"I shouldn't wonder but that it was the vessel that struck us?" I exclaimed.
"Most likely. But if they would only pick us up I wouldn't care a straw."
After this there was another interval of silence. Then my arm struck something hard. I put out my hand, and was overjoyed to find that it was the raft.
"Here she is!" I cried. "Here's the Hasty."
"Thank our stars!" returned Phil; "I couldn't have held out much longer."
It did not take us long to get aboard, and completely exhausted we sank down on the flooring and panted to get our breath.
There was no more sleep for us that night, so we both sat close together, and talked of what had struck us, and what damage it had done to the raft.
"The rudder is smashed," said Phil.
"Never mind, we can make another in the morning," I returned. "It's too dark to do anything now."
So we let the raft drift at will, trusting the wind was still blowing us toward the shore.