There was small danger of the lumber blazing up, with so much salt water to extinguish a big fire, and so they cut slivers from some boards and started a little fire on the top of several big timbers, using a match from Mark’s water-tight safe for that purpose. Soon they had a fairly good blaze going and over this they cooked their fish, or rather, half cooked and half burnt it, for the operation proved far from satisfactory. But even such a meal was better than if the fish had been raw. By the time they had eaten their fill it began to cloud up once more and soon it was raining steadily. They lost no time in spreading their garments to catch the water and soon each had as much as he wished to drink. The rain lasted about two hours, then cleared away quickly, and toward the middle of the afternoon the sun came out. As the light kept growing Mark stood up and looked around them once more. Then he gave a cry: “A ship! A ship!” CHAPTER XXVII STONE DUST AND BOILING WATER Mark’s cry aroused Frank and the Norwegian sailor, and both looked eagerly in the direction pointed out. “I see something,” said Frank, after a searching look. “But if it is a ship or a small island I cannot tell.” “Da ship!” cried Sven Orlaff. “Da ship sure!” “Do you mean your ship?” queried Mark. “I no can say ’bout dat. Look lak my ship, but no sure.” For several minutes they watched the vessel in silence. Would it come toward them? “Let us raise a signal of distress,” said Frank. “Here, I’ll put my shirt up on the end of a board.” And this was done without delay. “We mak big smoke--dat be verra goot,” suggested Sven Orlaff, and began to kindle a blaze where the former fire had been. Over this he placed some wet bits of board which soon produced so much smoke that it nearly choked them. “They ought to see that,” said Frank. “You must remember that this raft is much smaller than the ship, Frank,” answered Mark, who was afraid of raising false hopes. “When we go down into a hollow of the sea we are completely out of their sight.” An anxious quarter of an hour went by, during which the ship seemed to come a little nearer. “I believe she will come to us,” said Mark, at last. Both of the boys looked anxiously at the Norwegian sailor, feeling that he had more experience in such affairs than themselves. Sven Orlaff shook his head sadly. “Da ship go ’round--no will come here,” he said. “It won’t!” gasped Mark and Frank in a breath. And again the sailor shook his head. The lads gazed eagerly, with eyes almost starting from their sockets. Sven Orlaff was right--the distant object was slowly but surely fading from their vision. The despair of the boys was now greater than ever, and for some time neither could trust himself to speak. “It looks as if we were doomed,” said Frank, at last, in a choking voice. Mark did not answer. There seemed really nothing to say.