oked
anxiously over the bow. I now heard the roar of the waves distinctly;
and as a single ray of the rising sun gleamed over the ocean, I saw--
what! could it be that I was dreaming?--that magnificent breaker with
its ceaseless roar--that mountain-top! Yes, once more I beheld the
Coral Island!

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

THE EFFECT OF A CANNON-SHOT--A HAPPY REUNION OF A SOMEWHAT MOIST
NATURE--RETROSPECT AND EXPLANATIONS--AN AWFUL DIVE--NEW PLANS--THE LAST
OF THE CORAL ISLAND.

I almost fell upon the deck with the tumult of mingled emotions that
filled my heart as I gazed ardently towards my beautiful island. It was
still many miles away, but sufficiently near to enable me to trace
distinctly the well-remembered outlines of the two mountains. My first
impulse was to utter an exclamation of gratitude for being carried to my
former happy home in safety; my second, to jump up, clap my hands,
shout, and run up and down the deck, with no other object in view than
that of giving vent to my excited feelings. Then I went below for the
telescope, and spent nearly ten minutes of the utmost impatience in
vainly trying to get a focus, and in rubbing the skin nearly off my
eyes, before I discovered that having taken off the large glass to
examine the phosphoric water with, I had omitted to put it on again.

After that I looked up impatiently at the sails, which I now regretted
having lowered so hastily, and for a moment thought of hoisting the main
topsail again; but recollecting that it would take me full half-a-day to
accomplish, and that, at the present rate of sailing, two hours would
bring me to the island, I immediately dismissed the idea.

The remainder of the time I spent in making feverish preparations for
arriving and seeing my dear comrades. I remembered that they were not
in the habit of rising before six, and as it was now only three, I hoped
to arrive before they were awake. Moreover, I set about making ready to
let go the anchor, resolving in my own mind that as I knew the depth of
water in the passage of the reef and within the lagoon, I would run the
schooner in and bring up opposite the bower. Fortunately the anchor was
hanging at the cat-head, otherwise I should never have been able to use
it. Now I had only to cut the tackling, and it would drop of its own
weight. After searching among the flags, I found the terrible black
one, which I ran up to the peak. While I was doing this a thought
struck me