But Uncle Ned contentedly pointed to a part of the horizon, where a

greenish, filmy iridescence could be discerned floating like smoke on

the pale heavens.

Davis applied his glass to it, and then looked at the Kanaka. 'Call that

land?' said he. 'Well, it's more than I do.'

'One time long ago,' said Uncle Ned, 'I see Anaa all-e-same that, four

five hours befo' we come up. Capena he say sun go down, sun go up again;

he say lagoon all-e-same milla.'

All-e-same WHAT?' asked Davis.

Milla, sah,' said Uncle Ned.

Oh, ah! mirror,' said Davis. 'I see; reflection from the lagoon. Well,

you know, it is just possible, though it's strange I never heard of it.

Here, let's look at the chart.'

They went back to the cabin, and found the position of the schooner well

to windward of the archipelago in the midst of a white field of paper.

'There! you see for yourselves,' said Davis.

'And yet I don't know,' said Herrick, 'I somehow think there's something

in it. I'll tell you one thing too, captain; that's all right about the

reflection; I heard it in Papeete.'

The Ebb-Tide