ometimes a whole herd, as you would call them, is
scattered, and lions or wolves occasionally pounce down on the weakest,
and carry them off."

"I hope that will not be our fate, papa," said Mary, timidly.

"No fear of that, dearest. I am sorry that I should have put such a
notion into your head," answered Captain Rymer. "The _Betsy_ is a
well-found ship, well manned and well armed, and Captain Bolton has the
character of being a first-rate seaman, so that we have every reason for
expecting to arrive in safety at our destination."

"Oh, I am not at all afraid," said Mary. "Besides, you know, papa, we
can pray to be protected; and what a comfort it is, and how brave it
should make us, to know that God hears our prayers, and will grant them
whenever He sees that to do so is best for us!"

What a support in daily life, what a consolation to the voyager over the
stormy ocean, is a firm confidence in that glorious truth!

CHAPTER SIX.

ON THE RAFT--THE SHARK--THE SEA-FIGHT.

The raft still floated uninjured; the sea continued perfectly calm.
Harry and David retained their health and spirits, hoping that they
should reach the land at last; and the old man appeared to be steadily
recovering. The calm tried them in one respect more than when the wind
blew, because after the raft had been strengthened they had nothing to
do. They talked of the past and of the future, but even friends cannot
talk on all day, especially if they are hungry and thirsty, and are
anxious about any matter. At last David recollected that they had taken
some fishing lines and hooks out of the boat, and thrown them with other
articles on the raft. They were soon discovered, and the lads flattered
themselves that they had nothing more to do than to bait the hooks, if
bait could be found, and to throw them overboard. Old Jefferies smiled
when he saw their preparations, and told them that, although certain
fish were to be caught occasionally in the open sea, the greater number
were to be found along the coasts of the different countries of the
world. "To my mind God has so ordered it that all the fish which best
serve for the food of man swim round and round the coasts of the
countries of the world, in shallow water, where they can be got at and
caught, or else they visit certain known spots, like the banks of
Newfoundland, or the fishing grounds in the North Sea. Now if they all
lived in the deep seas, or kept wandering about to all par