hundred feet into the air, and headed out toward
the southern extremity of the reef, over which she was hovering a few
minutes later, while the professor and Mildmay peered down into the
water below them. At their height above the water it was quite easy to
see down into the depths; and, although the foam of the breakers baffled
them somewhat, they had very little difficulty in tracing the extent and
direction of the reef. For some little time, however, they looked in
vain for any sign of the wreck; but at length Mildmay, pointing downward
at two dark shapeless blotches that could just be distinguished, one on
either side of the reef, remarked--

"That appears to me to be all that is left of her, Professor. And, if
so, she has evidently broken in two and gone down, the one half of her
inside and the other half outside the reef. Whether, however, I am
right in my supposition can only be determined by descending to the
bottom and getting into our diving-suits. And, very fortunately for us,
the water on both sides of the reef appears to be fairly deep, so that,
when we are down there on the sand, we shall not feel the power of the
surf very much. Had she remained on top of the reef I doubt whether it
would have been possible for us to have got near her."

"Quite right, my friend," answered the professor. "No man could keep
his feet among those breakers; we should be helplessly knocked about,
like ninepins. And now, do you wish to see any more, or shall we be off
back to the village?"

"One moment, please," said Mildmay, drawing out his pocket-book. "It
will do no harm to take a set of cross-bearings for the identification
of this spot, and they might be useful in the event of an off-shore wind
springing up, during which it is quite possible that the sea may cease
to break on the reef, in which case we could not very easily find the
wreck unless we happened to have the bearings of her."

He went into the pilot-house accordingly, and took the bearings, having
done which he set the engines in motion, and headed the ship back toward
the village, where she duly arrived about an hour later.

As the professor drew up and stowed away the accommodation ladder by
means of which Lobelalatutu had left the ship he said--

"It has just occurred to me that the present is an excellent opportunity
for us to test our wireless telephones by calling up our friends on the
beach."

And, entering the pilot-house, he went up to t