wall that protected the Rancocus, they dashed themselves into spray
against it, wetting the vessel from her truck down, but doing her no
injury. Mark remained on deck until past twelve o'clock, when finding
that the gale was already breaking, he turned in and slept soundly until
morning. As for Bob, he had taken his watch below early in the evening,
and there he remained undisturbed until the appearance of day, when he
turned out of his own accord.

Mark took another look at the sea, reefs and islands, from the
main-topmast cross-trees of the ship, as she lay in her new berth. Of
course, the range of his vision was somewhat altered by this change of
position, and especially did he see a greater distance to the westward,
or towards the lee side of the reefs. Nothing encouraging was made out,
however; the young man rather inclining more to the opinion than he had
ever done before, that the vessel could not be extricated from the rocks
which surrounded her. With this conviction strongly renewed, he
descended to the deck, to share in the breakfast Bob had set about
preparing, the moment he quitted his cat-tails; for Bob insisted on
sleeping in the forecastle, though Mark had pressed him to take one of
the cabin state-rooms. This time the meal, which included some very
respectable ship's coffee, was taken on the cabin-table, the day being
cloudless, and the sun's rays possessing a power that made it unpleasant
to sit long anywhere out of a shade. While the meal was taken, another
conversation was held touching their situation.

"By the manner in which it blew last night," Mark observed, "I doubt if
we should have had this comfortable cabin to eat in this morning, and
these good articles to consume, had we left the ship outside until
morning,"