A couple of hours！ The words sounded to our ears like a couple of centuries. The ship might change her course at any moment； closely trimmed as she was， it was very probable that she was only tacking about to catch the wind， in which case， as soon as she felt a breeze， she would r俿um？ her larboard tack and make away again. On the other hand， if she was really sailing with the wind， she would come nearer to us， and there would be good ground for hope.
Meantime， no exertion must be spared， and no means left untried， to make our position known. The brig was about twelve miles to the east of us， so that it was out of the ques- tion to think of any cries of ours being overheard； but Curtis gave directions that every possible signal should be made.
We had no firearms by which we could attract attention， and nothing else occurred to us beyond hoisting a flag of distress.
Miss Herbey's red shawl， as being of a color most distin- guishable against the background of sea and sky， was run up to the mast-head， and was caught by the light breeze that just then was ruffling the surface of the water. As a drown- ing man clutches at a straw， so our hearts bounded with hope every time that our poor flag fluttered in the wind.
For an hour our feelings alternated between hope and despair. The ship was evidently making her way in the di- rection of the raft， but every now and then she seemed to stop， and then our hearts would almost stand still with agony lest she was going to put about. She carried all her canvas， even to her royals and stay-sails， but her hull was only partially visible above the horizon.
How slowly she advanced！ The breeze was very， very feeble， and perhaps soon it would drop altogether！ We felt that we would give years of our life to know the result of the coming hour.
At half past twelve the captain and the boatswain con- sidered that the brig was about nine miles away； she had， therefore， gained only three miles in an hour and a half， and it was doubtful whether the light breeze that had been passing over our heads had reached her at all. I fancied， too， that her sails were no longer filled， but were hanging loose against her masts. Turning to the direction of the wind， I tried to make out some chance of a rising breeze； but no， the waves were calm and torpid， and the little puff of air that had aroused our hopes had died away across the sea.
I stood aft with M. Letourneur， Andre and Miss Herbey， and our glances perpetually wandered from the distant ship to our captain's face. Curtis stood leaning against the mast， with the boatswain by his side； their eyes seemed never for a moment to cease to watch the brig， but their countenances clearly expressed the varying emotions that passed through their minds. Not a word was uttered， nor was the silence broken， until the carpenter exclaimed， in accents of despair：
"She's putting about！"
All started up -- some to their knees， others to their feet.
The boatswain dropped a frightful oath. The ship was still nine miles away， and at such a distance it was impossible for our signal to be seen； our tiny raft， a mere speck upon the waters， would be lost in the intense irradiation of the sun- beams. If only we could be seen， no doubt all would be well； no captain would have the barbarous inhumanity to leave us to our fate； but there had been no chance； only too well we knew that we had not been within range of sight.
"My friends，" said Curtis， "we must make a fire； it is our last and only chance."
Some planks were quickly loosened and thrown into a heap upon the fore part of the raft. They were damp and troublesome to light； but the very dampness made the smoke more dense， and ere long a tall column of dusky fumes was rising straight upward in the air. If darkness should come on before the brig was completely out of view， the flames， we hoped might still be visible. But the hours passed on； the fire died out； and yet no signs of help.
The temper of resignation now deserted me entirely； faith， hope， confidence -- all vanished from my mind， and， like the boatswain， I swore long and loudly. A gentle hand was laid upon my arm， and turning round I saw Miss Herbey with her finger pointing to the sky. I could stand it no longer， but gliding underneath the tent I hid my face in my hands and wept aloud.
Meanwhile the brig had altered her track， and was moving slowly to the east. Three hours later and the keenest eye could not have discerned her top-sails above the horizon.