I am afraid, Miss Croyden," I added, speaking as mournfully as I knew how, "that you must reconcile your mind to spending a few days with me on this raft." "Is it as bad as that ?" she murmured, her eyes upon the sea.
In the long day that followed, I busied myself as much as I could with my work upon the raft, so as to leave the girl as far as possible to herself.

It was, so I argued, absolutely necessary to let her feel that she was safe in my keeping.

Otherwise she might jump off the raft and I should lose her.
I sorted out my various cans and tins, tested the oil in my chronometer, arranged in neat order my various ropes and apparatus, and got my frying-pan into readiness for any emergency.

Of food we had for the present no lack.
With the approach of night I realized that it was necessary to make arrangements for the girl's comfort.

With the aid of a couple of upright poles I stretched a grey blanket across the raft so as to make a complete partition.
"Miss Croyden," I said, "this end of the raft is yours.