on his right and
at some little distance.

"I should say that that was a flagstaff sticking out of the rocks," he
said, "if it were not the most unlikely thing in the world that there
should be one there. If any one wanted to plant a flag-pole they would go
up higher on the rocks, I should think."

"See if you can get a little nearer to it, Jack," said Dick. "It looks too
big for a flagstaff, but it might be the stump of a mast."

"Which is much more likely," replied Jack. "A vessel might have gone
ashore there, and show the stump of a mast above water. It is a wonder to
me that we were not in the same predicament."

"The only way that I account for it is that we were hit by a tidal wave or
the end of one, and carried right over the reefs without scratching, and
then the force of the water carried us to the inner bay where it left us
stranded for a time."

"That sounds reasonable, and in the absence of any other explanation may
as well be received as the right one. I think you are correct about its
being the stump of a mast, Dick."

Jack rowed as close to the point of rocks as he dared, not caring to be
dashed upon them, the landing being bad, and the boys got a better view of
the object that Jack had noticed.

It was out in the water, and projected about five feet, and, being broken
off apparently about half way to the crosstrees, should be at least that
distance under water.

"I should say there was five or six feet of water there," said Jack, "and
you can see from the marks on it that this broken end is still below high
water mark. I don't see any sign of a bowsprit but maybe that was broken
off when she struck."

"And we can't tell whether this is the fore, main or mizzen," observed
Dick; "or whether she had more than two masts. There must be some of her
hull left, but it is all under water and maybe deeper than you think."

"Yes," said Jack musingly, "and I am very glad that we are above it and
safe, even if we are on a lost island. The tide is coming in steadily now,
and there will be more surf, so I think it just as well not to be too near
the reefs."

"We might get ashore at some other point farther back, and examine this
part of the coast," suggested Percival.

"That woody point which we rounded and so came in sight of the outer bay
might be a good place," added young Smith, who seemed a boy of ideas,
although he was a little fellow and younger than the others. "We could go
ashore there, I think