of spirit
to yield easily to despair; nor did it then.

Instead of resigning himself up to fate or chance, he continued to exert
the powers both of his mind and body, in the hope that something might
still be done to retrieve the misfortune which had befallen the crew of
the _Catamaran_. He again returned to the steering-oar; and, hastily
detaching it from the hook upon which it had been mounted as a rudder,
he commenced using it as a paddle, and endeavoured to propel the raft
against the wind.

It is scarce necessary to say that he employed all his strength in the
effort; but, notwithstanding this, he soon became convinced that he was
employing it in vain. The huge _Catamaran_ lay just as Snowball had
characteristically described her,--"like a log o' 'hogany wood in a calm
ob de tropic."

Even worse than this; for, paddle as he would, the sailor-lad soon
perceived that the raft, instead of making way against the wind, or even
holding its ground, still continued to drift rapidly to leeward.

At this crisis another idea occurred to him. It might have occurred
sooner, had his mind not been monopolised with the hope of being able to
row the raft to windward. Failing in this, however, his next idea was
to throw something overboard,--something that might afford a support to
the swimmers struggling in the water.

The first object that came under his eyes promising such rapport was the
sea-kit of the sailor. As already stated, it was amidships,--where its
owner had been exploring it. The lid was open, and little William
perceived that it was wellnigh empty; since its contents could be seen
scattered on all sides, just as the sailor had rummaged them out,
forming a _paraphernalia_ of sufficient variety and extent to have
furnished the forecastle of a frigate.

The sight of the chest, with its painted canvas covering, which Little
William knew to be water-tight, was suggestive. With the lid locked
down, it might act as a buoy, and serve for a life-preserver. At all
events, no better appeared to offer itself; and, without further
hesitation, the lad slammed down the lid, which fortunately had the
trick of locking itself with a spring, and, seizing the chest by one of
the sennit handles, he dragged it to the edge of the raft, gave it a
final push, and launched it overboard into the blue water of the ocean.

Little William was pleased to see that the kit, even while in the water,
maintained its proper position,--th