she
continued on her course. Already she was abreast of the spot where the
signal was flying.

"She takes no notice of us; she is standing on as before," exclaimed
Owen.

"No, no; see, she is heaving to," cried Langton.

The courses were hauled up, the ship's head was turned off shore, the
main-topsail was backed, and she remained stationary.

"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried Mike. "We are seen." The rest echoed the
cheer. A boat was lowered, and came pulling towards the point. As she
approached, the party on shore unshipped the flagstaff and hurried with
it to the bay to guide her in; she soon reached the beach. Langton
explained to the officer in command in a few words what had occurred.
They were helped on board, and the boat immediately pulled back to the
corvette.

She proved to be the "Kestrel," of 18 guns, Commander Holmes. Directly
the commander heard of the loss of the "Sylvia," he steered for the spot
where the ill-fated vessel had gone down, in the hopes of rescuing any
more of her crew who might have escaped.

Mike and Nat were placed under the doctor's charge, but Langton and
Owen, though still feeling very weak, were anxious to remain on deck
while the corvette was searching for their shipmates.

Owen learned, with satisfaction, that, after her cruise among the
islands, she was at once to return home. He was naturally anxious to
ascertain the truth of the account given him by Reginald Ashurst.
Sometimes he thought the imagination of his dying shipmate might have
been excited, and that the story he had told was without foundation.
Langton, when he talked the matter over, did not give him much
encouragement.

"He was always fond of romancing. Sometimes I do not think he knew
himself whether he was speaking the truth or falsehood," he observed.

"He knew that he was dying, and would scarcely have invented a tale to
deceive me," answered Owen; "but at the same time I am not ambitious,
nor shall I be much disappointed if I find you are right."

A calm at nightfall compelled the corvette to come to an anchor just
inside the island, where blue lights were burned and rockets discharged
to attract the attention of any who had escaped, and might have the
means of reaching her; the boats were also manned and sent off, some to
visit the scene of the disaster and others to search for any rafts or
floating pieces of wreck on which the people might have sought refuge.

The doctor would not allow Langton or