he sun won't light a fire," he answered; "but we will see what our
voices can do. Now, my lads, let's hail together."

On that, standing up, throwing out our chests, and putting our hands to
our mouths, we gave a shout which none but strong lungs could have
uttered. It must have been carried a good mile to windward over the
calm sea, but no responding cry came down to our anxious ears.

"There is no use wearing out our lungs with hallooing," said Terence.
"They wouldn't hear us, up to windward there, even if they were much
nearer. We must have patience, shipmates!--it's no use."

"God's will be done," ejaculated Andrew. "He may yet think fit to send
us help."

The tone Andrew gave to our minds prevented us from despairing or
sinking into despondency. I do not mean to say that we did not, at
first, feel the most bitter disappointment as the ship receded into the
darkness which surrounded us, but this feeling did not endure. We, as
our wise companion advised us, "trusted in God that He would save us;"
and we all along felt that He would do so.

We earnestly watched the ship as long as she was visible, and long
after, though we scarcely expected her to tack, or to repass near. At
length we returned to our raft, and endeavoured to forget our
disappointment in sleep. We lay down, under our sealskin and sail, and
after an hour's trial, I once more closed my eyes. How long I had slept
I do not know, when I was again awoke by a loud noise and a violent
movement of the iceberg.

Andrew suddenly started up, exclaiming, "The time has come! Hold on to
the raft, my lads; hold on."

He meantime seized a boarding-pike, ready to steady the raft. His
impression was that the iceberg was in the act of rolling over, and that
now was the time our raft would be of service, if it could survive the
waves caused by the submersion of the snow-formed mountain on which we
rested.

We waited in awful suspense, believing that our last moment had indeed
arrived. It is difficult to calculate time on such occasions.
Gradually the rocking movement of the berg ceased, and we found that the
ledge on which we were posted had sloped rather more towards the water
than before, so that it was necessary to continue holding on by the
boarding-pike to prevent its gliding off.

"What has happened?" I exclaimed, as I first again drew breath freely.
"I thought it was all over with us."

"So did I, lad, at first, before I had time to think.