are plenty of islands where a volcano has risen from the sea, and the
coral insects in the course of ages have built a rampart of limestone to
act as a breakwater, and thus prevented the lava and pumice from being
washed away. The island I am making for is one of these."

"But not so beautiful," cried Jack.

"Well," said the captain, "our friend here the doctor did lay the paint
on very thick in the picture he drew, and used all the brightest colours
he had in his knowledge-box; but after all Nature's colours are purer
and lovelier than any we can mix, and well as he painted he did not
quite come up to the mark; and I think, sir, that when we've climbed up
to the top of the mountain you will say the same."

"Oh!" cried Jack rapturously, and he turned to his father.

"_If_!" said the captain, very emphatically.

"If? If what?" said Jack.

"There has not been an eruption, and the whole island blown away."

Jack felt as if some one had suddenly poured cold water all down his
back.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

JACK IS WIDE-AWAKE.

"Land ho!"

It was Lenny, the black-bearded sailor, who raised the cry at sunrise
one morning, and made Edward spring out of his berth and run up, closely
followed by Jack, who appeared on deck half-dressed, and with his face
lit up by a strange look of animation, but he gazed round over the
golden waters in vain.

But it was not only a golden sea that met his eyes, for the sky was
golden too, and the _Silver Star_ from deck to truck, with every yard
and rope, appeared to be transmuted into the glittering metal.
"Morning," cried the captain, coming up to him. "Did you hear the
hail?"

"Hear it? yes," said Jack, "and it's a mistake, unless the land's hidden
by the sun. I can see nothing."

"No?" said the captain, smiling. "Well, it would take long-trained eyes
to make it out on a morning like this, when everything is dazzling. But
let's try."

As he spoke the captain took his glass from under his arm, laid it on
one of the ratlines of the mizzen shrouds to steady it, and took a long
and patient look through.

"Ah!" he said, raising himself and keeping the glass in position. "Now
take a peep through my spy-glass. One moment: do you see that little
patch of cloud like fire, just a little north of the sun?"

"Is that north? Yes. I think I see the patch you mean."

"Then fix your glass on the horizon just on the line where the sea melts
into sky, under the middle one of thos