Stifling their sufferings by a
strenuous effort, all returned to their places. The sailors
crouched beneath the sails, caring nothing about scanning the
ocean. Food was in store for them to-morrow, and that was enough
for them.
As soon as Andre Letourneur came to his senses, his first thought
was for his father, and I saw him count the passengers on the
raft. He looked puzzled; when he lost consciousness there had
been only two names left in the hat, those of his father and the
carpenter; and yet M. Letourneur and Dowlas were both there
still. Miss Herbey went up to him and told him quietly that the
drawing of the lots had not yet been finished. Andre asked no
further question, but took his father's hand. M. Letourneur's
countenance was calm and serene; he seemed to be conscious of
nothing except that the life of his son was spared, and as the
two sat conversing in an undertone at the back of the raft, their
whole existence seemed bound up in each other.
Meantime, I could not disabuse my mind of the impression caused
by Miss Herbey's intervention. Something told me that help was
near at hand, and that we were approaching the termination of our
suspense and misery; the chimeras that were floating through my
brain resolved themselves into realities, so that nothing
appeared to me more certain than that either land or sail, be
they miles away, would be discovered somewhere to leeward.
I imparted my convictions to M.
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