52 THE CRATER; over which the ship had beaten, the position of which could hardly have been ascertained, or its danger discovered, at the distance of half a mile. Others again were of a very different character, the water still tumbling about them like so many little cataracts. This variety was owing to the greater depth at which some of the rocks lay than others. As to the number of the reefs, and the difficulty in get ting through them, Bob was right enough. It often hap pens that there is an inner and an outer reef to the islands of the Pacific, particularly to those of coral formation; but Mark began to doubt whether there was any coral at all in the place where the Rancocus lay, in consequence of the entire want of regularity in the position of these very breakers. They were visible in all directions; not in con tinuous lines, but in detached parts; one lying within another, as Bob had expressed it, until the eye could not reach their outer limits. How the ship had got so com pletely involved within their dangerous embraces, without going to pieces on a dozen of the reefs, was to him matter of wonder ; though it sometimes happens at sea, that dan gers are thus safely passed in darkness and fog, that no man would be bold enough to encounter in broad daylight, and with a full consciousness of their hazards. Such then had been the sort of miracle by which the Rancocus had escaped ; though it was no more easy to see how she was to be got out of her present position, than it was to see how she had got into it. Bob was the first to make a re mark on this particular part of the subject. " It will need a reg lar branch here, Mr. Mark, to carry the old Rancocus clear of all them breakers to sea again," he cried. " Our Delaware banks is just so many fools to em, sir !" " It is a most serious position for a vessel to be in, Bob," answered Mark, sighing " nor do I see how we are ever to get clear of it, even should we get back men enough to handle the ship."
- 1 m quite of your mind, sir," answered Bob, taking
out his tobacco-box, and helping himself to a quid. " Nor would I be at all surprised should there turn out to be a bit of land to leeward, if you and I was to Robinson Crusoe it for the rest of ou* days. My good mother was always
