h from hunger and
thirst must be their lot; still, trusting in God's mercy, he did his
utmost to keep up the courage of his companions. The midshipmen behaved
as became them, not a word of complaint escaping their lips, while every
time a sea broke on board, Chandos cried out, "Hurrah, here's more work
for us; bale away, Dickenson; we must clear her before the next comes."
It seemed, indeed, wonderful that so small a boat could live in such a
sea. Thus the night wore on.

At dawn of day Ralph discovered, less than half a mile to the
south-west, a rocky point, the extreme eastern end, he supposed, of a
somewhat elevated island, along the northern coast of which they had
been drifting during the night. The light rapidly increased, while the
clouds cleared away, and the wind abated. As far as the eye could reach
to the westward appeared an unbroken line of raging surf, into which,
had the boat been carried, her destruction would have been certain. He
pointed out to his companions how mercifully they had hitherto been
preserved; "and if we can get round yonder point we shall be in smooth
water, under the lee of the island, and shall probably without
difficulty get on shore," he added.

Once more he cast an anxious look westward, but not a trace of the wreck
could be seen. Had the _Falcon_ and her gallant crew been totally
engulfed by the waves?

"I fear that it's all over with them," said Jacob; "I don't think we
could have come so far as to lose sight of the wreck altogether if she
still hung together."

The boat's head was now cautiously got round, and the midshipmen
resuming their oars, they pulled away in a direction which would enable
them to round the point clear of the surf. They were round it at last,
but a fringe of black rocks, over which the sea leaped and foamed,
warned them to keep at a distance. On and on they rowed. The coast was
uninviting. No trees were to be seen; no signs of human habitation. At
length a small sandy bay appeared, with high rocks on either side of it,
while beyond was a valley, its sides clothed with trees and green
herbage. No spot could be more desirable. Pulling in, they landed, and
hauled up their boat on the beach.

"We are not ashamed, I hope, of thanking Him who preserved us through
the dangers of the last dark night, and asking Him to take care of us
for the future," said Jacob.

"No, indeed," answered Ralph and the midshipmen, and at once they knelt
down on th