at not one of the three had once thought of removing their
superfluous clothing before jumping into the ocean. But Elwood was a
fine swimmer, and he struggled bravely, although at a great
disadvantage, until his outstretched hand was seized by the Irishman,
and he then caught hold of the settee and rested himself.

"Where is Howard?" he asked, panting from his exertions.

"Here he is," responded Howard himself. "I struck the water so close
that when I came up my hand hit the settee."

"I tell you what it is," said Elwood. "We ought to have brought
something else with us beside this. We have got to keep all of our
bodies underwater for this to bear us."

"And what of it?"

"Suppose some poor fellow claims a part. Gracious! here comes a man this
minute!"

"We can't turn him off," said Tim, "but this owld horse has all the
grist he can carry."

A dark body could be seen struggling and rapidly approaching them.

"Whoever he is, he is a good swimmer," remarked Howard, watching the
stranger.

"Of course he is, for it comes natural; don't you see it isn't a man,
but old Terror."

"Thank heaven for that! we never thought about him. I am glad he is with
us."

The next moment the Newfoundland placed his paw on the settee and gave a
low bark to announce his joy at being among his friends. The sagacious
brute seemed to understand how frail the tenure was that held them all
suspended over eternity; for he did nothing more than rest the top of
his paw on the precious raft.

CHAPTER IV.

A PASSENGER.

By this time our friends were a quarter of a mile in the rear of the
burning steamer. The furious pulsations of the engines had stopped, and
from stern to stern the great ship was one mass of soothing flame. The
light threw a glare upon the clouds above, and made it so bright where
our friends were floating in the water that they could have read the
pages of a printed book. The illumination must have been seen for many
and many a mile in every direction upon the Pacific.

"Yes, the steamer has stopped," said Howard; "the fire has reached the
engines, and now they must do as we have done."

"But they have boats and may escape."

"Not half enough of them; and then what they have got will be seized by
the crew, as they always do at such times."

"Look! you can see them jumping over. The poor wretches hang fast till
they are so scorched that they have to let go."

"It's mighty lucky yees are here," said Tim,