l cask of "Canary" had been one of
the items among the cabin stores. At the explosion it had been pitched
into the sea; and not being quite full had freely floated on the
surface. Snowball had taken possession of it by attaching it to his
timbers.

Breakfast over, the work of reconstruction commenced. As a preliminary,
the flitches of shark-meat were removed from the little raft, now doomed
to destruction; while that ingenious contrivance of the sailor,--the
canvas water-cask,--now no longer required, was emptied of its contents;
which, with the greatest care, were decanted into the safe depository of
one of the empty hogsheads that had been hitherto acting as supports to
the embarkation of Snowball.

The oars, sail-cloth, piece of handspike, axe, and tarpauling were also
transferred to the latter; and then the planks, and fragments of yards
and spars, were loosed from their lashings, and one by one distributed
into their proper places in the new structure.

All day long did the work continue,--only an interval of an hour being
appropriated to the midday meal. Excursions, too, were made from point
to point,--the oars serving to propel the half-constructed craft: the
object of these excursions being to pick up such pieces of timber,
ropes, or other articles as Snowball had not already secured. The aid
of the others now rendered many items available which Snowball had
formerly rejected as useless,--because unmanageable by himself while
acting alone.

The sun set upon their task still unfinished; but they retired hopefully
to rest: for the sky promised a continuance of the calm weather, and
they knew that if the promise was kept, a few hours in the morning of
the following day would suffice to complete the construction of a
raft,--one that would not only give them ample accommodation for the
stowage both of themselves and their stores, but would in all
probability ride out any gale likely to be encountered in that truly
_pacific_ part of the Atlantic Ocean.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

THE CATAMARAN.

Next morning, as soon as there was light enough for them to see what
they were about, the work was resumed; and the timbers having been put
together in a fashion to satisfy all hands, were lashed to one another
as tightly as the united strength of the sailor, Snowball, and Little
William could draw the ropes around them.

The structure when completed was of an oblong shape,--somewhat
resembling a punt or flat-bo