at your supper raw."

"We shall be content to eat anything we can get our teeth into," cried
Halliday. "Oh, do give me a cup of water, as we had only a few
thimblefuls on board the big raft."

Ben quickly drew a small-sized cupful from one of several casks ranged
round the raft.

"I should like to serve out more, gentlemen; but Mr Boxall will agree
with me that it's necessary to be careful, as our stock is but small,
and we shall not get more till we reach the shore--and perhaps not even
then."

Ben had secured some flour, which he rolled up into small balls. We ate
these thankfully, with some salt fish, from which they assisted to take
off the saltness. We made a better meal than we had enjoyed since we
left the ship; but I observed that neither Ben nor his companion ate
anything.

Night now came on. The ocean was as calm as a mirror, and the stare
came forth from the cloudless sky and shone down upon us, their soft
light tending greatly to tranquillise our spirits. One of us kept watch
at a time, while the rest lay down, with the sail as an awning, on the
planks with which Ben had formed a raised deck to the raft. We could
dimly distinguish the large raft in the distance; while voices, borne
over the tranquil ocean with peculiar distinctness, reached our ears,
though I could not make out what was said. Again there came shrieks and
cries, then all was quiet. Once more loud voices--as if the people were
holding a violent debate, or were fiercely disputing--reached us. After
all was quiet, I lay down and slept as soundly as I had ever done in my
life.

CHAPTER FIVE.

A FRIGHTFUL ENCOUNTER WITH SHARKS--A CHASE, AND AN ESCAPE--LAND!
LAND!--BREAKERS AHEAD.

I was aroused by a cry from one of my companions; and, sitting up, I saw
a small raft with four men on it approaching from the direction of the
large one. I at once knew that it must have been formed by them during
the night, for the purpose of trying to overtake us. The men were
urging it on with frantic efforts, evidently resolved to board us; so we
got out our oars, and began to row away to keep ahead of them. Day was
just breaking. They probably had wished to surprise us during the
darkness of night, but had been unable to finish their raft in time. We
were, it must be understood, to the eastward of them, and a somewhat
stiffish breeze had just got up, blowing from off the shore, which,
although the water remained pretty calm, impeded our