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he　rain　poured　off　in　torrents。　One　moment　the　canvas　of　the　tents　would　bulge　in；　and　the　cords　which　held　it　strain　and　crack；　at　another；　an　eddy　of　wind　would　force　out　the　canvas；　which　would　flap　and　flap；　while　the　rain　found　many　an　entrance。　The　tent　in　which　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children　reposed　was　on　the　outside　of　the　others；　and　therefore　the　most　exposed。　About　midnight　the　wind　burst　on　them　with　greater　violence　than　before。　A　loud　crash　was　heard　by　Ready　and　Mr。　Seagrave；　followed　by　the　shrieks　of　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Juno；　the　pegs　of　the　tent　had　given　way；　and　the　inmates　were　exposed　to　the　fury　of　the　elements。　Ready　rushed　out；　followed　by　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William。　So　strong　was　the　wind　and　beating　rain；　and　such　was　the　darkness；　that　it　was　with　some　difficulty　that　by　their　united　efforts　the　women　and　children　could　be　extricated。　Tommy　was　the　first　taken　up　by　Ready：　his　courage　had　all　gone；　and　he　was　bellowing　furiously。　William　took　Albert　in　charge　and　carried　him　into　the　other　tent；　where　Tommy　sat　in　his　wet　shirt　roaring　most　melodiously。　Juno；　Mrs。　Seagrave；　and　the　little　girl　were　at　last　carried　away　and　taken　into　the　other　tent：　fortunately　no　one　was　hurt；　although　the　frightened　children　could　not　be　pacified；　and　joined　in　chorus　with　Tommy。　Nothing　more　could　be　done　except　to　put　the　children　into　bed；　and　then　the　whole　party　sat　up　the　remainder　of　the　night　listening　to　the　noise　of　the　wind；　the　roaring　of　the　sea；　and　the　loud　patter　of　the　rain　against　the　canvas。　At　dawn　of　day；　Ready　went　out；　and　found　that　the　gale　had　spent　its　force；　and　had　already　much　abated；　but　it　was　not　one　of　those　bright　glorious　mornings　to　which　they　had　been　accustomed　since　their　arrival　at　the　island：　the　sky　was　still　dark；　and　the　clouds　were　chasing　each　other　wildly；　there　was　neither　sun　nor　blue　sky　to　be　seen：　it　still　rained；　but　only　at　intervals；　and　the　earth　was　soft　and　spongy；　the　little　cove；　but　the　day　before　so　beautiful；　was　now　a　mass　of　foaming　and　tumultuous　waves；　and　the　surf　was　thrown　many　yards　upon　the　beach：　the　horizon　was　confused　…　you　could　not　distinguish　the　line　between　the　water　and　the　sky；　and　the　whole　shore　of　the　island　was　lined　with　a　white　foam。　Ready　turned　his　eyes　to　where　the　ship　had　been　fixed　on　the　rocks：　it　was　no　longer　there　…　the　whole　frame　had　disappeared；　but　the　fragments　of　it；　and　the　contents　of　the　holds；　were　floating　about　in　every　direction；　or　tossing　amongst　the　surf　on　the　beach。

〃I　thought　as　much；〃　said　Ready；　pointing　to　where　the　ship　had　lain；　as　he　turned　round　and　found　that　Mr。　Seagrave　had　followed　him；　〃look；　sir；　this　gale　has　broken　her　up　entirely。　This　is　a　warning　to　us　not　to　remain　here　any　longer：　we　must　make　the　most　of　the　fine　weather　which　we　may　have　before　the　rainy　season　sets　in。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　Ready；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　…　〃and　there　is　another　proof　of　it；〃　pointing　to　the　tent　which　had　been　blown　down。　〃It　was　a　mercy　that　none　of　them　were　hurt。〃

〃Very　true；　sir；　but　the　gale　is　breaking；　and　we　shall　have　fine　weather　to…morrow。　Let　us　now　see　what　we　can　do　with　the　tent；　while　William　and　Juno　try　if　they　can　get　any　breakfast。〃

They　set　to　work。　Ready　and　Mr。　Seagrave　made　it　fast　with　fresh　cords　and　pegs；　and　very　soon　had　it　all　ready；　but　the　beds　and　bedding　were　wet　through。　They　hauled　over　the　wet　canvas；　and　then　left　it　to　go　to　their　breakfast；　to　which　Juno　had　summoned　them。

〃We　need　do　no　more　at　present；〃　said　Ready；　〃by　night…time　it　will　not　be　so　wet；　and　we　can　handle　it　easier。　I　see　a　break　in　the　sky　now　which　promises　fine　weather　soon。　And　now　we　had　better　work　hard　to…day；　for　we　may　save　a　great　many　things；　which　may　be　dashed　to　pieces　on　the　rocks；　if　we　do　not　haul　them　on　the　beach。〃



Chapter　XIX

They　went　down　to　the　beach。　Ready　first　procured　from　the　stores　a　good　stout　rope；　and　as　the　waves　threw　up　casks　and　timbers　of　the　vessel；　they　stopped　them　from　being　washed　back　again；　and　either　rolled　or　hauled　them　up　with　the　rope　until　they　were　safely　landed。　This　occupied　them　for　the　major　part　of　the　day；　and　yet　they　had　not　collected　a　quarter　of　the　articles　that　were　in　their　reach；　independent　of　the　quantity　which　floated　about　out　at　sea　and　at　the　entrance　of　the　cove。

〃I　think；〃　said　Ready；　〃we　have　done　a　good　day's　work；　tomorrow　we　shall　be　able　to　do　much　more；　for　the　sea　is　going　down；　and　the　sun　is　showing　himself　from　the　corner　of　that　cloud。　Now　we　will　go　to　supper；　and　then　see　if　we　can　make　ourselves　more　comfortable　for　the　night。〃

The　tent　which　had　not　been　blown　down　was　given　to　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children；　and　the　other　was　fitted　up　as　well　as　it　could　be。　The　bedding　being　all　wet；　they　procured　some　sails　from　the　stores；　which；　being　stowed　away　farther　in　the　grove；　had　not　suffered　much　from　the　tempest；　and；　spreading　the　canvas；　they　lay　down；　and　the　night　passed　without　any　disaster；　for　the　wind　was　now　lulled　to　a　pleasant　breeze。

The　next　morning　the　sun　shone　bright　…　the　air　was　fresh　and　bracing；　but　a　slight　breeze　rippled　the　waters；　and　there　was　little　or　no　surf。　The　various　fragments　of　the　wreck　were　tossed　by　the　little　surf　that　still　remained；　many　things　were　lying　on　the　beach　which　had　landed　during　the　night；　and　many　more　required　but　a　little　trouble　to　secure　them。　There　appeared　to　be　a　sort　of　in　draught　into　the　cove；　as　all　the　articles　which　had　been　floating　out　at　sea　were　now　gradually　coming　on　shore　in　that　direction。　Ready　and　Mr。　Seagrave　worked　till　breakfast…time；　and　had　by　that　time　saved　a　great　many　casks　and　packages。

After　breakfast　they　went　down　again　to　the　beach　and　resumed　their　labours。　〃Look；　Ready；　what　is　that？〃　said　William；　who　was　with　them；　as　he　pointed　to　a　white…looking　mass　floating　in　the　cove。

〃That；　sir；　is　the　poor　cow；　and　if　you　look　again；　you　will　see　the　sharks　are　around；　making　a　feast　of　her：　don't　you　see　them？〃

〃Yes；　I　do　…　what　a　quantity！〃

〃Yes；　there's　no　want　of　them；　William；　so　be　very　careful　how　you　get　into　the　water；　and　never　let　Tommy　go　near　it；　for　they　don't　care　how　shallow　it　is　when　they　see　their　food。　But　now；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　〃I　must　leave　you　and　William　to　do　what　you　can　in　saving　any　more　of　the　wreck；　while　I　set　to　and　put　the　boat　in　proper　repair。〃

Ready　left　them　at　their　own　employment；　and　went　away　for　his　tools。　During　this　time　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　occupied　themselves　in　collecting　the　different　articles　thrown　on　shore；　and　rolling　up　the　casks　as　far　as　they　could。

As　it　would　take　some　days　for　Ready　to　put　the　boat　into　proper　order；　Mr。　Seagrave　determined　that　he　would　go　to　the　other　side　of　the　island　with　William；　that　he　might　examine　it　himself；　and；　as　Mrs。　Seagrave　had　no　objection　to　be　left　with　Ready　and　Juno；　on　the　third　day　after　the　gale　they　set　off。　William　led　the　way；　guiding　his　footsteps　through　the　grove　by　the　blazing　of　the　cocoa…nut　trees；　and　in　two　hours　they　reached　their　destination。

〃Is　not　this　beautiful；　father？〃　said　William。

〃Yes；　indeed　it　is；　my　dear　boy；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃I　fancied　that　nothing　could　be　more　beautiful　than　the　spot　where　we　reside；　but　this　surpasses　it；　not　only　in　variety；　but　in　extent。〃

〃And　now　let　us　examine　the　spring；　father；〃　said　William；　leading　the　way　to　the　ravine。

The　spring　was　full　and　flowing；　and　the　water　excellent。　They　then　directed　their　steps　towards　the　sandy　beach；　and；　having　walked　some　time；　sat　down　upon　a　coral　rock。

〃Who　would　have　ever　imagined；　William；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃that　this　island；　and　so　many　more　which　abound　in　the　Pacific　Ocean；　could　have　been　raised　by　the　work　of　little　insects　not　bigger　than　a　pin's　head？〃

〃Insects；　father？〃　replied　William。

〃Yes；　insects。　Give　me　that　piece　of　dead　coral；　William。　Do　you　see　that　on　every　branch　there　are　a　hundred　little　holes？　Well；　in　every　one　of　these　little　holes　once　lived　a　sea…insect；　and　as　these　insects　increase；　so　do　the　branches　of　the　coral…trees。〃

〃Yes；　I　understand　that；　but　how　do　you　make　out　that　this　island　was　made　by　them？〃

〃Almost　all　the　islands　in　these　seas　have　been　made　by　the　labour　and　increase　of　these　small　animals。　The　coral　grows　at　first　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　where　it　is　not　disturbed　by　the　winds　or　waves：　by　degrees；　as　it　increases；　it　advances　higher　and　higher　to　the　surface；　till　at　last　it　comes　near　to　the　top　of　the　water；　then　it　is　stopped　in　its　growth　by　the　force　of　the　winds　and　waves；　which　break　it　off；　and　of　course　it　never　grows　above　the　water；　for　if　it　did　the　animals　would　die。〃

〃Then　how　does　it　become　an　island？〃

〃By　very　slow　degrees；　the　time；　perhaps；　much　depending　upon　chance：　for　instance；　a　log　of　wood　floating　about；　and　covered　with　barnacles；　may　ground　upon　the　coral　reefs；　that　would　be　a　sufficient　commencement；　for　it　would　remain　above　water；　and　then　shelter　the　coral　to　leeward　of　it；　until　a　flat　rock　had　formed；　level　with　the　edge　of　the　water。　The　sea…birds　are　always　looking　for　a　place　to　rest　upon；　and　they　would　soon　find　it；　and　then　their　droppings　would；　in　course　of　time；　form　a　little　patch　above　water；　and　other　floating　substances　would　be　thrown　on　it；　and　land…birds；　who　are　blown　out　to　sea；　might　rest　themselves　on　it；　and　the　seeds　from　their　stomachs；　when　dropped；　would　grow　into　trees　or　bushes。〃

〃I　understand　that。〃

〃Well　then；　William；　you　observe　there　is　an　island　commenced；　as　it　were；　and；　once　commenced；　it　soon　increases；　for　the　coral　would　then　be　protected　to　leeward；　and　grow　up　fast。　Do　you　observe　how　the　coral　reefs　extend　at　this　side　of　the　island；　where　they　are　protected　from　the　winds　and　waves；　and　how　different　it　is　on　the　weather　side；　which　we　have　just　left？　Just　so　the　little　patch　above　water　protects　the　corals　to　leeward；　and　there　the　island　increases　fast；　for　the　birds　not　only　settle　on　it；　hut　they　make　their　nests　and　rear　their　young；　and　so　every　year　the　soil　increases；　and　then；　perhaps；　one　cocoa…nut　in　its　great　outside　shell　at　last　is　thrown　on　these　little　patches　…　it　takes　root；　and　becomes　a　tree；　every　ye