ell, while our
clipper bark bounded lightly over the waves. Slowly the mountain-top
sank on the horizon until it became a mere speck. In another moment the
sun and the Coral Island sank together into the broad bosom of the
Pacific.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

THE VOYAGE--THE ISLAND, AND A CONSULTATION IN WHICH DANGER IS SCOUTED AS
A THING UNWORTHY OF CONSIDERATION--RATS AND CATS--THE NATIVE TEACHER--
AWFUL REVELATIONS--WONDERFUL EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY.

Our voyage during the next two weeks was most interesting and
prosperous. The breeze continued generally fair, and at all times
enabled us to lie our course; for being, as I have said before,
clipper-built, the pirate schooner could lie very close to the wind and
make little leeway. We had no difficulty now in managing our sails, for
Jack was heavy and powerful, while Peterkin was active as a kitten.
Still, however, we were a very insufficient crew for such a vessel; and
if any one had proposed to us to make such a voyage in it before we had
been forced to go through so many hardships from necessity, we would
have turned away with pity from the individual making such proposal as
from a madman. I pondered this a good deal, and at last concluded that
men do not know how much they are capable of doing till they try, and
that we should never give way to despair in any undertaking, however
difficult it may seem--always supposing, however, that our cause is a
good one, and that we can ask the Divine blessing on it.

Although, therefore, we could now manage our sails easily, we
nevertheless found that my pulleys were of much service to us in some
things, though Jack did laugh heartily at the uncouth arrangement of
ropes and blocks, which had, to a sailor's eye, a very lumbering and
clumsy appearance. But I will not drag my reader through the details of
this voyage. Suffice it to say that, after an agreeable sail of about
three weeks, we arrived off the island of Mango, which I recognised at
once from the description that the pirate Bill had given me of it during
one of our conversations.

As soon as we came within sight of it, we hove the ship to and held a
council of war.

"Now, boys," said Jack as we seated ourselves beside him on the cabin
skylight, "before we go further in this business we must go over the
pros and cons of it; for although you have so generously consented to
stick by me through thick and thin, it would be unfair did I not see
that you thoroughly u