They sat, less like animals than like plants, all stretching toward their preserver.
Their eyes were turned up to the clouds, so were their open mouths, and their arms and hands held up toward it.
The drops increased in number, and praise went up to Heaven in return.
Patter, patter, patter; down came a shower, a rain--a heavy, steady rain.
With cries of joy, they put out every vessel to catch it; they lowered the sail, and, putting ballast in the center, bellied it into a great vessel to catch it.

They used all their spare canvas to catch it.

They filled the water-cask with it; they filled the keg that had held the fatal spirit; and all the time they were sucking the wet canvas, and their own clothes, and their very hands and garments on which the life-giving drops kept falling.
Then they set their little sail again, and prayed for land to Him who had sent the wind and rain..