from within the tent.

"He seems in a terribly bad humour this morning," said Nat.

"I am afraid his temper will not improve if he continues to drink as he
has begun to do," answered Owen. "What I fear is, that the men will
follow his example, and that nothing will be done to preserve our lives.
However, it becomes the more necessary that we should exert ourselves,
and use the sense God has given us."

"It seems strange that Mr Grey and the other officers should have been
lost, and this one have been saved," observed Nat.

"We do not understand God's ways; all we know is that He orders
everything for the best," answered Owen. "He may have allowed them to
be drowned to save them from greater suffering."

They spoke in low whispers so that the mate could not hear them. By
this time the sun had risen above the horizon. As the sky was unclouded
its rays struck with great force on their bare heads, for they had lost
their hats.

"We must make some covering for our heads, or we shall be suffering from
sun-stroke," observed Owen. "What I dread most, however, is the want of
water; we must search for it. I have heard that even on such sandy
islands as this springs have been found. If we can discover one, it may
be the means of saving our lives. Blow away, Nat, we shall soon have a
blaze."

In a short time a brisk fire was burning. The other men now began to
rouse up. The mate ordered Mike Coffey to act as cook. Among the
articles saved was a large iron fish-kettle. The provisions were now
turned over to discover what was most suitable for breakfast.

"Shure the best way to cook the food will be to boil all together,"
observed Mike. Having filled the kettle half full of water, he cut up
whatever was brought to him; some beef, biscuits, a tin of preserved
vegetables, a drowned fowl, and some handfuls of split peas. He had
fixed over the fire a tripod of three poles, to which he hung his
kettle, which Owen and Nat were told to watch in order to prevent the
poles burning through.

The mate sat in the tent, apparently with no intention of exerting
himself, while the rest of the men wandered about in twos and threes
along the shore, in search of anything that might have been cast up. It
was possible, also, that they may have been discussing together the
mate's conduct, as every now and then one of them looked back at the
tent to see if he was coming out. He sat still, evidently considering
that the others w