I wish it more than ever now."

"No use wishing. It won't undo what has been done. But, see, we are
getting very close. We shall know all about it presently."

The schooner was farther off than Rayner had at first supposed; and as
they got nearer he saw, to his relief, that the spot for which he was
steering was wider than he had fancied.

There seemed just a chance that the vessel might be thrown through
without striking; at the same time, tossed about as she was, it was
impossible to steer her as might be wished. He commended himself and
his followers, as every wise men would do, to the care of the Almighty,
and nerved himself up for whatever might happen.

The roar of the breakers sounded louder and louder. On the vessel
drove, until there was a crash. She had struck, but, contrary to all
expectation, another sea lifted her and flung her completely through the
breakers, when, swinging round, she grounded on a sandbank just within
them, heeling over with her head to the eastward, and her deck towards
the shore.

Though the sea, which washed over the reef, still beat against her, she
might possibly hold together for some time.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

RAYNER PROVES THAT HE IS A TRUE HERO.

The sea dashing over the reef, though spent of its fury, still broke
with great force against the hull of the schooner. Her timbers shook
and quivered as wave after wave, striking them, rolled on towards the
beach, and then came hissing back, covering the surface of the lagoon
with a mass of creaming foam. The coast, as far as could be seen
through the masses of spray, looked barren and uninviting.

The Frenchmen and blacks, recovering from the alarm which had well-nigh
paralysed them, rushed to the boat stowed amidships, and began casting
adrift the lashings, and preparing to launch her.

"Keep all fast there!" cried Rayner, as he saw what they were about.
"It will be best to wait till the sea goes down, when we shall be able
to get the boat into the water with less risk of her being swamped than
at present."

They, however, paid no attention to his orders, and continued their
preparations for launching the boat.

When he found that they persisted in their attempts, he urged them to
wait till they had collected a supply of provisions, and obtained some
fresh water, as it was probable that they might find neither the one nor
the other on shore. Calling Fletcher aft to attend to Peek, he and
Oliver went into the c