Part 15 (2/2)

”Why, you see, as I said afore, I wish that our old skipper was, so, Peter, I'll sew hi of iron at the feet; and as you are a better scholar than I am, you can say the prayers over him while er him overboard, and to my mind he'll be just as well off as he would be ashore”

I re the body as long as we could, but knowing that his superstitious ideas induced him to reed to bury our skipper at the end of three days if we did not by that tiht and another day went by, the wind still holding fair I pointed out to Jim how thankful we should be for this, as I was certain that in the latitude where ere there was seldo a continuance of fine weather He, however, was far froht to have seen the land before this, and was continually, when not working the puland is an island, as the song says, 'Our right little, tight little island;' and don't you think that so away into the Atlantic?”

”I hope not,” I answered; ”for if so we shall not get into port till we have run right across it; but I am sure the captain never intended us to do that when he told us to steer west; I think rather that we have not been going as fast as we supposed I'll heave the log and try, though it will be a difficult job to do so”

I got out the reel and glass The latter I gave to Jim to hold with one hand, while he steered with the other The handle of the reel I ed to put into a hole in the shattered bulwarks, so that it could run round easily I then took the log-shi+p in ht hand and hove it

”Turn!” I cried

”Turn!” said Jim

The line ran slowly out

”Stop!” cried Jim

I examined the line

Two knots and a half was all it showed Ji four

I was thus certain that we had run a much shorter distance than he supposed, but he was not convinced that I was right

Day and night, between the intervals of pu, he went forward to look out Another day went by It was again night Jio forward and look out till it was his turn to take the helm I advised him rather to lie down, as I was sure that he must be tired, but he would not, and away he went into the darkness towards the bows

I every now and then hailed him and he answered I had not hailed for some time when I felt the breeze freshen Theat the sheets, and the an to complain

”Jim! Jim!” I shouted, ”shorten sail, be smart about it”

But Ji should broach to and our ain be carried overboard

Once more I shouted, ”Jim! Jim!” Still he did not come, and the dreadful idea arose in my mind that he had fallen overboard

At last I could withstand the desire no longer of rushi+ng forward to ascertain what had becoht happen? I ot as far as theround, so I sprang back to right the helm