er. Would that do, Ben?"

"Sartain it would. It be the best kind o' prayer, I've heerd say. Get
on your knees, lad, and do it. I'll kneel myself, and join with ye in
the spirit o' the thing, tho' I'm shamed to say I disremember most o'
the words."

The boy, thus solicited, at once raised himself into a kneeling
position, and commenced repeating the sublime prayer of the Christian.
The rough sailor knelt alongside of him, and with hands crossed over his
breast in a supplicating attitude, listened attentively, now and then
joining in the words of the prayer, whenever some phrase recurred to his
remembrance.

When it was over, and the "Amen" had been solemnly pronounced by the
voices of both, the sailor seemed to have become inspired with a fresh
hope; and, once more grasping an oar, he desired his companion to do the
same.

"We must get a little farther to east'ard," said he, "so as to make sure
o' bein' out o' their way. If we only pull a couple of hours afore the
sun gets hot, I think we'll be in no danger o' meetin' _them_ any more.
So let's set to, little Will'm! Another spell, and then you can rest as
long's you have a mind to."

The sailor seated himself close to the edge of the raft, and dropped his
oar-blade in the water, using it after the fashion of a canoe-paddle.
"Little Will'm," taking his place on the opposite side, imitated the
action; and the craft commenced moving onward over the calm surface of
the sea.

The boy, though only sixteen, was skilled in the use of an oar, and
could handle it in whatever fashion. He had learnt the art long before
he had thought of going to sea; and it now stood him in good stead.
Moreover, he was strong for his age, and therefore his stroke was
sufficient to match that of the sailor, given more gently for the
purpose.

Propelled by the two oars, the raft made way with considerable
rapidity,--not as a boat would have done, but still at the rate of two
or three knots to the hour.

They had not been rowing long, however, when a gentle breeze sprung up
from the west, which aided their progress in the direction in which they
wished to go. One would have thought that this was just what they
should have desired. On the contrary, the sailor appeared uneasy on
perceiving that the breeze blew from the west. Had it been from any
other point he would have cared little about it.

"I don't like it a bit," said he, speaking across the raft to his
companion. "It helps