s hand, set out to lead the way. Four of the
men took charge of the raft, while others dragged after them casks of
beef and water and two of beer. Owen was thankful that no spirits had
been picked up. He knew too well what would have been the consequence.

"I am afraid, Owen, that I shall not be able to get across if there are
any deep places," said Nat, "as you know I cannot swim."

"Then you keep close to the raft, and I will get the men to let you hold
on to it."

The two lads had taken two of the casks of water, which was as much as
they could drag. The men who had charge of the raft, fortunately, were
amongst the best of the crew, and at once acceded to Owen's request;
indeed they looked upon him as an officer, and were willing to obey him
as such. Mr Scoones, who was a powerful man, aided by his long pole,
made great progress. Every now and then, when he got to a distance from
the men, he turned round and shouted to them to come faster.

"It's all very well for him to cry out come faster when he has got
nothing to carry," grumbled some of the men.

Presently, as he was shouting out, he was seen suddenly to sink down; he
had stepped without feeling his way into deep water. He, however, at
once struck out; in a short time he again rose, and pressed on as
before. When the raft reached the deep water Owen made Nat hold on to
it, and he swimming they soon got across. Several of the men, however,
who could not swim had to be assisted by their shipmates and dragged
over by ropes, which the best swimmers carried across. As they went
along they found several articles floating about, and these were added
to those they were dragging with them.

They were crossing a narrow channel, in which the water reached up to
their middles, when one of the men cried out, "A big fish; he will serve
us for dinner." The fish swam up the channel where the water was
shallower. Chase was made, and before it could escape it was overtaken
by two of the men, who had provided themselves with broken spars as
walking sticks. Having stunned it by the heavy blows they inflicted,
they towed it back in triumph.

"Why, you have got a young shark!" exclaimed Mike Coffey; "surely he'll
be eating us up, for he's only half kilt." Whereupon the Irishman,
taking out his knife, nearly severed its head from its body. "He'll not
be afther doing us any harm now," he said, laughing, as he secured the
prize.

At length the sand-bank was reach