e horizon to the
isle.

So glorious was the scene, as the light wreaths of mist above the purple
rolled away, that the terrible awakening from sleep was forgotten, and a
spirit of thankfulness that they had been saved from the sea to land in
such a paradise filled the breasts of all.

Beauty is beauty, but the loveliest scene is soon forgotten by a hungry
man. Rest, freedom from peril, wounds and bruises amending, and the
fact that the previous day's supply had been very short, combined to
make everybody ravenous; and the captain, though without a ship, had his
hands full.

He satisfied himself that Morgan and the sailor were better, the fever
having abated, and then gave his orders shortly.

Two men were set to make a fire, two more to cut down a cocoa-nut tree
that was of small size and yet bore several fruits.

The major and Widgeon started off along the shore with a biscuit-bag to
collect shell-fish, and at the muddy exit of a tiny stream came upon
quite a swarm of little crabs, who challenged them to fight--so Billy
afterwards said--by snapping their claws at them and flourishing them
above their heads as they retreated to their holes.

Mark and Small provided themselves with a bag of bivalves for bait and
went off to the boat to fish.

Lastly, the captain and the ladies walked to the edge of the jungle in
search of fruit, while the former shot a few birds.

The morning was delightful, and Mark and Small were soon afloat, to
Billy Widgeon's intense disgust, for it had been his full intention to
take Mark's place and form one of the fishing party.

Mark soon had a line ready, and after opening some of the shell-fish
with his knife baited a couple of hooks and waited till the boatswain
had piloted the boat to where there was an opening in the reef and the
sea was setting into the lagoon.

"Now, lookye here, my lad," said Small; "when I was a boy I used to fish
in the mill-dam at the back of our cottage, and I always found as there
was most fish where the stream set in or came out. Now that's deep
water, and I'll hold on to the bit of rock here while you chuck in; and
if you don't get a bite we'll try somewheres else."

He laid in the oar, and taking the boat-hook had no difficulty in taking
hold of the coral, which was only a couple of feet below, and Mark made
his first cast right into the running current.

It was a good throw, and he stooped down and picked up the loose rings,
to lay them out quite