ll make the attempt," he exclaimed. "But what is
that? What can be that red glare over where we just saw the ship?"

"She is on fire, sir," answered Spratt, after attentively watching the
point indicated. "She's not the first ship I've seen burning at sea,
and I know for certain that is one. She may be the _Orion_, or she may
be some other unfortunate craft, that I can't say."

"Whatever may be the case, we must go to her assistance," exclaimed Mr
Henley. "We may be able to save some of the poor fellows clinging on to
part of the wreck or to a raft, and we will bring them back to the
island."

"Gladly," said I; "we have no time to lose."

"No, Marsden," he answered; "I have made up my mind what to do. It will
not do to have more in the boat than is absolutely necessary, and I
intend to leave you and Tommy Bigg and your dog behind. I would leave
one of the black men, but they will not part from each other; and I wish
to have Spratt with me. It is settled; say no more about it. Believe
me, my dear Marsden, I am anxious to save you from unnecessary peril.
If I survive I will come back, and if I am lost it will be better for
you to have remained as I wish."

"I am sure that you desire what you believe to be the best for me," said
I, warmly wringing his hand. "I'll do as you order me, though I wish
that you had allowed me to go with you."

This conversation took place as we were hurriedly descending the
mountain. We had some little difficulty, in our haste, in finding our
way down to the beach. Putting some provisions and water into her,
including some of the turtle we had cooked, we once more launched her,
and then, with no small amount of sorrow and apprehension, I saw my
companions pull out towards the passage through the reef, when they were
soon lost to sight in the gloom of night. One of Mr Henley's last
charges to me had been to keep up a large fire all night, to enable him
the better to steer his course, and also to find the island again.
Indeed, that this might be done, he assured me, was another strong
reason for his wishing me and Tommy to remain on the island.

As soon as we had lost sight of the boat, Tommy and Solon and I hurried
back to the spot where it was agreed the fire should be lighted, and we
soon had a magnificent one blazing away. It was on a rock free from dry
grass, or bushes, or other combustible matter, or we should have run a
great risk of setting the island on fire. The pre