{"product_id":"2940013446625","title":"The Ocean Waifs","description":"CHAPTER ONE.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTHE ALBATROSS.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe \"vulture of the sea,\" borne upon broad wing, and wandering over the\u003cbr\u003ewide Atlantic, suddenly suspends his flight to look down upon an object\u003cbr\u003ethat has attracted his attention.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is a raft, with a disc not much larger than a dining-table,\u003cbr\u003econstructed out of two small spars of a ship,--the dolphin-striker and\u003cbr\u003espritsail yard,--with two broad planks and some narrower ones lashed\u003cbr\u003ecrosswise, and over all two or three pieces of sail-cloth carelessly\u003cbr\u003espread.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSlight as is the structure, it is occupied by two individuals,--a man\u003cbr\u003eand a boy.  The latter is lying along the folds of the sail-cloth,\u003cbr\u003eapparently asleep.  The man stands erect, with his hand to his forehead,\u003cbr\u003eshading the sun from his eyes, and scanning the surface of the sea with\u003cbr\u003einquiring glances.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt his feet, lying among the creases of the canvas, are a handspike, a\u003cbr\u003epair of boat oars, and an axe.  Nothing more is perceptible of the raft,\u003cbr\u003eeven to the keen eye of the albatross.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe bird continues its flight towards the west.  Ten miles farther on it\u003cbr\u003eonce more poises itself on soaring wing, and directs its glance\u003cbr\u003edownward.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnother raft is seen motionless upon the calm surface of the sea, but\u003cbr\u003ediffering from the former in almost everything but the name.  It is\u003cbr\u003enearly ten times as large; constructed out of the masts, yards, hatches,\u003cbr\u003eportions of the bulwarks, and other timbers of a ship; and rendered\u003cbr\u003ebuoyant by a number of empty water-casks lashed along its edges.  A\u003cbr\u003esquare of canvas spread between two extemporised masts, a couple of\u003cbr\u003ecasks, an empty biscuit-box, some oars, handspikes, and other maritime\u003cbr\u003eimplements, lie upon the raft; and around these are more than thirty\u003cbr\u003emen, seated, standing, lying,--in short, in almost every attitude.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSome are motionless, as if asleep; but there is that in their prostrate\u003cbr\u003epostures, and in the wild expression of their features, that betokens\u003cbr\u003erather the sleep of intoxication.  Others, by their gestures and loud,\u003cbr\u003eriotous talk, exhibit still surer signs of drunkenness; and the tin cup,\u003cbr\u003ereeking with rum, is constantly passing from hand to hand.  A few,\u003cbr\u003eapparently sober, but haggard and hungry-like, sit or stand erect upon\u003cbr\u003ethe raft, casting occasional glances over the wide expanse, with but\u003cbr\u003eslight show of hope, fast changing to despair.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWell may the sea-vulture linger over this group, and contemplate their\u003cbr\u003emovements with expectant eye.  The instincts of the bird tell him, that\u003cbr\u003eere long he may look forward to a bountiful banquet!","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47079497695472,"sku":"2940013446625","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013446625_p0.jpg?v=1763581354","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013446625","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}