ise of considerably
more beyond the points in sight. And instead of being only a few feet
in height above the sea-level, it rose in a gentle slope for about half
a mile from the beach of dazzlingly white sand that fringed its margin
immediately opposite where the brig lay, and then towered aloft to a
bare truncated peak that soared some six thousand feet into the
beautifully clear air. The whole island, except some two hundred feet
of its summit, appeared to be densely clad with vegetation, among which
many noble trees were to be seen, some of them being resplendent with
brilliant scarlet blossoms.

The fresh air had exercised a distinctly revivifying effect upon Leslie
who, after some quarter of an hour's rest, felt strong enough to move
about the deck, with Miss Trevor's assistance and support; and he
accordingly proceeded forward as far as the galley which, to his
profound satisfaction, he found to be undamaged and with all its
paraphernalia intact. Then he went on to the fore scuttle--the hatch of
which was on and secured. Throwing back the cover, he peered down into
the dark and evil-smelling place, and called several times, without
eliciting any reply. He would fain have investigated further, to the
extent of descending into its interior; but his companion considered
that he had by this time done quite as much as was good for him, and
flatly refused to render him the least assistance toward this further
adventure. He was perforce compelled therefore to abandon his intention
and retreat to his own end of the ship. Here, availing himself of the
support of the short remaining length of the bulwarks, he leaned over
and peered down into the clear, transparent water, through which he
could clearly see the white surface of the reef upon which the brig
rested; and its colour and the comparative smoothness of its surface
convinced him that he had been right in his conjecture that it must be
of coral formation.

"Well, sir," demanded his companion, as she carefully assisted him to
his former resting-place alongside the companion, "what think you of our
surroundings, as a whole?"

"To be perfectly candid with you," he replied, "I regard them as
decidedly promising; although I quite admit that we are in a very
distinctly awkward predicament. In the first place, I fear that we
shall have to reconcile ourselves to the prospect of a somewhat
lengthened sojourn, for unless I have made some very serious error in my
cal