While those sweet notes were being uttered under these peculiar circumstances, and the soft thrilling voice of, the English girl floated over the sea, and the stars looked down coldly upon those wrecked adventurers, the mate who sat at the helm was observed to be peering in the boat’s wake, as though looking for some coming object that would soon overtake them.  Leaning over the boat’s stern, he placed his cars as near the surface of the water as possible and listened.  This he repeated several times, with increased earnestness, then partially shading his eyes with his hands, he gazed back into the dim night air with intense interest, while the rest in the boat regarded him silently, wondering what could be the import of his movements.

“Either there is a big fish in our wake, or I hear the ripple of a ship’s cut-water.  But I cannot see hull or canvass in this darkness,” said the mate, after a brief but searching gaze in the direction from whence they had come.

“It cannot be that you could hear the movement of a ship upon the water, farther than you could see her even in this light,” said the mother.

“It may have been the hauling of a ship’s yards, or some rickety block, but sound I did hear that came from on ship board,” said the mate, with assurance.

“See, see,” said the daughter, at that moment, “what is that?” pointing off nearly in the wake of the boat into the darkness.

“A ship!” said the mate, quickly; “a ship, as true as heaven!” adding, “shout, shout together now, or she will run us down.”

As he spoke, all eyes were bent on the dim object that was now fast approaching them, and steering as nearly on the same course with themselves as possible.  Only a cloud of canvass was visible now, but soon the dark hull of a vessel appeared, and the mate hastened to light a lantern and hoist it to attract their attention.  The signal was seemingly observed in an instant on board the stranger, and the hoarse deep order to heave the ship to, rolled over the waters and rang a welcome sound in the cars of those in the boat.

“I know not what sort of craft she is,” said the mate; “and this is a latitude where pirates intercept the homeward bound ships sometimes, though according to ny reckoning, we are too well in for the land to be in that track.”

“I trust there is no danger in accepting the assistance that the ship appears willing to give?” said the mother anxiously, to the mate.

“It is not more dangerous than to pass another night in this open boat, madam, at all events,” replied the mate, frankly.

“Stand by, to take this tow-line,” shouted a voice from the bulwarks of the ship, as the vessel drifted with a side impetus towards the tiny craft, while the figure of a man was observed in the mizzen shrouds with a coil of line ready to heave, at the word of command.

“Ay, ay,” answered the mate, steering his boat so as to bring her side on to the ship, and opening his arms to catch the line, which he saw was about to be thrown.