the sky, just above the
horizon. It grew broader and broader, and brighter and brighter, and we
know it was dawn. Those who had thought that they should never again
see the sun rise, now felt that they ought not to have desponded.
First, more cold, silvery lines appeared in the sky, and then yellow
lines, which warmed into orange, and pink, and red; and a small portion
of the sun himself broke forth between the clouds, and sent a bright
beam of glittering gold across the dancing waves, but quickly again he
was hidden above the leaden canopy which hung over us.

Few of us had ever passed a more trying night, and we all felt grateful
for the mercy which had been shown us, and, as if by common agreement,
we all with one accord offered up our thanks to Heaven, and