at near the stern of the boat, with his feet on the gunwale. He
was either asleep or dead, for though the ship had approached within
hail, he neither moved nor made any sign. The wind was light from the
southward, and the sea was quite calm.

"What do you make of it, Ryder?" called the officer of the deck to the
second master, who was on duty forward.

"It is a flat-bottomed boat, half full of water, with a boy in it,"
answered Ryder.

"Hail him," added the officer of the deck.

"Boat, ahoy!" shouted Ryder, at the top of his lungs.

The person in the boat, boy or man, made no reply. Ryder repeated the
hail, but with no better success. The officers and seamen held their
breath with interest and excitement, for most of them had already come
to the conclusion that the occupant of the boat was dead. A feeling
akin to horror crept through the minds of the more timid, as they
gazed upon the immovable body in the dilapidated craft; for they felt
that they were in the presence of death, and to young people this is
always an impressive season. By this time the ship was within a short
distance of the water-logged bateau. As the waif on the ocean
exhibited no signs of life, the first lieutenant, in charge of the
vessel, was in doubt as to what he should do.

Though he knew that it was the first duty of a sailor to assist a
human being in distress, he was not sure that the same effort was
required in behalf of one who had already ceased to live. Captain
Cumberland, in command of the ship, who had been in the cabin when
the excitement commenced, now appeared upon the quarter-deck, and
relieved the officer of the responsibility of the moment. Judson
reported the cause of the unwonted scene on deck, and as the captain
discovered the little boat, just on the weather bow, he promptly
directed the ship to be hove to.

"Man the main clew-garnets and buntlines!" shouted the first
lieutenant; and the hands sprang to their several stations. "Stand by
tack and sheet."

"All ready, sir," reported the first midshipman, who was on duty in
the waist.

"Let go tack and sheet! Up mainsail!" continued Ryder.

The well-trained crew promptly obeyed the several orders, and the
mainsail was hauled up in much less time than it takes to describe the
manoeuvre.

"Man the main braces!" proceeded the officer of the deck.

"Ready, sir," reported the first midshipman.

"Let go and haul."

As the hands executed the last order; all the yards o