e huge roller, each listener in the deafening turmoil
and confusion bracing himself for the shock when she struck, till the
rate at which she progressed began to slacken into a steady glide, the
deafening roar of breakers grew less, and at last she rode on and on,
rising and falling gently, and with a slow rolling motion each minute
growing steadier.

But she did not strike.

The doctor was the first to speak.

"What does this mean?" he said, loudly, for the hissing and shrieking of
the wind kept on.

"The rollers have carried her right over the reef into one of they broad
lagoons, or else into the quieter water on the lee of the rocks, sir.
She mayn't strike now, only settle down, and sink in deep water."

As he spoke there was a grinding sound, a sudden stoppage, the vessel
having lifted a little and been set down with a great shock which threw
the two men heavily against the bulkhead of the cabin in which they
stood, and extinguished the lamp.

"We aren't in deep water, sir," roared Bostock, scrambling to his feet.
"Hold on; here we go again."

For the great steamer was lifted and glided steadily on for a while, to
ground once more with a crashing sound.

"That's scraping holes in her, sir," cried Bostock.

Then again she lifted and was borne on, apparently hundreds of yards, to
go crashing over the rough rocks again with a strange, deep, grinding
sound which lasted for some moments, before they were at rest on nearly
an even keel.

"Fast!" cried Bostock. "She'll never stir again, sir. Ground her way
all among the jagged coral rock, and she's held as fast now as a ship's
boat pitched in a sea o' spikes."

Doctor Kingsmead made no reply for some little time, while the old
sailor waited in vain for him to speak.

"Hurt, sir?" he cried at last.

"No," was the reply, followed by a deep sigh but faintly heard in the
roar of the wind.

"Then I'll try if I can't get a light, sir, afore one of us is. Seems
nice to be still once more. Do you know, sir, as we may reckon as we're
saved?"

"Yes," said the doctor, almost inaudibly; "but I can hardly believe it
true."

There was a clicking noise, and spark after spark of faint
phosphorescent light across the black darkness.

This was repeated again and again, but without further effect.

"No go, sir," cried Bostock then. "Got my matches wet, sir. If I lives
to get through this I'll allus keep 'em corked up in a bottle."

There was another streak of