he same time it seemed as if he
could not remain in that position another night.

Even in face of the danger to which they would be exposed, the occupants
of the boat welcomed the increase in the weight of the wind since it was
reasonable to suppose that each mile traversed carried them just so much
nearer the land, and, with the exception of Neal and Teddy, all were in
good spirits when the darkness of night covered the ocean.

Owing to the absence of exercise the boys did not sleep well, and when
the unconsciousness of slumber did come upon them for a few moments at a
time, it brought in its train dreams so distressing that wakefulness
with the full knowledge of the dangers which encompassed them, was
preferable.

It seemed as if twenty hours instead of ten had passed when one of the
men in the bow cried joyfully:

"If I don't see the loom of land now it's because I never saw such a
sight before."

"Where away?" Jake asked, straining his eyes in the vain effort to
discern anything amid the gloom.

"Dead ahead as we are running. It must be somethin' more'n a cay, or it
wouldn't show up so big."

The gray light of approaching dawn was lifting the mantle of night when
the man spoke, and, ten minutes later, all saw with reasonable
distinctness the dark cloud which could be nothing less than land.

Now the roar of surf was heard, and Jake said in a troubled tone:

"I don't see how we are to make it after all, unless we plump her
straight on, an' that's likely to be a dangerous experiment."

"Why not take in the sail, and work the oars; then you can pick a
landing place?"

"All right, let go the halyards; but instead of furling the canvas you
can stow it under one of the thwarts."

This order was given and obeyed cheerily, for all were in the best of
spirits now that the end of the wearisome journey seemed to be so near
at hand and in a very short time the boat was moving slowly toward the
shore, rising and falling gently on the heavy swell.

Each moment it was possible to see more distinctly the coast, and when
they were thirty yards from a shore strewn with jagged blocks of coral,
Jake shouted:

"Hold on, boys, it would be worse than folly to attempt to run in there
while the sea is so high."

"Can't you find a better place?" one of the men asked.

"It appears to be the same all along for a mile or so in either
direction."

"There's more danger of bein' swamped while runnin' up or down the
coast, th