“It may be that no other loves her as well, and she has had the sagacity to discover it.” “Quite likely. So it is with me and Stephen Spike. I fancy a man whom other folk despise and condemn. _Why_ I stand by him is my own secret; but stand by him I do and will.” “This is all very strange, after your conduct on the island, and your conduct to-night. I shall not disturb your secret, however, Jack, but leave you to enjoy it by yourself. Is this the rock of which you spoke, that we are now passing?” “The same; and there's the spot in which we was stowed when they made us out from the brig; and here-away, a cable's length, more or less, the wreck of that Mexican craft must lie.” “What is that rising above the water, thereaway, Jack; more on our weather-beam?” “I see what you mean, sir; it looks like a spar. By George! there's two on 'em; and they _do_ seem to be the schooner's masts.” Sure enough! a second look satisfied Mulford that two mast-heads were out of water, and that within a hundred yards of the place the boat was running past. Standing on a short distance, or far enough to give himself room, the mate put his helm down, and tacked the boat. The flapping of the sail, and the little movement of shifting over the sheet, awoke Rose, who was immediately apprized of the discovery. As soon as round, the boat went glancing up to the spars, and presently was riding by one, Jack Tier having caught hold of a topmast-shroud, when Mulford let fly his sheet again, and luffed short up to the spot. By this time the increasing light was sufficiently strong to render objects distinct, when near by, and no doubt remained any longer in the mind of Mulford about the two mast-heads being those of the unfortunate Mexican schooner. “Well, of all I have ever seen I've never see'd the like of this afore!” exclaimed Jack. “When we left this here craft, sir, you'll remember, she had almost turned turtle, laying over so far as to bring her upper coamings under water; now she stands right side up, as erect as if docked! My navigation can't get along with this, Mr. Mulford, and it does seem like witchcraft.” “It is certainly a very singular incident, Jack, and I have been trying to come at its causes.” “Have you succeeded, Harry?” asked Rose, by this time wide awake, and wondering like the others. “It must have happened in this wise. The wreck was abandoned by us some little distance out here, to windward. The schooner's masts, of course, pointed to leeward, and when she drifted in here, they have first touched on a shelving rock, and as they have been shoved up, little by little, they have acted as levers to right the hull, until the cargo has shifted back into its proper berth, which has suddenly set the vessel up again.” “Ay, ay, sir,” answered Jack, “all that might have happened had she been above water, or any part of her above water; but you'll remember, maty, that soon after we left her she went down.”