le the two were pulling, so he could not forsake his post.

It was a calm evening when they were thus cast adrift on the boundless
sea, and as night advanced the calm deepened, so that the ocean became
like a sea of ink, in which the glorious host of stars were faithfully
mirrored.

Hour after hour the two men pulled at the oars with a slow-measured
steady stroke, while Billy sat at the helm, and kept the boat's head in
the direction of a certain star which the captain pointed out to him.
At length the star became like a moon to Billy's gazing eyes; then it
doubled itself, and then it went out altogether as the poor boy fell
forward.

"Hallo, Billy! mind your helm!" cried his father.

"I felled asleep, daddy," said the Bu'ster apologetically, as he resumed
his place.

"Well, well, boy; lie down and take a sleep. It's too hard on you. Eat
a biscuit first though before you lie down, and I'll keep the boat's
head right with the oar."

The captain made no remark, but the moon, which had just arisen, shone
on his hard features, and showed that they were more fierce and lowering
than at the beginning of the night.

Billy gladly availed himself of the permission, and took a biscuit out
of the bag. Before he had eaten half of it he fell back in the
stern-sheets of the boat, dropt into a sound sleep, and dreamed of home
and his mother and Tottie.

Hour after hour the men pulled at the oars. They were strong men both
of them, inured to protracted exertion and fatigue. Still the night
seemed as if it would never come to an end, for in those high southern
latitudes at that time of the year the days were very short and the
nights were long.

At last both men stopped rowing, as if by mutual consent.

"It's a pity," said Gaff, "to knock ourselves up together. You'd better
lie down, cap'n, an' I'll pull both oars for a spell."

"No, no, Gaff," replied Graddy, with sudden and unaccountable urbanity;
"I'm not a bit tired, and I'm a bigger man than you--maybe a little
stronger. So do you lie down beside the boy, an' I'll call ye when I
want a rest."

Gaff remonstrated, protesting that he was game to pull for hours yet,
but the captain would take no denial, so he agreed to rest; yet there
was an uneasy feeling in his breast which rendered rest almost
impossible. He lay for a long time with his eyes fixed on the captain,
who now pulled the two oars slowly and in measured time as before.

At last, in desperation, Gaf