sked any questions, believing he would relate the particulars of what was evidentl

they were

to the satisfaction of his companions he voluntee

t pulled down to a reg'lar bag of bones like this?" he said toward

"an' we'd like to know about it, but don't wa

ive weeks ago, an' had the best kind of weather for twenty days when a reg'lar nor'-easter struck us the afternoon of Thursday, nine days past as near as I can figger. There was time to get in the royals an' to'gallant sails before night; but the gale kept growin' worse so the spanker wa

lean before we could heave her to on the port tack by settin' the lower main-tops'l. By this time the fo'castle was drownded out, an' all hands bunked in the cabin till Saturday, when there was no more watches bel

e stores the bark went down, one of her spars striking the long-boat, an' we never saw a soul of 'em ag'in. I reckon pretty nigh every one was killed by the ruffle. The yawl held six, all told, an' I'm

ttin' any answer to the hail. That's the whole of the story. It ain't very much in the tellin'; but, lads, the livin' of it was somethin' a man don't like to think about

s now," Jim replied, the sense of companionship which had come when Bob Brace revived suffi

r, an' from that we might shape some kind of a course. Help me over to th

, had a beneficial effect on Brace, and Harry fancied he could see him growing stronger each moment. With but little aid

iving to the interior a less sinister appearance. The sword still remained on the floor, however, and all felt that this

himself; and then, lifting the weapon very gingerly, he threw it under the berth in one of the state-rooms,

to inspire terror; but if the situation of these three boys be taken into consideration, together with the

he brig's position had been partially worked out, was the only article which mig

the boys returned with the fruit of their labor. "If we can't get any idee of our true position we'l

e Bonita, and the probable time she had been under shortened sail; but this was not very valuable information. The s

brig carried you off but that it must b

ied quickly. "It was in that

forehead with the sleeve of his coat, apparently as much disturbed b

by the look of fear on the old sailor's face.

hat shipped on a English bark, an' the second day out one of the green hands turned the main hatch bottom up. What happened? Why, in less'n a

gn of?" Harry as

will turn bottom up afore reachin' port, an' we're in big

Jim ran forward as he spoke; but the heavy

as been done," Bob said in a lugubrious tone; "but you b

ot move with alacrity, for the old sailor's superstit

" Jim said in a whisper when the two came for

always comes true!" Wa

hip there wouldn't be many vessels afloat. He's all in a heap through bein' star

er of the party, and he an old sailor, rather than the youngest, more especially as the omino

pear cheerful while his companions were so gloomy; and as the darkness settled down over brig and sea Bob repeated the story of his suffering

din' watch?" Jim asked, in order to

with this wind. I'll take Harry in my watch an' give you Walter; then if we should have luck enough to sight a craft, a flare can be started without the helmsman's leavin' the wheel. Hunt in the pantry for

as necessary some one should set an example of courage to Harry and Walter, and he went bel

first watch, and with a few words of advice relative to the method of using the signal, in case it