this blazing sun. Let those boys and the Irishman put in
their oars. They will only kill themselves if they keep at it."

Mr Scoones saw by this how slight was his authority over the men, and
wisely gave up the attempt. After a time the calm became more difficult
to endure than had been the gale. Owen and his two friends had their
heads protected by the turbans which they had at first manufactured, but
the others had taken no similar precautions. The straw hats they wore,
which had been washed ashore, afforded but a slight resistance against
the penetrating rays of the sun. Night brought them all some relief.

Then all hands, excepting one who remained on the watch, lay down to
sleep. When it was Owen's watch he saw the mate several times get up
and look about him as if his slumbers were light and troubled. For
upwards of four days the calm continued. Provisions were served out
regularly, but Mr Scoones, believing that they would reach Batavia in
ten days or so, had not put the people on an allowance of water; the
consequence was that they drank away at the water casks without stint,
as they had done at the spirit kegs. One of the casks was soon emptied.
Without telling Mr Scoones, they began upon a second. Even Owen was
not aware how rapidly the water was being exhausted, until Nat told him
that he was afraid they were half-way through the second cask. Owen at
once informed Mr Scoones, who on this occasion had good cause for his
anger.

"If you wish to live, you fellows must consent to be put on short
allowance. We have not made good more than thirty miles of the distance
we have to run, and for what we know, we may chance to meet with
contrary winds and more calms, and if so, we shall soon all die of
thirst. Being without water is, as you will find, worse than being
without food."

These remarks brought the men to reason. The remainder of the kegs,
including those which had been washed up upon the island, were therefore
brought and kept aft by Mr Scoones, who served out half a cupful at a
time twice a day to each man.

Owen, as before, tried to animate his companions.

"Here comes a breeze," he exclaimed, as a light blue ripple was seen
advancing over the mirror-like surface of the ocean. The sails were
trimmed, and the boat once more glided on at the rate of three or four
knots an hour. Even should the breeze continue, however it would take
them many days to reach Batavia. The wind lasted but