raging sea, and then rose and plunged into the next wave.

Mr. Sargent and I made haste to go below, where we remained holding ourselves in our berths while the ship reeled, plunged and groaned in every timber and plank.

A fearful report like the crack of a rifle told us that some sail had been carried away; and then followed others. At length, from a change in the ship's motion, we judged that the Captain was trying to put her about and run before the gale; but suddenly a fearful crash which seemed as though the bark had split from stem to stern was followed by a terrible rolling and plunging.

Crack! Crack! and the bark pitched and groaned worse than ever.

We heard the Captain making his way toward the cabin, and then saw him enter. His face wore a look of deep anxiety.

"The masts have gone," he said, "and the bark is unmanageable. You must prepare for the worst. We may have to take to the boats."

"At once, Captain?" asked Mr. Sargent.

"I cannot tell until the well is sounded; but I fear that she must founder."

At that moment the first mate entered the cabin and stated that the bark was leaking badly. The water was rising fast in the hold.

"We must remain on the ship to the last moment," said the Captain, "for a boat could not live in this sea."

The Captain returned to the deck, and how long we clung to the berths I cannot tell, for I was dazed by the peril which threatened us--Were we to be lost at sea, drowned, all hands?

The Captain again entered the cabin. "We must take to the boats," he said, "and Heaven help us."

We hastened on deck just as we were, half clothed, leaving everything behind. Nothing could be taken.

When we reached the deck we saw the Captain standing by the starboard boat. The other had been launched, and had instantly disappeared in the darkness and foaming water.

The Captain, first and second mate, Mr. Sargent and myself now alone remained on the bark.

We hurried into the boat. "We should not be far from one of the outlying islands of the Windward group," said the captain; "and if the boat can live in this sea until daylight we may reach one of the Virgin Islands."

The tackle was let go, and a great sea caught the boat. She was lifted up, and up, and up, and then sank, it seemed, into a fathomless abyss.

I saw the first and second mate bend to the oars. The Captain was in the stern. The boat careened and seemed to start suddenly upward on an inclined plane.

A rush of water enveloped her. I heard a roaring sound in my ears, and I knew no more.

CHAPTER IV.

Cast up by the Sea on a Tropical Island.

When I regained consciousness I was lying upon a sandy beach. I was uninjured, but rather stiff, while my body seemed to be bruised in places. I was, of course, wet to the skin, and I crawled up and lay upon the sand where my clothing was quickly dried by the hot sun, now well up.

Meanwhile I looked about me. I had been driven ashore between two points of land, upon a narrow beach. The vegetation, very thick and luxuriant, grew close to the line of sand, and all around me, beautiful trees were waving in the balmy breeze, their shining leaves glistening in the sunlight.

I stood up and looked behind me, but I saw nothing save lofty mountains heavily wooded.

I had no doubt but that I was on an island, indeed I could be nowhere else, and I judged that it must be one of the most northern of the Leeward group.

Looking toward the sea, I saw only the broad expanse of deep blue water stretching away to the horizon. There was no other land in sight.

The sea had become calmer, but the influence of the storm was still evidenced by the heavy surf which broke upon the narrow beach. There was no wreckage of any kind, no sign of anything or anybody belonging to the bark.

At first the utter lonesomeness and hopelessness of my situation depressed me; but it would not do to give way to gloomy thoughts. I was entirely alone, and, so far as I knew, upon an uninhabited island. My future was a sealed book. After a while I began to take a more hopeful view of the situation, and the novelty of my surroundings, and the strange things about me, aroused my curiosity. So I determined to explore along the shore.

The vegetation was very dense, and appeared to be interwoven with vines of monstrous size. One kind of tree, very tall and with a heavy long narrow leaf seemed to be the most abundant; and from the descriptions which I had read, and by the clusters of oblong fruit at the bases of the leaf-heads, I knew them to be cocoanut palms.

"If I am really alone upon an uninhabited island," I thought, "at least I shall not starve so long as I am able to obtain plenty of cocoanuts."

Slowly I walked along the shore, my face being toward the east as I knew from the direction of the sun. First I decided to go to the top of the loftiest headland to see if I could obtain any trace of the bark, although I felt sure that she had gone down, and that all but myself had perished; still, the loneliness of my situation caused me to cling to what I felt was but a vain hope, that some one beside myself had survived.

With thoughts confused, and laboring under varying emotions, I walked slowly along, keeping on the sand except when I was obliged to turn aside to avoid a kind of dagger-like plant whose leaves were armed with cruel points.

Reaching the headland I was obliged to go through a thicket where my scanty clothing, as well as my hands, was torn by great thorns. However, I reached the point of land, and climbing to the top of a high mound I looked around. Before me, and to my right and left, there was nothing but the blue, heaving ocean; and behind me, I saw nothing but a dense forest, with lofty mountains in the distance. There was no sign of life save brilliant plumaged birds flitting about, and bright colored butterflies glancing in the sunshine.

Surely I was alone; but whether on an uninhabited island or not, the future alone would reveal. For the present it did not matter, and I must certainly depend upon my own resources.

I returned to the spot where I had been cast ashore, meanwhile revolving in my mind my present condition. What gave me great anxiety just then was my lack of clothing. I had on only my trousers, and shirt, shoes and stockings; and these were all I possessed in the world, but I was overjoyed to find that my knife was still in one of the pockets of my trousers. It was a good one, large and having two blades. The large blade was long and strong, and the possession of it might mean much to me in the future.

Reaching the place where I regained consciousness after being thrown ashore by the waves. I began to think of finding a good place to build a temporary shelter. This seemed to be as good a location as any, I thought,