or a considerable distance along the channel
right in the wind's eye; and before she entirely lost her way she had,
as Ned had calculated she would, forged past the opening giving access
to the first cove or indentation in the reef. The square canvas was now
thrown flat aback and the ship soon gathered stern-way, when, by a
judicious and skilful manipulation of the helm and braces, a stern-board
was made and the vessel backed into the indentation and to its farthest
extremity, a distance of about two cables'-lengths. The yards were then
braced round and the canvas filled on the starboard tack, when, the ship
gathering headway, she went booming down the indentation again and
rushed once more into the narrow channel; when, having by this manoeuvre
acquired sufficient "way" or momentum, the same tactics were a second
time resorted to in order to get her past the second indentation, upon
emerging from which she entered a wider reach of the channel where there
was room to work her in the ordinary way. Thenceforward there was no
further difficulty, except that in one rather awkward spot a sunken rock
was encountered, which Ned, being duly apprised of its position by
Rogers, avoided by the masterly execution of a half-board. A quarter of
an hour later saw the _Flying Cloud_ gliding out of the last reach of
the channel to windward of everything, and five minutes afterwards
Williams resigned the wheel to the man who had gone aft to relieve him,
and resumed command of the ship; saying to Ned as he dismissed him:

"You have done exceedingly well, young gentleman; and I thank you not
only for myself but also for all hands. It was, no doubt, your
foresight and the caution you gave us last night that saved the ship
from wreck on yonder reef; and you have this morning got us out of a
difficulty which a slight increase of wind would have made a most
serious one. We are very greatly indebted to you; and if ever you
should require a favour at my hands remind me of this morning, and if it
is possible to grant that favour with safety to ourselves it shall be
granted. And now, tell me what you think of yon island as a dwelling-
place for Captain Blyth?"

"I should think it would serve fairly well," said Ned, inwardly
rejoicing at the prospect of the skipper being put on shore within such
comparatively easy reach of the other party. "The island is large
enough to support a hundred people, for that matter. It is as much out
of the w