e
progress. A light breeze springing up towards evening, we hoisted our
sail; and steering as well as we could with our paddles, or rather the
pieces of board which served as such, we glided on towards the still
far-distant shore. Had we known more about the coast and the dangers
which fringed it, we should probably have endeavoured to gain the
offing, where we might possibly be seen by a vessel passing either to
the north or south--which none was likely to do closer in with the
shore. Still, we all agreed that if we remained at sea and no vessel
should come near us for a couple of days, we must, without food and
water, inevitably perish.

We were all greatly overpowered with a desire to sleep, which even the
fear of falling off into the water could scarcely conquer. I know that,
though I was steering, I frequently saw the stars dancing before my eyes
and shining in a confused manner on the mirrorlike surface of the water,
while I scarcely recollected where I was or what had happened. At last
I could stand it no longer, and was compelled to tell Boxall how I felt.
Though there was great risk in changing our position, he insisted on
taking my place; and as he was next to me, he told me to stoop down
while he crept over my head. The centre part of the raft was more
secure. Halliday, who had, I found, been sleeping for some time, was
being held on by Boxall, who undertook to help me in the same way. In a
moment after I had got into my new position I was fast asleep; and
though the wind had been increasing, and the sea was consequently
rougher than before, even the tossing of the raft did not awake me.

We had been running on for some time, when suddenly I was aroused by a
violent shock.

"What has happened?" I exclaimed, opening my eyes.

"We have run on a reef!" exclaimed Ben; "and it will be a job for us to
get over it."

The mast had been unshipped, and fell over Ben; but being only an oar,
it did not hurt him. We found ourselves on the top of a level rock,
with the water quite shoal all round us.

"What is to be done now?" asked Halliday.

"We will take our sail to pieces, and resume our shirts and
handkerchiefs," said Boxall calmly. "If the tide is at present at its
height, the rock will be dry shortly, and we can remain and stretch our
legs till we ascertain how far we are off the coast."

"But had we not better drag the raft over to the other side, into deeper
water?" asked Ben; "we may then be