tunately, most of the
emigrants failed to realise the danger, but the seamen were fully alive
to it.

"It's all over with us," exclaimed the mate, in a sort of reckless
despair. But he was wrong. The great billow, which he expected would
dash the vessel in pieces--and which, in nine cases out of ten, would
have done so--lifted the wreck so high as to carry it almost completely
over the ledge, on which it had struck, leaving the stern high on the
rocks, while the bow was plunged into the partly-protected water on the
other side.

The sudden descent of the forecastle induced the belief an many of the
emigrants' minds that they were about to go headlong to the bottom, and
another cry of terror arose; but when they found that their place of
refuge sank no further than to a level with the water, most of them took
heart again, and began to scramble up to the quarter-deck as hastily as
they had before scrambled to the forecastle.

"Something like land ahead," observed Hugh Morris, who stood close to
the mate.

"I don't see it," returned the latter, gruffly, for he was jealous of
the influence that Morris had over the crew, and, during the whole
voyage, had treated him harshly.

"It may be there, although you don't see it," retorted Hugh, with a
feeling of scorn, which he made no attempt to conceal.

"Sure I sees somethin' movin' on the wather," exclaimed Mrs Lynch, who,
during the occurrences just described, had held on to a belaying pin
with the tenacity and strength of an octopus.

"It's the wather movin' in yer own eyes, mother," said Malone, who stood
beside his Amazonian countrywoman.

At that moment a halloo was heard faintly in the distance, and, soon
after, a raft was seen approaching, guided, apparently, by two men.

"Raft a-hoy! Where d'ee hail from?" shouted the mate.

"From nowhere!" came back promptly in a boy's ringing voice.

"You've got on a coral reef," shouted a powerful voice, which, we need
scarcely say, was that of Dominick Rigonda, "but you're safe enough now.
The last wave has shoved you over into sheltered water. You're in
luck. We'll soon put you on shore."

"An island, I suppose," said Malines, as the raft came alongside. "What
may be its name?"

"Got no name that I know of; as far as I know it's uninhabited, and,
probably, unknown. Only three of us here--wrecked like yourselves. If
you have boats, lower them, and I'll pilot you to land."

"Ohone!" groaned Mrs Lynch, in solem