Yet the view remained unchanged; it was land, a bit of the west shore, a short promontory running out into the lake toward which the raft, impelled by some hidden current, was steadily drifting.

His arm clapped the girl in sudden ecstasy.
"Yes, it's land, thank God!" he exclaimed thoughtfully.

"We are floating ashore, Natalie--saved in spite of ourselves.

Why, we could not have been so far out in the lake after all.

That must be why all those vessels passed to the east of us.