ssible after he has finished his repairs; it would save him a world
of trouble in getting his ship afloat."

"Why, what a fellow you are Andre!" I said, laughing, "I believe you
would like to rule Nature with a magic wand; first of all, you would
call up a reef from the depth of the ocean to give the 'Chancellor' time
to extinguish her flames, and then you would make it disappear just that
the ship might be free again."

Andre smiled; then, in a more serious tone, he expressed his gratitude
for the timely help that had been vouchsafed us in our hour of need.

The more we examined the rocks that formed the base of the little
island, the more we became convinced that its formation was quite
recent, Not a mollusk, not a tuft of seaweed was found clinging to the
sides of the rocks; not a germ had the wind carried to its surface, not
a bird had taken refuge amidst the crags upon its summits. To a lover of
natural history, the spot did not yield a single point of interest; the
geologist alone would find subject of study in the basaltic mass.

When we reached the southern point of the island I proposed that we
should disembark. My companions readily assented, young Letourneur
jocosely observing that if the little island was destined to vanish,
it was quite right that it should first be visited by human beings. The
boat was accordingly brought alongside, and we set, foot upon the
reef, and began to ascend the gradual slope that leads to its highest
elevation.

The walking was not very rough, and as Andre could get along tolerably
well without the assistance of an arm, he led the way, his father and I
following close behind. A quarter of an hour sufficed to bring us to the
loftiest point in the islet, when we seated ourselves on the basaltic
prism that crowned its summit.

Andre took a sketch-book from his pocket, and proceeded to make a
drawing of the reef. Scarcely had he completed the outline when his
father exclaimed,--

"Why, Andre, you have drawn a ham!"

"Something uncommonly like it, I confess," replied Andre. "I think we
had better ask Captain Curtis to let us call our island Ham Rock."

"Good," said I; "though sailors will need to keep it at a respectful
distance, for they will scarcely find that their teeth are strong enough
to tackle with it."

M. Letourneur was quite correct; the outline of the reef as it stood
clearly defined against the deep green water resembled nothing so much,
as a fine York ham, of