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Breakfasttimecame，andImadeshifttoswallowsomehottea。
ThenImuststaggerbelowtotakethetime，readingthechronometerwithdizzyeyes，andmarvellingthewhilewhatvaluetherecouldbeinobservationstakeninashiplaunched(asoursthenwas)likeamissileamongflyingseas。Theforenoondraggedoninagrindingmonotonyofperil；everyspokeofthewheelarash，butanobligedexperiment——rashasaforlornhope，needfulastheleapthatlandsafiremanfromaburningstaircase。Noonwasmade；thecaptaindinedonhisday’swork，andIonwatchinghim；andourplacewasenteredonthechartwithameticulousprecisionwhichseemedtomehalfpitifulandhalfabsurd，sincethenexteyetobeholdthatsheetofpapermightbetheeyeofanexploringfish。Oneo’clockcame，thentwo；thecaptaingloomedandchafed，asheheldtothecoamingofthehouse，andifeverIsawdormantmurderinman’seye，itwasinhis。Godhelpthehandthatshouldhavedisobeyedhim。
Ofasudden，heturnedtowardsthemate，whowasdoinghistrickatthewheel。
“Twopointsontheportbow。”Iheardhimsay。Andhetookthewheelhimself。
Johnsonnodded，wipedhiseyeswiththebackofhiswethand，watchedachanceasthevessellungeduphill，andgottothemainrigging，whereheswarmedaloft。Upandup，Iwatchedhimgo，hangingonateveryuglyplunge，gainingwitheverylulloftheschooner’smovement，until，clamberingintothecross-treesandclingingwithonearmaroundthemasts，Icouldseehimtakeonecomprehensivesweepofthesouthwesterlyhorizon。Thenextmoment，hehadsliddownthebackstayandstoodondeck，withagrin，anod，andagestureofthefingerthatsaid“yes“；thenextagain，andhewasbacksweatingandsquirmingatthewheel，histiredfacestreamingandsmiling，andhishairandtheragsandcornersofhisclotheslashingroundhiminthewind。
Nareswentbelow，fetcheduphisbinocular，andfellintoasilentperusalofthesea-line；Ialso，withmyunaidedeyesight。
Littlebylittle，inthatwhitewasteofwater，Ibegantomakeoutaquarterwherethewhitenessappearedmorecondensed：theskyabovewaswhitishlikewise，andmistylikeasquall；andlittlebylittletherethrilleduponmyearsanotedeeperandmoreterriblethantheyellingofthegale——thelong，thunderingrollofbreakers。Nareswipedhisnightglassonhissleeveandpassedittome，motioning，ashedidso，withhishand。Anendlesswildernessofragingbillowscameandwentanddancedinthecircleoftheglass；nowandthenapalecornerofsky，orthestronglineofthehorizonruggedwiththeheadsofwaves；andthenofasudden——comeandgoneereIcouldfixit，withaswallow’sswiftness——oneglimpseofwhatwehadcomesofarandpaidsodeartosee：themastsandriggingofabrigpencilledonheaven，withanensignstreamingatthemain，andtheraggedribbonsofatopsailthrashingfromtheyard。Againandagain，withtoilfulsearching，Irecalledthatapparition。
Therewasnosignofanyland；thewreckstoodbetweenseaandsky，athingthemostisolatedIhadeverviewed；butaswedrewnearer，Iperceivedhertobedefendedbyalineofbreakerswhichdrewoffoneitherhand，andmarked，indeed，thenearestsegmentofthereef。Heavysprayhungoverthemlikeasmoke，somehundredfeetintotheair；andthesoundoftheirconsecutiveexplosionsrolledlikeacannonade。
Inhalfanhourwewereclosein；forperhapsaslongagain，weskirtedthatformidablebarriertowarditsfartherside；andpresentlytheseabeganinsensiblytomoderateandtheshiptogomoresweetly。Wehadgainedtheleeoftheislandas(forform’ssake)Imaycallthatringoffoamandhazeandthunder；
andshakingoutareef，woreshipandheadedforthepassage……
Allhandswerefilledwithjoy。Itwasbetrayedintheiralacrityandeasyfaces：Johnsonsmilingbroadlyatthewheel，Naresstudyingthesketchchartoftheislandwithaneyeatpeace，andthehandsclusteredforward，eagerlytalkingandpointing：somanifestwasourescape，sowonderfultheattractionofasinglefootofearthaftersomanysunshadsetandrisenonanemptysea。Toaddtotherelief，besides，byoneofthosemaliciouscoincidenceswhichsuggestforfatetheimageofanunderbredandgrinningschoolboy，wehadnosoonerwornshipthanthewindbegantoabate。
Formyself，however，Ididbutexchangeanxieties。IwasnosooneroutofonefearthanIfelluponanother；nosoonersecurethatIshouldmyselfmaketheintendedhaven，thanIbegantobeconvincedthatTrentwastherebeforeme。Iclimbedintotherigging，stoodontheboard，andeagerlyscannedthatringofcoralreefand
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