"Ay. And last night, too, for some time--I don't know for how long." Joshua gave Rough-and-Ready an amazed look, and turned away to where Minnie was sitting. She saw him coming towards her, and her heart beat fast. "Why have you watched near me for two nights?" he asked, without looking at her. "You have enemies on the raft," was the answer, very quietly given. "I know; Scadbolt and the Lascar. But I can take care of myself." "Not when you are asleep," she said, almost in a whisper. What could he do? What could he say? Together on the raft in the presence of Death, from which only something very like a miracle could save them, could he be stern and harsh to her? And his great misery was, that he knew and felt his power. He knew that an unkind word from him to this young girl was as bitter as death could be. "You are like the rest of us, I suppose," he said, gently; "growing very weak." "I do not think so," she answered, trembling at the gentleness of his voice; "I feel strong as yet. Shall we be saved?" "We are in God's hands," he said. "I think there is but little chance of being picked up, or even of making friendly land." Neither addressed the other by name. "If the end comes, and you know it, and I am not near you, will you try and find me, and say a kind word to me before I die?" He gave her the promise, and hurried suddenly from her, for his heart was fit to break, and he dared not trust himself to say more. The third day passed, and the fourth. No sign of succor near. Hope began to die. On the sixth morning, when the roll was called, one of the passengers did not answer to his name. It was Mr. Bracegirdle. "He is asleep," said one. They shook him, but he did not move. He was dead. This was the first death, and it affected them deeply. Before he was sewn in the canvas, he was searched, in the anticipation of finding something useful. A surprising discovery was then made. He had in his pocket-book and round his waist bank-notes and bills for more than ten thousand pounds. But nobody knew any thing about him; he died, as he had lived among them a mystery. After his body was slipped into the sea, a whisper went about that the money found on him had not been honestly come by. That same night two sailors were washed into the sea. When it became known, there were some among them who secretly rejoiced in the thought that there would not be so many mouths to feed. Nearly a third of the provisions was eaten, and the women were very weak. Little Emma Pigeon held out the best; but that was because her mother, from even her small portion, gave some to her child between the times of serving out the provisions; the child also was petted and nourished by the other women. Rough-and-Ready as especially considerate to the females. Joshua saw him chewing something, and wondered what it was. Noticing the look of inquiry on Joshua's face, Rough-and-Ready enlightened him. "I am eating leather," he said.