Clayton scanned the water in every direction.

"Where can they be?" he cried. "They cannot have gone down, for
there has been no sea, and they were afloat after the yacht sank--I
saw them all."

He awoke the other members of the party, and explained their plight.

"It is just as well that the boats are scattered, sir," said one of
the sailors. "They are all provisioned, so that they do not need
each other on that score, and should a storm blow up they could
be of no service to one another even if they were together, but
scattered about the ocean there is a much better chance that one at
least will be picked up, and then a search will be at once started
for the others. Were we together there would be but one chance of
rescue, where now there may be four."

They saw the wisdom of his philosophy, and were cheered by it, but
their joy was short-lived, for when it was decided that they should
row steadily toward the east and the continent, it was discovered
that the sailors who had been at the only two oars with which the
boat had been provided had fallen asleep at their work, and allowed
both to slip into the sea, nor were they in sight anywhere upon
the water.

During the angry words and recriminations which followed the sailors
nearly came to blows, but Clayton succeeded in quieting them; though
a moment later Monsieur Thuran almost precipitated another row by
making a nasty remark about the stupidity of all Englishmen, and
especially English sailors.