suddenly loomed up before their
eyes,--at first obscurely seen through the fog, but gradually becoming
more distinct,--was enough to cause any amount of surprise. Such a
grouping of strange objects in such a situation! The huge carcass of a
whale,--a fire upon its back, with bright flames blazing upward,--a
crane over the fire with the curious flitches suspended from it,--a
raft, in some respects resembling their own, supported by empty casks,
and carrying a sail, with four human beings seen upon its deck,--all
these formed a series of phenomena, or facts, that was enough to have
excited the surprise of the most indifferent observers. Some of the men
were even speechless with wonder, and so continued for a time, while
others gave vent to their astonishment in loud shouts and excited
gesticulations.

That first order issued by Le Gros--for it was his voice that had been
heard giving it--had no other object than to cause a rapid movement
towards the dark mass, or rather the beacon seen blazing upon its
summit. The order had been instantly obeyed; for there was an
instinctive apprehension on the part of all that, as before, the light
might again vanish from their view.

As they drew nearer, however, and the fog continued to disperse, they
obtained a fairer view. Their surprise was not much diminished, though
their comprehension of the objects before them became rapidly clearer.

The retreat of the Catamarans--for the movements of the latter
proclaimed this design--was of itself suggestive; and, perhaps, more
than aught else, enabled those from whom they were retreating to
comprehend the situation.

At first they could not even conjecture who they were that occupied the
little raft. They saw four human beings upon it; but the mist was still
thick enough to hinder them from having a clear view of either their
forms, faces, or features. Through the filmy atmosphere to recognise
them was impossible. Had there been but two, and had the embarkation
that carried them been a mere platform of planks, they might have shaped
a conjecture. They remembered that upon such a structure Ben Brace and
the boy had given them the slip; and it might be them. But who were the
two others? And whence came the six water-casks, the sail, and other
paraphernalia seen upon the escaping craft?

They did not stay to waste time in conjectures. It was enough for them
to perceive that the four individuals thus seen were trying to get out