there was a bulk of timber in sight, broad on the weather-bow.

The signalman was sent up, and said it looked like a raft.

The captain, who was on deck, levelled his glass at it, and made it out
a raft, with a sort of rail to it, and the stump of a mast.

He ordered the officer of the watch to keep the ship as close to the
wind as possible. He should like to examine it if he could.

The master represented, respectfully, that it would be unadvisable to
beat to windward for that. "I have no faith in our chronometers, sir,
and it is important to make the island before dark; fogs rise here so
suddenly."

"Very well, Mr. Bolt; then I suppose we must let the raft go."

"MAN ON THE RAFT TO WINDWARD!" hailed the signalman.

This electrified the ship. The captain ran up the mizzen rigging, and
scanned the raft, now nearly abeam.

"It IS a man!" he cried, and was about to alter the ship's course when,
at that moment, the signalman hailed again,--

"IT IS A CORPSE."

"How d'ye know?"

"By the gulls."