nothing could be seen. Flint expressed himself to this effect.

"I did not expect to see anything," replied Christy. "I only came across
here to find how wide the island was at this point. I am satisfied that
we are about where I supposed we were. Half a mile to the westward of us
the island is more than double the breadth it is here."

"I see, sir; if you had found it much wider than it is, you would have
known that you had not gone far enough in the boat," replied Flint.

"Precisely so; I wanted to find where we were before I changed the
course in going farther to the eastward," added Christy.

Flint made no further remark, and they returned to the boat, and seated
themselves in their places. The lieutenant gave the order to shove off.

"We are in no hurry, Beeks; if the men are tired, you can stop longer to
rest them," continued the commander of the expedition.

The men scouted the idea of being tired after a pull of two miles in a
comparatively smooth sea. Christy told them that they might have some
very heavy work to do before they returned to the ship, and he did not
wish to use up their strength unnecessarily.

"Now, keep her east by north for a couple of miles, Beeks," continued
Christy. "That will be as far as we have occasion to go in this
direction. Don't hurry them; take it easy, for it will not be high tide
till half-past twelve, and we may have more time than we shall know how
to use."

The crew pulled very leisurely, and it was over an hour before Beeks
estimated that they had made the two miles. As before, Christy and Flint
were landed, and they walked across the island. But their walk was not
even half the length of the last one; and the spit was so narrow at this
place that the lieutenant was confident he had struck the point he
intended.

"This is our base of operations," said Christy, as he stood on the shore
of the bay. "We have got along very well so far, for it is not time yet
for the music to begin, if it is to begin at all. What are you about,
Flint?"

The master's mate had lain down on the sand at the water's edge, and
his companion was very much puzzled by his attitude. He wondered if his
companion had the stomach-ache, and was not able to stand up.

"I beg your pardon, Lieutenant Passford, but if you will kindly be quiet
for a moment, I hope to be able to answer your question," replied Flint,
in a low tone.

Christy complied with the request, and as he did so, he thought he hear