fellow!" said Langton. "Although he was no favourite of mine, I
am truly sorry."

"So am I," said Owen; "and I heartily forgive him for the way in which
he used to treat me. He has been making a strange confession to me, and
has been telling me that, I am the rightful heir to the title and
property his brother at present possesses. I do not think he was
wandering, as he seemed so very certain about the matter; but I should
have been glad if you had been awake to hear him."

"He may or may not have spoken the truth," said Langton; "but before you
can benefit by the information you have received, we must get home. It
seems more than doubtful whether we shall ever reach the shore."

Langton and Owen were unwilling to throw their messmate overboard, for
they had nothing to sink the body.

"We must try and carry it to the shore and give it burial," said
Langton.

Owen was perfectly ready to do this, though when they should reach the
shore was a question.

Hour after hour the calm continued. Often they could scarcely bear the
heat. Langton, who took the command, served out a small piece of melon
at a time, which somewhat alleviated their thirst, while the biscuits--
though wetted by the water, which had got into the cask--satisfied their
hunger.

At length, towards evening, a breeze from the northward sprang up. The
sail was hoisted, and by means of a paddle on either side they managed
to steer the raft.

"We are making nearly two knots an hour," said Owen, as the breeze
freshened. "During the night we shall, I hope, reach the island to the
southward."

"That depends on what currents me encounter, or whether the wind
continues," answered Langton; "I would rather get up to the shore at
daylight when we may choose a place for landing."

The raft required all their attention, for the sail being large it might
in a moment have been upset. Nat was stationed at the halyards, and
Mike at the sheet, while Langton and Owen steered. Darkness came on,
but the breeze continued. They appeared to have made good progress.
The fear was that the wind might increase still more. Langton thought
it prudent to reef the sail. Scarcely had they done so than a squall
came over the water, and sent the raft flying along at a far more rapid
rate than it had hitherto moved. The wind, however, soon again dropped,
and the raft moved on as slowly as before. The night became unusually
dark, the sky was obscured, and it was impos