154 TKAVEL, ADVENTURE, AXD SPOET. 



in a moment, almost wrung my arm off in congratu- 

 latory shaking. Intense astonishment was mingled 

 with their delight, and they were perfectly vociferous 

 in demanding an explanation of the phenomenon I 

 presented in my own living person. It turned out 

 that they had been cruising about pretty nearly the 

 whole night, in the hope of falling in with me. They 

 had full confidence in my resolution, and knew that 

 I would not give in while a chance remained, and so 

 they hoped I would manage to keep afloat till some 

 one of the numerous boats that were out should fall 

 in with me. I have no doubt that they would have 

 prolonged their search throughout the night, had 

 they not fallen in with a craft (by the description, I 

 doubt not the identical chasse maree that so cruelly 

 deserted us), which gave them to understand that 

 they had seen us go down. "Fin, fin, alles,"! with 

 expressive pointing to the depths of ocean, was the 

 answer they had received to their inquiries. With 

 heavy hearts they had returned home, and without 

 meeting any but those whose search had been as 

 ineffectual as their own. 



"And now, Jack," said my friend the lieutenant, 

 "now that we have got you within hail once more, 

 safe and sound, who do you suppose it was that sent 

 me here this morning 1 " 



" To tell you the truth, I thought it was a little 

 sentimental excursion on your own account." 

 1 "Gone, gone." 



