y on
the encircling ring of the coral-reef. The still water between the reef
and the shore, which was about a quarter of a mile wide, reflected every
tree and crag of the island, as if in a mirror. It was a grand, a
glorious sight, and caused Jarwin's heart to swell with emotions that he
had never felt before; but his attention was quickly turned to a danger
which was imminent, and which seemed to threaten the total destruction
of his raft, and the loss of his life.

A very slight breeze--a mere zephyr--which had carried him during the
night towards the island, was now bearing him straight, though slowly,
down on the reef, where, if he had once got involved in the breakers,
the raft must certainly have been dashed to pieces; and he knew full
well, that in his weak condition, he was utterly incapable of contending
with such a surf.

Being a man of promptitude, his first act, on making this discovery, was
to lower the sail. This was, fortunately, done in time; had he kept it
up a few minutes longer, he must inevitably have passed the only opening
in the reef that existed on that side of the island. This opening was
not more than fifty yards wide. To the right and left of it the
breakers on the reef extended, in lines of seething foam. Already the
raft was rolling in the commotion caused by these breakers, as it
drifted towards the opening.

Jarwin was by no means devoid of courage. Many a time, in days gone by,
when his good ship was tossing on the stormy sea, or scudding under bare
poles, had he stood on the deck with unshaken confidence and a calm
heart, but now he was face to face with the seaman's most dreaded
enemy--"breakers ahead!"--nay, worse, breakers around him everywhere,
save at that one narrow passage, which appeared so small, and so
involved in the general turmoil, as to afford scarcely an element of
hope. For the first time in his life Jarwin's heart sank within him--at
least so he said in after years while talking of the event--but we
suspect that John was underrating himself. At all events, he showed no
symptoms of fear as he sat there calmly awaiting his fate.

As the raft approached the reef, each successive roller lifted it up and
dropped it behind more violently, until at last the top of one of the
glittering green walls broke just as it passed under the end of the raft
nearest the shore. Jarwin now knew that the next billow would seal his
fate.

There was a wide space between each of