comforted.

"Can't you put us ashore?"

"It might be possible if I could find a sheltered beach farther on, but
it wouldn't be wise. You would find yourselves twenty or thirty miles
from the nearest settlement, and you could never walk so far through
the bush."

"Then what are we to do?"

There was distress in the cry, and Vane answered it in his most
matter-of-fact tone.

"So far as I can see, you can only reconcile yourselves to staying on
board. We'll have a fresh, fair wind for Victoria, once we're round the
next head, and with moderate luck we ought to get there late to-night"

"You're sure?"

Vane felt sorry for her.

"I'm afraid I can't even promise that; it depends upon the weather,"
he replied. "But you mustn't stand there in the spray. You're getting
wet through."

She still clung to the coaming, but he fancied that her misgivings were
vanishing, and he spoke again.

"How are Mrs. Marvin and the little girl? I see you have lighted