had been altered, and she more than anything.

Instead of her being high and dry ashore, with her bows up in the air
between the two hillocks where they had been wedged, there she was now
afloat, placidly riding on the smooth waters of the harbour by her
anchors, which had been laid out, it may be remembered, the morning
after she stranded.

This was a far more providential circumstance than our finding the
treasure; for even Mr Steenbock, sanguine as he had been at first when
he suggested digging the dock under her, had begun to have fears of our
eventually getting her off again into her native element--the operation
taking longer than he had expected, for the water at the last had
penetrated through the coffer-dam, thus preventing the men from digging
out the after part of the trench under the keel piece, between the main
and mizzen-chains.

Now, through the effects of the earthquake, we were fortunately saved
all farther trouble on this score.

The skipper did not appear the least surprised at what had happened,
displaying the same nonchalance as he did when gazing down into the
cavity where the buccaneers' gold was stowed--as if he had dreamt it all
beforehand and everything was turning out exactly according to the
sequence of his dream!

As we got nearer, we saw that a number of the men were grouped about the
shore, collecting a lot of stray gear, which they were taking off to the
ship in the jolly-boat; so, calling to these, Captain Snaggs asked where
Mr Flinders was.

"He's gone aboard bad," said one of the hands, with a snigger, whereat
they all laughed. "He don't feel all right this arternoon, sir, an' he
went into his cabin afore the ship floated."

"I guess, then, we'd better go aboard, too," replied the skipper, quite
quiet like. "It's gettin' late now, an' we'll break off work till
to-morrow. We'll then set about gettin' the sticks up on her agen, my
men, as well as hoist the stores aboard; fur, I means to sail out of
this hyar harbour afore the end of the week!"

The hands gave a hearty hurrah at this, as if the idea pleased them, for
they must have been quite sick of the place by this time; and the
skipper therefore ordered Jan Steenbock and Tom, with Hiram, Sam, and I,
to come off with him in the boat, telling us when we presently got
aboard not to mention about the treasure to any one yet, as it might
prevent the men working and rigging the ship, getting her ready for sea.

This we promise