which, sprinkled on a lump of loaf-sugar, he seemed to consider a
great luxury. I do not know what would have become of us at this
crisis if it had not been for that omnipresent bottle of hot stuff.
We poured the stinging liquid over our sugar, which had kept dry in
a sardine-box, and warmed ourselves with frequent doses.

After four or five hours the rain ceased, the wind died away to a
moan, and the sea--no longer raging like a maniac--sobbed and
sobbed with a piteous human voice all along the coast. And well it
might, after that night's work. Twelve sail of the Gloucester
fishing fleet had gone down with every soul on board, just outside
of Whale's-Back Light. Think of the wide grief that follows in the
wake of one wreck; then think of the despairing women who wrung
their hands and wept, the next morning, in the streets of
Gloucester, Marblehead, and Newcastle!

Though our strength was nearly spent, we were too cold to sleep.
Once I sunk into a troubled doze, when I seemed to hear Charley
Marden's parting words, only it was the Sea that said them. After
that I threw off the drowsiness whenever it threatened to overcome
me.

Fred Langdon was the earliest to discover a filmy, luminous streak
in the sky, the first glimmering of sunrise.

"Look, it is nearly daybreak!"

While we were following the direction of his finger, a sound of
distant oars fell upon our ears.