and was a prey to a thousand strange fancies. The closed doors of the
cabin stood there before him, and he began to imagine that some
frightful spectacle was concealed within.

Perhaps he would find some traces of that tragedy of which he had heard.
Since the ship had come here, and he had been cast ashore to meet it,
there was nothing which he might not anticipate.

A strange horror came over him as he looked at the cabin. But he was not
the man to yield to idle fancies. Taking a long breath he walked across
the island, and then back again. By that time he had completely
recovered, and the only feeling now remaining was one of intense
curiosity.

This time he went up without hesitation, and climbed on board the
vessel. The sand was heaped up astern, the masts gone, and the hatchways
torn off, as has been said. The wind which had blown the sand away had
swept the decks as clean as though they had been holy-stoned. Not a rope
or a spar or any movable of any kind could be seen.

He walked aft. He tried the cabin door; it was wedged fast as though
part of the front. Finding it immovable he stepped back and kicked at it
vigorously. A few sturdy kicks started the panel. It gradually yielded
and sank in. Then the other panel followed. He could now look in and see
that the sand lay inside to the depth of a foot. As yet, however, he
could not enter. There was nothing else to do except to kick at it till
it was all knocked away, and this after some patient labor was
accomplished.

He entered. The cabin was about twelve feet square, lighted by dead-