The sky which had been so clear at the beginning of the day, had gradually become overcast with clouds. At about three o’clock a few drops of rain fell with a soft plash into the boat. It soon increased to a hard shower. Captain Gray, Allen and the sailors quickly unlashed the barrel containing the sea biscuit, which they emptied into the bottom of the boat and set the barrel to catch the rain. They soon had caught enough to give each of the girls a refreshing draught, moistening their own parched throats as well. The rain continued to fall for some time, enabling them to catch several quarts of water. For three days more they drifted on, with no signs of land, or even a friendly sail in sight, but about noon of the eighth day one of the sailors cried: “Land! Land!” “Captain, isn’t that land ahead?” “I have seen that line against the sky for some time,” answered Captain Gray, “and I think you are right in saying it is land, yet it may be only a coral reef.” What remnant of sail they had left was soon put up, and fortunately what breeze there was, was setting directly toward the island, if island it really was. “Can’t we do something to make sure of reaching it, papa, if it is land?” asked Etta, who had now entirely revived. “No my child, we must trust to luck to take us there. We are almost helpless. But there seems to be a current setting in towards shore, which, if nothing, such as adverse winds, happens to change our course, I think that sometime to-morrow we shall reach the island or reef, whichever it is.” “Are we not in danger of running on some hidden reef?” said Allen. “Yes, we do run some risk of that, but we must do the best we can.” As night came on, the weary wanderers over the face of the waters, composed themselves to rest with a feeling of almost security, so nearly ended seemed their trials of the past week. The three sailors, Allen and the captain went on watch by turns throughout the night. By the early morning light how anxiously all the party scanned the shore, which could now be seen quite plainly. The waves gently lifted the boat and each moment seemed to carry it onward, in a manner that was meant to compensate for the roughness with which the waves had handled the staunch little craft a few days before. “I think,” said Captain Gray, “that we are inside of a large reef and that fact accounts for the calmness of the sea.” “We are lucky that the wind keeps favorable,” said Allen. “What in the world should we do if the wind should go down?” “Well, Allen,” answered Mabel, “we must trust in providence. God has so far brought us out of our perils, and we should not now, doubt His goodness, or power to protect us.” “I know Mabel, yet I cannot help feeling as if, were we again to be driven out to sea, it would be harder to bear than our trials of the last week have been.” “But see, Allen,” broke in Etta, “we can actually see the shore and what is on it.”