hether the old Cat's still
crawling about, or whether she's gin us the slip altogether. That's the
best thing we can do,--ain't it?"

"De berry bess, Massa Brace. We can't do nuffin' better dan swim down
de wind."

Without further parley, the two set themselves to the task thus
proposed; and one striking with his right hand, the other with his
left,--both buffeting the waves with equal vigour and resolution,--they
were soon sweeping onward with a velocity that caused the sea to surge
along the sides of the chest, until the froth rose to the fingers of
Lilly Lalee as she lay grasping its lid!

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

DOWN THE WIND.

They had not proceeded very far, when a cry from the girl caused them to
suspend their exertions. While the others were occupied in propelling
the chest, Lalee, kneeling upon the lid, had been keeping a lookout
ahead. Something she saw had elicited that cry, which was uttered in a
tone that betokened, if not joy, at least some sort of gratification.

"Wha is it, Lilly Lally?" interrogated the black, with an air of
eagerness; "you see someting. Golly! am it de _Cat'maran_?"

"No,--it is not that. It's only a barrel floating on the water."

"Only a ba'l,--what sort o' a ba'l you tink 'im?"

"I think it's one of the empty water-casks we had tied to the raft. I'm
sure it is: for I see ropes upon it."

"It is," echoed Ben, who, having poised himself aloft, had also caught
sight of the cask. "Shiver my timbers! it do look like as if the Cat
had come to pieces. But no! Tain't that has set the cask adrift. I
set it all now. Little Will'm be at the bottom o' this too. He has cut
away the lashin's o' the barrel, so as to gie us one more chance, in the
case o' our not comin' across the chest. How thoughtful o' the lad!
Just like 'im, as I said it war!"

"We bess swim for de cask an' take 'im in tow," suggested the sea-cook;
"no harm hab 'im 'longside too. If de wind 'pring up, de ole chess be
no use much. De cask de berry ting den."

"You're right, Snowy! we musn't leave the cask behind us. If the kit
have served us a good turn, the other 'ud be safer in a rough sea. It
be dead ahead, so we may keep straight on."

In five minutes after, they were alongside the cask,--easily recognised
by its rope lashings, as one of those they had left attached to the
raft. The sailor at the first glance saw that some of the chords
encircling it had been cut with a knife, or other sh