e each of us held a small piece of the boat's planking in our hands to
serve as paddles.

"Away we go, my lads," exclaimed Terence, as he gave a strong shove
against the iceberg with a boarding-pike; and with a cheer, which,
perilous as was our adventure, we could not repress, we began vigorously
to ply our paddles. It was a matter of life and death, we saw. If we
missed the ship, our chance of returning to the iceberg was small
indeed. Our progress was very slow. We might have made a mile an
hour--perhaps not so much--and we had three miles to go at least. Still
we did not flag in our exertions. We each of us chewed a piece of
seal's flesh to stay our hunger, though we had no inclination or power
to swallow anything. We scarcely spoke a word all the time, but every
now and then we turned a glance back, to judge how far we had got from
our late abode.

One mile was passed, and we were not seen. Indeed, so small a speck as
we were on the ocean, we could not expect to be observed till the sun
had risen. Our great anxiety was respecting the wind--still the sea
continued calm as a mirror. On we went--our eyes were on the ship's
sails. Alas! a light cat's-paw skimmed across the ocean--the
topgallant-sails of the barque blew out; but before they had any
influence in impelling her through the water, they again drooped as
before. Another cat's-paw came stronger than the first, and rippled the
whole surrounding surface.

Oh with what agony we saw the topsails bulge out, and the barque's head
turn from us! We simultaneously shouted, or rather shrieked out in our
eagerness. It was of no avail. We strove to drive the raft on faster
than before. What could our utmost efforts accomplish in overtaking a
ship, her sails filled even with the light air then blowing? No longer
were cat's-paws playing on the surface of the sea, but a well-defined
ripple, almost small waves, were covering every part of it; and, as we
worked our way among them, they washed around our feet. Every sail on
board the barque began to draw; she had got steerage way, and was
standing from us. We were not seen; and hope, which had hitherto
sustained us, fled. Our hearts sunk, and scarcely could we longer ply
our useless paddles.

"Andrew, what say you to this?" asked Terence at length.

"Persevere to the last, like men," replied Andrew. "We may have to
return to the iceberg; but even then we must not lose courage, or our
trust in Providenc