Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 21, 2025
All hands immediately set to work: the mate, doctor, and Walter to build a substantial hut for Alice; and Nub and Dan to collect firewood for cooking their evening meal. Alice was not idle. She employed herself in gathering leaves and dry grass to form her bed, which, at the doctor's suggestion, was made with a layer of twigs and small branches, the leaves being thickly strewed on the top of them.
"Yes, yes; you will get ill if you don't eat," said Nub, offering the biscuits, and pouring out a little wine and water into a cup, which he had slipped into his pocket as he left the cabin. Alice thanked him, and was going to eat. "Stop!" she murmured. "I have not said my prayers this morning, and I was going to begin breakfast without saying grace."
"Oh, Missie Alice, you are an angel," exclaimed Nub. "I forgot all about saying my prayers, and I am sure an angel would not have done that," she answered. "Oh, how ungrateful I was; but it is not too late."
Fuel was then collected and arranged between the two piles of stone, and the mollusc being placed so that its edges rested on the top of them, the mate set fire to the wood. Scarcely was the fire lighted when Dan returned with the cask. "Arrah, now, Nub, you are mighty clever; but there's one thing I think I can beat you in, and that is in blowing up a fire.
"Yes! yes!" exclaimed Walter; "I know his attitude. Alice, it is our father!" Alice did not faint, but she cried for joy. The mate waved with his hand, pointing to the entrance of the harbour; and then they all hurried down, and along the shore to the nearest spot where the boat could safely put in. The doctor and Walter had to support Alice; while Nub, frantic with joy, eagerly rushed on ahead.
The day was drawing on, and the mate felt especially anxious not to have to spend another night at sea. Just as he was beginning to fear that they might have to do so, his practised eyes discovered an opening in the reef; and telling the doctor and Nub to keep a bright lookout for rocks ahead, he steered for it.
For many hours he, honest fellow, had eaten nothing. The mate, suspecting this, gave Alice the biscuits with a cup of wine and water, and then beat up some more fish, oil, and pounded biscuit, which he shared with Walter and Nub. The latter thought the food especially good, and would have been perfectly ready to eat twice as much of it had it been given to him.
That wasn't so pleasant to me, when I come to think of it; I thought I'd ought to have been counselled with. But it was just like Major; everybody come to her for a word of help or comfort, whether they took her idee or not, she had such feelin' for other folks's trouble. I got over that little nub after a while; and then I was so pleased, everything went smooth ag'in.
Towards morning both were awakened by finding the raft tossing about far more violently than it had hitherto done. The mate was steering, and Nub was attending to the sheets with the sail hoisted only half-way up. "What's the matter?" asked Walter. "We have got a stiffish breeze, and it will carry us the sooner to the shore, if it does not come on to blow harder," answered the mate.
Nub was constantly on his feet looking about for the expected sail, as there was a light breeze, which might have brought one towards them. Hour after hour passed by and no sail appeared. "Will a ship neber come?" frequently ejaculated Nub. He was losing patience, and it was but natural.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking