inal cone to be climbed.

Here Carey feasted indeed--the glass showing him through the limpid air
reef after reef silvered with spray, and what were evidently islands,
looking like faint amethystine clouds floating between sea and sky.

These islands lay to the north-east, but though they all looked long and
carefully there was no sign of any great tract of land or continent.

"These are the times, Carey, when one feels one's ignorance," observed
the doctor.

"Ignorance? I thought you knew nearly every thing."

"Nearly nothing," said the doctor, laughing. "I mean as compared to
what there is to know. Now, for instance, there are charts in the
captain's cabin, and the proper instruments for taking observations--
sextants and chronometer. I ought to be able to tell exactly where we
are, Carey, and mark it upon a chart, but I can't."

"Never mind, sir, it's very beautiful," said the boy. "I say, though,
we can't see the _Chusan_ from here."

"No, it is cut off by the projecting part of the mountain."

"Yes, and the lower parts and mouth of the river too. But we can see
all round the other side of the island."

"Yes, and see what prisoners we are and shall be till some ship comes on
a voyage of discovery and sees the great wreck."

"Well," said Carey, thoughtfully, "if it wasn't for one thing I like it,
and don't feel in a bit of a hurry to go away."

"And what is the one thing?" asked the doctor.

"Mother and father's trouble. They must think I'm dead."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

The trio rested at the top of the peak for a couple of hours, and then
started back, the doctor taking the lead again so as to vary the way of
descent, and gain an acquaintance with as much of the island as was
possible.

This had the effect of lengthening out the journey, for there were many
detours to be made to avoid dense jungly patches through which they
would have had to clear their way; so that it was getting on towards
evening when, after descending slope after slope and dodging, as Carey
termed it, through little maze-like valleys, they came in sight of the
waving cocoanut palms beneath them, and finally passed through to reach
the sands.

They were still some distance from the landing place where the raft lay,
and the sand was hot, loose, and painful to walk upon; but at last the
rocky natural pier was reached, the raft cut loose, and, there being a
pleasant evening breeze sufficient to ripple the water, they sailed