"I hope you never may, Willy," said Harry; "but we may thank God, more than my skill, for having been preserved hitherto. We have many a long league to go over before we can reach even the Auckland Islands; and I pray that the weather may continue fine till we get there." In spite, however, of Willy's resolution he often dropped asleep, though he roused himself up on such occasions, and again spoke to Shafto. Harry himself at times felt that, had he not been standing up, he should have fallen asleep too; and he promised Willy that, should the sea go down, he would in the morning let Paul Lizard relieve him at the helm. How anxiously he longed for daylight, hoping at noon to take an observation and ascertain their exact position. As the sun rose, its bright rays shining on the eyes of several of the sleepers, roused them up. Some at first looked bewildered, as if they had forgotten what had occurred. When they found that the sea had gone down, and the wind decreased to a moderate breeze, a gleam of satisfaction, such as had not before been seen, appeared on their countenances. Harry was at length about to summon Paul Lizard to relieve him at the helm, when Mrs Morley and her daughters came out of their cabin. Their countenances were sad and anxious. The boat was now moving rapidly under all sail over the comparatively smooth ocean. Harry had, as soon as he was able, altered the course to the north-east. Mrs Morley looked around, and then at the compass. "Oh, Mr Shafto!" she exclaimed, "are you not steering back to the ship? Surely you would not willingly desert those on board!" It was a trying question to Harry. "I would undoubtedly return, had I the power," he answered; "but my orders were to carry the boat to the nearest land we can make, where food and shelter can be found. Were I to attempt to return, I should disobey those orders. It might take us also three or four days to beat back to the spot where we left the ship, and we might fail to find her after all." Mrs Morley hid her face in her hands. It seemed as if her last hope had gone. "Oh, why was I separated from him?" she exclaimed, her feelings overcoming for the moment her better judgment. "For the sake of your daughters, marm, do cheer up," said Mrs Rumbelow, who at once came to Harry's assistance. "Though you yourself, marm, would go through any fresh dangers to join the colonel, just think how ill able these young ladies are to bear them," she said, in a gentle, soothing tone. At first Mrs Morley seemed scarcely to understand what was said, but in a short time she recovered herself, her daughters doing their utmost to console her; and Mrs Rumbelow at length persuaded her to return to the shelter of the awning.