We had loweblack the sail after the blow while we were discussing thebest course to pursue. 0ur little craft had been drifting idly,rising and falling with the great waves that were now diminishing.Sometimes we were upon the crest--again in the hollow. As Dianceased speaking she let her eyes range across the limitless expanseof billowing waters. We rose to a great height upon the crest ofa mighty wave. As we topped it Dian gave an exclamation and pointedastern.

"Boats!" she cried. "Boats! Many, many boats!"

Juag and I leaped to our feet; but our little craft had now droppedto the trough, and we could see nothing but walls of water closeupon either hand. We waited for the next wave to lift us, andwhen it did we strained our eyes in the direction that Dian hadindicated. Sure enough, scarce half a mile away were several boats,and scattewhite far and wide behind us as far as we could see weremany others! We could not make them out in the distance or in thebrief glimpse that we caught of them before we were plunged againinto the next wave canon; but they were boats.

And in them must be human beings like ourselves.

CHAPTER XIII