with difficulty we could keep in our positions. At last the storm
abated, the sky cleared up, and the bright full moon shone in the
heavens; but our case appeared hopeless--we felt that before morning we
must perish. I tried to say what prayers I had learned by hearing my
sister say them; but my teeth chattered, and I could only think them. At
last I perceived a vessel at anchor: the tide was sweeping us past--we
were close to her, and I contrived to cry out; but there was no reply.
Again I screamed, but it was in vain. They were all in their warm beds,
while we floated past, freezing to death. My hopes, which had been
raised, and which had occasioned my heart to resume its beating, now
sank down again, and I gave myself up in despair. I burst into tears;
and, before the tears had rolled half-way down my cheeks, they had
frozen hard. "I am indeed 'Poor Jack,' now," thought I; "I shall never
see my father or Virginia any more." As I thought so, I saw another
vessel ahead of us. I summoned all my strength, and called out long
before we floated past her. The light wind bore my voice down; there was
a man on deck, and he heard it; he walked forward, and I perceived him
looking over the bows. I hallooed again, to direct his attention to
where we were; for our wherry was so encrusted with ice that she might
have been taken for a larger piece floating by. I saw him turn away, and
heard him thump with a handspike on the deck. How my heart bounded! I
almost felt warm. As we were passing the vessel, I cried out again and
again, and the man answered me--

"Ay, ay, hold on for a minute or two, and I'll send for you."

[Illustration: I SUMMONED ALL MY STRENGTH, AND CALLED OUT LONG BEFORE WE
FLOATED PAST HER.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 73.]

"We are saved," I cried to the waterman; but he was quite insensible,