nd wait for a few days anyhow, as we agreed before, to see if
there are any signs of a sail. At any rate, we won't go near, by daylight,
any island likely to be inhabited."

After paddling for some hours they saw a low island that seemed to be
about a quarter of a mile in diameter, and headed towards it. Before they
reached it, however, Wilcox said:

"Do you know, Mr. Joyce, I have been thinking for some time that I knew
that hill we were pointing to, and, now we have opened it out a bit more,
I feel sure of it."

The lads ceased paddling, and looked intently at the hill, now some twelve
miles away. It had a flat top that seemed to be split asunder by a crack
running through it.

"I know it now," Stephen exclaimed excitedly, "it is the island where that
wreck was."

"That is it, sure enough, sir. I have been thinking it was so for some
time, but it is only now that I have caught the light through that gap at
the top. It was more open from the point where the _Tiger_ lay when we
started for shore, but if we row on for a mile or two and then make
straight for it, I think we shall just about strike the point where the
wreck is lying. No, I think we had better wait a while, Mr. Joyce," he
said, as the latter dipped his paddle in the water and turned the boat's
head towards the island.

"I think we had better wait till the sun gets pretty low. We know there
ain't any villages near the wreck, for she must have been there a good
month afore we found her, and it was certain then that no native had been
near her. Still there may be some higher up on the slopes, and they might
make us out, so it is better that we should not get within six or eight
miles of land before it begins to be dark. We could not go to a better
place. First of all, there are no natives; secondly, we may pick up all
sorts of useful things about the shore. We did not see anything but bales
and wreckage where we landed, but it was all rock there. Now some of the
casks and things may have floated along, and have been cast up upon the
sand. Then, it is about the likeliest point for sighting the _Tiger_. The
skipper would naturally say to himself, There is no saying where the boat
has gone to, but if it is anywhere near the island where we lost them,
they would be likely to make for the wreck in hopes of finding some
provisions cast up there; and so he would sail round to have a look."

"I think he would," the boys both agreed, letting the boat drift quiet