he long level plain of water.

Hurriedly dressing himself, he ran on deck, to see that the dawn was
only just appearing in the east, and as they lay to, rocking gently,
with the sails flapping, there rose up before him, dim and dark, one
vast pyramid which ran up into the heavy clouds, and filled him with a
strange sensation of awe, the greater that there was a heavy booming
sound as of thunder right and left and close at hand.

He grasped the fact directly after that it was not the low muttering of
thunder which he heard, but the booming of the heavy billows which
curved over about a couple of miles away and broke upon a reef which
extended to right and left as far as the dim light would let him see.

Then came a sense of disappointment which was almost painful. Had they
sailed by without stopping at any of the lovely islands they had
encountered, to come to this awfully gloomy-looking spot in the ocean?
The captain must be half mad to speak so highly in its favour, and for a
few moments the boy felt disposed to return to his berth and try to
forget his disappointment in sleep.

He took a few steps, and suddenly came across Edward.

"That you, Mr Jack, sir?" said the man.

"Can't you see it is?" replied the lad shortly.

"Yes, sir, and sorry for you I am."

"What do you mean?"

"Why, sir, about the island. They've been a-cracking it up to us, and
making believe as it was the loveliest place as ever was, and now we've
got to it, why it's all gammon."

"Then you've seen it, Ned?"

"Seen it, sir? I wish I hadn't. It's a trick they've played on us
because we're what they call longshore folk. Makes me long for the
shore, I can tell you. A jolly shame, sir."

"It does look dreary, Ned."

"Dreary aren't the word for it, but you can't gammon me. I know what it
is; I've read about 'em. It's one of them out-of-the-way stony places
where they used to send convicks to. `Rubbish may be shot here' spots.
And a lot of the rubbish used to be shot there if they tried to escape.
Oh, it is a dismal horror place. Give me the miserables as soon as I
saw it, after spoiling my night's rest for fear I shouldn't wake up at
daylight to see what it was like. I've seen it though, and I don't want
any more, thankye. Don't want me, I suppose, sir?"

"No, Ned. I'm going back to bed."

"Are you, sir? Well, that's a good idea, and I don't see why I
shouldn't do the same."

"Let's have another look at the place first."