in that
direction. He pointed it out to Mr Charlton. "What does it seem to
you like!" he asked.

"A coral reef, sir. If so, we have been drifting towards it; I should
otherwise have seen it in the morning," answered the first lieutenant.
"I will, however, go aloft, and make sure what it is."

In spite of the intense heat, Mr Charlton climbed up to the masthead.
He carefully scanned the horizon in every direction, and then speedily
returned on deck.

"We are nearer to the reef than I had supposed, sir," he said. "We may
keep the boats ahead, and somewhat hinder the ship driving so rapidly
towards it; but it is evident that a strong current sets in that
direction. Had it been at night, we should have struck before we could
have seen it."

"Pipe the hands on deck, then, Mr Charlton," answered the captain
calmly. "If towing is to serve us, there is no time to be lost."

Mr Martin was sent for, and his shrill whistle soon brought the whole
of the crew tumbling up from below, the landsmen and idlers only
remaining to stow away the mess things.

The boats were soon lowered and manned, and sent ahead. The hot sun
shone down on the men in the boats as they toiled away to keep the
ship's head off the reef. It seemed, however, that they rowed to little
purpose; for the undulations appeared at shorter intervals, and seemed
to send the frigate towards the threatening rocks, on which a surf, not
at first perceived, now began to break, forming a white streak across
the horizon.

The sails were brailed up, but not furled, in order that they might
again be at once set, should a breeze spring up to fill them.

Mr Charlton stood on the forecastle, directing the boats how to pull.
Every now and then he cast an anxious eye astern towards the breakers,
which continued to rise higher and higher. A cast of the deep-sea lead
was taken, but no bottom was found. To anchor was, therefore,
impossible. Everybody on board saw the fearful danger in which the
frigate was placed. One thing only, it seemed, could save her--a breeze
from the direction towards which she was drifting. All eyes, not
otherwise employed, were glancing anxiously round the horizon, looking
out for the wished-for breeze. Ben and Tom were as active as usual.
They remained on board, as only the strongest men were sent into the
boats; it was trying even for men. They continued rowing, and,
encouraged by their officers, as hard as they had ever before rowed.