At last he looked up, and Jeekum's face was far above him, staring straight and unseeing into the darkness ahead.

His last spark of hope went out.
After a time a dark rim loomed slowly up out of the sea.

It was land, half a mile or so away.

Nathaniel sat up with fresh interest, and as they drew nearer Jeekum rose to his feet and gazed long and steadily in both directions along the coast.

When he returned to his seat the boat's course was changed.