EXPLORING THE ISLAND

The boys returned to the yacht in time for dinner, and here their situation was talked over by the doctor and the captain, the former assuring the boys that there was no great danger, for the yacht was equipped with a wireless service, and the captain could easily make his predicament known, and vessels would doubtless be sent to his relief.

“We may pursue our studies as usual,” the doctor continued, whereupon there were wry looks upon the faces of many of the boys, “and as soon as we get away from here we will pursue our voyage.  It is simply an incident, not an accident in our plans as arranged.”

After dinner Jack got one of the yacht’s boats, and took Dick and young Smith with him to the mouth of the bay to get a view of the reefs.

For some little distance they could not see the opening of the bay on account of its windings, the hills preventing them from getting a view of the sea, but at length in rounding a wooded point they came in sight of it.

There were reefs in front of them, at some little distance, and points of rocks on both sides, the outer bay being of considerable size, but generally exposed to the weather, which they were not in the inner bay.

They pushed on for some little distance, but not too near the reefs, where they would be exposed to the force of the surf that dashed over the latter and Jack presently pointed out a strange looking object on his right and at some little distance.

“I should say that that was a flagstaff sticking out of the rocks,” he said, “if it were not the most unlikely thing in the world that there should be one there.  If any one wanted to plant a flag-pole they would go up higher on the rocks, I should think.”

“See if you can get a little nearer to it, Jack,” said Dick.  “It looks too big for a flagstaff, but it might be the stump of a mast.”

“Which is much more likely,” replied Jack.  “A vessel might have gone ashore there, and show the stump of a mast above water.  It is a wonder to me that we were not in the same predicament.”

“The only way that I account for it is that we were hit by a tidal wave or the end of one, and carried right over the reefs without scratching, and then the force of the water carried us to the inner bay where it left us stranded for a time.”

“That sounds reasonable, and in the absence of any other explanation may as well be received as the right one.  I think you are correct about its being the stump of a mast, Dick.”

Jack rowed as close to the point of rocks as he dared, not caring to be dashed upon them, the landing being bad, and the boys got a better view of the object that Jack had noticed.

It was out in the water, and projected about five feet, and, being broken off apparently about half way to the crosstrees, should be at least that distance under water.

“I should say there was five or six feet of water there,” said Jack, “and you can see from the marks on it that this broken end is still below high water mark.  I don’t see any sign of a bowsprit but maybe that was broken off when she struck.”