Under the Great Bear

ld have been drawn under by the deadly clutch of that swirling vortex. No open boat could have lived in it for a minute; and even the r

cy finally triumphed, and as its rotary motion became less rapid, Cab

rg, for nothing else had been in sight when he went below. Yet it was incredible that such a thing could have happened in broad daylight. The afternoon had been clear and bright; of that he was certain,

but the only answer came in shape of mocking echoes hurled sharply back from close at hand. Looking in that direction, he dimly discerned a vast outline of darker substance than the enveloping mist. From it came also a sound of falling wa

ly against its icy cliffs. This thought filled him with a momentary despair, for there seemed no possibility of avoiding the impending fate. Then his eyes fell on a pair of oars la

he rested on his oars, a full sense of his wretched plight came back to him, and he grew sick at heart as he realised how forlorn was his situation. He wondered if he could survive the night that was rapidly closing in on him, and, if he did, whether the morrow would find him any better off. He had no idea of the direction

ainst frigid cliffs, and with an access of terror he once more sprang to his oars. Now he rowed with the wind, keeping it as directly astern

s of weary work and unrefreshing rest, the slow dragging hours of that interminable night were spent. Finally, after he had given up all hope of ever again seeing a g

had counted five hundred. Then he opened them, and almost screamed with the joy of being able to trace the outlines of his raft.

of his misery in sleep. When he awoke some hours later, aching in every bone, and painfully hungry, he was also filled with a delicious sen

he had suffered so much was no longer in sight. At the same time he was grievously disappointed that he

at direction, but it might change at any moment; and even with it to aid his rowing he doubted if his clumsy craft could make more than a mile an hour. Thus darkness would again overtake him ere he had covered more than half the required distance, though he should row steadily during the remainder of the day. He knew that his g

s ever, and grew more unattainable as the day wore on. At length the sun was well down the western sky, across which it appeared to race as never before. As Cabot watched it, and vaguely wished for the power once given to Joshua, the bleakness of despair suddenly enfolded him, and his eyes became blurred with tears. He covered them with his hands to shut out the mocking s

hat he had not seen her while standing up, was owing to the fact that her sails, instead of being white, were tanned a dull red, that blended perfectly with the colour of the distant sho

cheerily. "The old 'Sea Bee's'

rd under the swelling sails. "Mebbe so," he repeated, "and mebbe not. Steam's hard to beat on land or water, an' we be a far cry from Pretty

ou are. They won't start to-day, anyhow. But here, take her a minut

ctive companion sprang into the main rigging and ran rapidly to the masthead, from

With a glance seaward his keen eye had detected a distant floating object that was momenta

hellum, and trim in all," he shouted

n a few minutes later, as th

s something floating off there t

k, and lose time that'll mebbe prove the most wallyable of yo

of mine as well. There's what I'm after, now. See, just off the starboard bow. It's a raft, and David, there's a man on it, sure as you live. Look, he's standi