"That appears to me to be all that is left of her, Professor. And, if so, she has evidently broken in two and gone down, the one half of her inside and the other half outside the reef. Whether, however, I am right in my supposition can only be determined by descending to the bottom and getting into our diving-suits. And, very fortunately for us, the water on both sides of the reef appears to be fairly deep, so that, when we are down there on the sand, we shall not feel the power of the surf very much. Had she remained on top of the reef I doubt whether it would have been possible for us to have got near her." "Quite right, my friend," answered the professor. "No man could keep his feet among those breakers; we should be helplessly knocked about, like ninepins. And now, do you wish to see any more, or shall we be off back to the village?" "One moment, please," said Mildmay, drawing out his pocket-book. "It will do no harm to take a set of cross-bearings for the identification of this spot, and they might be useful in the event of an off-shore wind springing up, during which it is quite possible that the sea may cease to break on the reef, in which case we could not very easily find the wreck unless we happened to have the bearings of her." He went into the pilot-house accordingly, and took the bearings, having done which he set the engines in motion, and headed the ship back toward the village, where she duly arrived about an hour later. As the professor drew up and stowed away the accommodation ladder by means of which Lobelalatutu had left the ship he said-- "It has just occurred to me that the present is an excellent opportunity for us to test our wireless telephones by calling up our friends on the beach." And, entering the pilot-house, he went up to the instrument that was there fixed, and, opening it, laid his finger on one of two small knobs that it contained. The little bell that formed part of the instrument at once started ringing--as did a similar bell in every room of the ship--and so continued for about half a minute, when it ceased for about two seconds, and then went on again. "Good!" remarked the professor, removing his finger from the button, and so stopping the ringing of the bell, as he drew out a small tube and inserted it's end in one ear; "some one among our friends hears us." Then he advanced his mouth to the mouthpiece, and spoke into it-- "Hillo! who are you?" "I am Elphinstone," came the instant and clear reply. "Is that the _Flying Fish_?" "Yes," answered von Schalckenberg. "We are now at the village, and we thought it an excellent opportunity to test the telephones. They appear to answer perfectly; for I can hear you as distinctly as though you were at my elbow. Can you hear me fairly well?"