"Steady!" responded Bob. "You stay close to me, dearie, so's to be
within reach if anything happens, and mind you don't get knocked
overboard with the boom. Ah! all right; I sees the opening."

The _Water Lily_ shot in past the overlapping ledge; and my companions
on deck were treated to a copious shower-bath of spray for a few
seconds, and then we began to feel the shelter of the reef.

We shot along the first reach, and soon approached a sharp elbow.

"Look out on deck!" I shouted; "we are about to jibe; and you, Bob,
stand by to give her the helm smartly. Steady starboard! now starboard
hard! ram the helm down! so, steady! Now port a little! steady again!
luff you may, handsomely; not too close! And now stand by for a half-
board! Luff! let her come up! luff and shake her! so! Now hard up!"

And so on, and so on. Luff, and keep her away; then jibing; now on one
tack, now on another; until, after about ten minutes of most ticklish
navigation, the cutter shot clear of the reef, and glided rapidly over
the smooth water of the lagoon.

Bob let draw his jib-sheet, and we stood away towards the southern
extremity of the island, which we soon rounded; I remaining still aloft
to look out for any sunken rocks that might chance to be lying about.
But the bottom was quite clear, the sand being distinctly visible from
my post at the mast-head.

We were now on the western side of the island, and I observed that the
grove of cocoa-nut trees before referred to stood upon the border of a
pretty little bay, or cove rather, for it was very small; and as this
spot promised very snug anchorage close to the shore, I directed Bob to
steer for it, and then descended to the deck and got the anchor over the
bows in readiness for letting go.

As we drew closer to the land, our sails became partially becalmed under
the lee of the trees and shrubs which densely covered the southern end
of the island, whilst the water was undisturbed by the faintest ripple
save that which streamed away on each side of our sharp bow.

As I stood forward, looking down into the clear transparency of the cool
green depths, I could discern here and there a few large branches of
splendid coral projecting through the sand, with multitudes of
strangely-formed fishes darting round and about them; and in one spot I
observed what appeared to be a small bed of oysters of which I instantly
took the bearings, resolving to pay it a visit and try for a few.