e ship was hove to, and the glasses being
directed in that direction, a man was made out waving apparently a shirt
from the rock. A boat accordingly was instantly lowered and pulled
towards it. The man kept his post for some time as the boat approached,
making signals to those in her to pull round rather farther to the
westward, as the surf beating on that side of the rock would prevent
their landing. As the boat's head was once more put off the shore the
men caught sight of the person on the rock. Pat Brady, who formed one
of the boat's crew, looked up at him with a glance of astonishment.

"I say, Jem," he exclaimed to the man next him, "either that's Mr
Oliver or his ghost, as sure as my name is Pat Brady."

"It's his ghost," was the answer, "for there is no doubt the gunboat
went down a week ago; and it's not likely he or any other man could have
swum out of her."

"By my faith, then," answered Brady, "it must be his ghost; and sure
enough he is more like a ghost than anything else."

As they were speaking, the figure disappeared from the summit of the
rock.

"I told you so," said Brady, "depend on it, when we land, we may hunt
about till doomsday, and we shall never find mortal man on this rock."
These remarks were overheard by the other men, who seemed to agree very
much with the opinions of the speakers.

"He is fathoms deep down beneath the water, depend on that," observed
another; "we shall never see young Mr Oliver with our mortal eyes
again."

At length Mr Martin, the Second-Lieutenant, who had gone in command of
the boat, overheard the remarks of the men. He, however, from being
somewhat near-sighted, had not observed any likeness in the figure on
the rock to his lost shipmate. "Mr Oliver, do you think he is? I only
hope so."

"No, sir, we don't think it's Mr Oliver; but we think it is his ghost,"
blurted out Pat Brady; "and as to finding him, there's little chance we
shall have to do that."

"We will have a look for him at all events," answered Mr Martin. "Give
way, lads, I see the place he pointed out to us; and if he is a ghost,
at all events he has an eye for a good landing-place."

The boat accordingly pulled in, and a small bay was found where the men
could land with perfect ease. No one, however, was to be seen, and this
confirmed the opinions the seamen had expressed. The island was rather
larger than it appeared from the sea, and Mr Martin, leaving a couple
of men in charge of