any description within
view, and if anything of the kind existed, it must be on the other side
of the island.

The canoe was by this time in open water, and I saw that she was
paddling along the edge of the reef towards us. Bob now made her out
from the deck, and hailed me, asking if I saw her. I answered that I
did, and, in an uncontrollable tumult of excitement, descended to the
deck. I directed Bob to keep the cutter away for the canoe, for,
strangely enough, the thought never entered my head that her occupants
might be enemies. I ran down below and got up our club ensign, which I
hoisted at the peak, and as it blew out in the fresh morning breeze, we
saw the figure in the stern of the canoe rise to his feet and wave his
hat. I took up my glass once more, and was now able to make out that
this figure was tall, deeply bronzed by the sun, and had grey hair and a
thick bushy grey beard.

"That is a white man, Bob, in that canoe," said I excitedly.

"A white man!" exclaimed Bob; "then it's the skipper, Harry, for a
thousand pounds."

"No such luck, Bob, I am afraid," replied I; "this man is grey-haired,
and my poor father's hair was dark brown, if you recollect."

"True," answered Bob; "but if not the skipper hisself, it may be
somebody belonging to him."

"That cannot be, either," I returned; "for according to the account we
received from the seaman, there was no one left with him but the chief-
mate, who, I presume, was Winter--who, you will recollect, was put into
your berth when you met with your accident; and Winter was quite a young
man--scarcely thirty, I believe."

"Well, whoever it may be, we shall soon find out all about him now, for
we shall be alongside the little hooker in another five minutes,"
remarked Bob philosophically, but with evident disappointment in the
tone of his voice.

This was true, for we were nearing the canoe fast. I again had recourse
to my telescope, and, with its assistance, was now able to see with
perfect distinctness the occupants of the canoe.

I scanned with the greatest intentness the features of him who was
steering, and who was facing directly towards us; and as I did so, in a
tumult of the most painful agitation and suspense, feature after feature
once more became familiar, and notwithstanding the grey hair and beard,
I at length recognised, with unspeakable joy, my father.

"Hurrah!" I shouted; "hurrah! it is he--it _is_ my father, Bob; and we
have found him