Part 4 (1/2)

dick had husbanded his as were still to be found, he could not hope longer to shootthe report of his gun

A the treasures sent on shore by the pirates was a s of tobacco dick had used it pretty freely for the first year or two, but latterly, finding that it must also come to an end, he put himself on an allowance, and only smoked a pipe occasionally when his day's as over, and he took his seat with Charley on the bench under the porch in front of their hut Charley had asked one day why he should not srown men like me,” answered dick, ”but very bad for little boys When you have been at sea a dozen years or so, you ood I would sharewith you--you know that, Charley”

”Yes, indeed I do,” was the answer, and Charley never again asked for tobacco

They were seated, as I was saying, within the porch one evening, when dick, whose eyes were turned towards the boat, drawn up on the beach in the little bay in front of the a cruise farther out than we have been yet; we shall get bigger fish, and not lose soelse but fish to live upon, and though they are not bad food, yet, if there was to come a spell of foul weather, such as we have had now and then, we should not be able to get even theood quantity, that weelse to be got”

Charley ell pleased with the thoughts of a longer cruise, and early in thecarried down sos and fish, which they cooked over night, they launched their curiously-built boat She was, as dick observed, a good one to run before a breeze, but where it cao as fast to leeward as she did ahead He, however, had made three oars, two of which he pulled hiht Charley to steer with the third

Though the wind blew off the land, it being light, dick had no doubt he should easily be able to pull back again Having exahbourhood, and easilythe stone, to serve as an anchor, attached to a long rope; but he found the water deeper than he had expected, though, as the stone touched the bottom, he hoped that it would hold the boat

The lines had not been long over the side before Charley hooked a big fish, larger than he had ever before seen dick helped hi, it nearly broke away dick caught two or three, then Charley got another bite; he was again obliged to cry out for dick's assistance dick saw that, from the size of the fish, skill would be required to capture it, and he continued playing it a considerable ti it on board he found that the hook isted, and soer in and occupied with the sport, dick did not observe that the boat was slowly drifting along the reef, away froain the shore The as also increasing, though as the sea was s up, he observed the position of the boat, and on going to the bows, found that the cable was slack and the stone no longer at the end of it It had been cut through Quickly hauling in the cable and the fish-lines, and telling Charley to take the oar to steer, he began pulling hard to regain the passage through the reefs A strong current was, however, against hih he exerted himself to the ut ashore that I have forgotten ,” he said, as he tugged away All his efforts were of no avail to urge the heavy tub-like boat against the forces opposed to her She drifted farther and farther away froot the more she felt the influence of the breeze; while the sea also, though san to tumble and toss in a hich made dick feel more uncomfortable than he had ever before been in his life The wind at the tiing that the craft he had been so proud of was very ill able to contend with the heavy sea which was rapidly getting up

”There's no help for it, and I don't want the craft to capsize I must run before the breeze, and ain--but if not! well, I won't think of that,” said dick, to himself ”I must keep my own spirits up, for Charley's sake It will be hard, however, for the poor little chap to lose his life after being saved fro shi+p and those villainous pirates For myself I don't care; I have well known ever since I caht happen to h flat-bottoht have been expected dick, who had taken the helht before the seas As he had not cohted with the way in which she flew over the foaive me such a sail as this, dick,” he exclaimed

”No et back as soon as ish, but the weather looks fine I hope we may, some day or other”

dick, however, was disappointed The wind continued to freshen, and he was co another atteht came on He told Charley to take some food; but he was toothe boy lie down near hi he sat steering his boat and praying that the wind lance astern; the land was not to be seen He had no coe, he would have difficulty in regaining so s that he would be frightened on finding hiot up and gazed about him with an astonished look

”Why, dick, what has becooing to leave it!”

”I wish I had never done so,” said dick Charley saw that his friend looked anxious

”I don't knoe are in any danger; but if we are, remember, dick, that God took care of us on the raft, and can just as well take care of us now That's what you have taught me; and so I will pray to Him, and I am sure He will hear me”

”Do, Charley, do,” said dick; ”and I'll mind the shi+p”

All that day the boat ran on Charley insisted on bringing dick so it into his mouth, for he could not venture to leave the helm for an instant Charley hi accustomed to the movements of the boat, the confidence he had in his friend prevented hian to fall, and the sea went down, and in a few hours a perfect calm came on The boat floated without movement

dick determined, after he had had a few hours' sleep, to try and pull back He slept longer than he expected, and Charley, who sat watching by his side, would not awake him When at last he did open his eyes, it was nearly dark A thinthe stars, he had no ht be working away all night, and find that I had only gone farther from the island,” he observed ”You and I, Charley, will keep watch and watch You shall take one hour and I three; that will be about the proper proportion, seeing that I am about three tiht passed by

At last the sun rose, his beaan to pull away lustily in the direction he supposed the island to be Suddenly a crack was heard--one of his oars had gone--he took the steering oar, but that in a few minutes went also

”It cannot be helped, Charley,” he said ”We must trust to Him who knoell how to take care of us”

The boat lay motionless Hour after hour and day after day passed away