willing to lose our big fish, too, we now cut it up
into slices, which we smoked over the fire. Dick Tillard also advised
us to search for some salt, that we might still better preserve our
fish; and Tom and Harry undertook to do so after we had set sail.

The next morning, breakfast being over, and the tide at its highest, we
got the rollers under the boat, and by our united exertions managed to
launch her. Dick, on getting on board, was well satisfied with the way
in which he had repaired her damages, and expressed his confidence that
she was not only fit to perform the voyage round to the other side of
the island, but to make a much longer one if necessary.

Having taken our provisions on board, we hoisted the sail; and the wind
being from the southward, we intended to go out at the broad passage,
and round by the north end of the island. Our friends accompanied us in
the small boat to the entrance of the lagoon, and then with three cheers
left us.

As we kept some distance from the coast, to avoid any reefs which might
run off it, we could see the land stretching away much farther to the
north than we had expected.

"Our trip will be longer than I thought for, Mr Rayner," said Dick;
"but now we have got thus far, and have the wind with us, it will be
better to keep on, and maybe when we round the point we shall then get
it favourable; though I don't suppose Mr Mudge was aware how far the
island stretches to the northward."

I thought as Dick did, and agreed with him that it would not now do to
try and beat round the southern end, which appeared quite as far off as
the northern one. On we sailed; but still the northern cape we wished
to double seemed a long way off. The weather, too, which was very fine
when we started, now gave signs of changing. I saw that Dick was
looking graver than usual: still he was not a man to give up a task he
had undertaken; so we continued running on, though clouds had gathered
in the sky, and the wind blew much stronger than at first.

"We may as well take a reef down, Mr Rayner," he observed--"or perhaps
two. When we come to haul our wind, we shall have as much sail as the
boat will bear."

We soon had the reefs in, and the sail again hoisted up. The boat now
flew rapidly over the fast-rising, foaming seas. On the larboard side
the surf was breaking furiously on the coral reef, through which no
opening could be seen; while out at sea, on the opposite side, all was
dark