"
"No, William, it does not; the gale is breaking, and by night, I have
no doubt, will be over. It is, however, useless looking for the vessel,
as she must be a long way from this. It would take her a week, perhaps,
to come back to us if she was to try to do so, unless the wind should
change to the northward or westward."
"Ready! Ready!" exclaimed William, pointing to the south-east part of
the reef; "what is that? Look! it's a boat."
Ready put his telescope to his eye. "It's a canoe, William, and there
are people in it."
"Why, where can they have come from? See! they are among the breakers;
they will be lost. Let us go towards them, Ready."
They hastened along the beach to the spot nearest to where the canoe
was tossing on the surf, and watched it as it approached the shore.
"William, this canoe must have been blown off from the large island,
which lies out there;" and Ready again looked through his telescope:
"there are two people in it, and they are islanders. Poor things! they
struggle hard for their lives, and seem much exhausted; but they have
passed through the most dangerous part of the reef."
"Yes," replied William, "they will soon be in smoother water; but the
surf on the beach is very heavy.
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