ng with their hats, in lieu of any more suitable vessels.
But the water continued to gain on them, nevertheless, though slowly,
and they had approached within thirty yards of the beach, when she
struck a second time on a sunk rock, and began to fill rapidly. They
all simultaneously leaped out into four-foot water, and by their united
strength contrived to drag the boat on until her keel rested on the
sand. Lavie then seized the longest rope, and running up the low,
shelving shore, secured the end to a huge mass of drift-wood which lay
just above high-water mark. Fortunately the tide was now upon the turn,
so that in three-quarters of an hour or so she would be left high and
dry on the beach.

The first impulse of all four was to fall on their knees and return
thanks for their deliverance, even the thoughtless Nick being, for the
time, deeply impressed by his narrow escape from death. Then they
looked about them. The fog had now almost disappeared, and a long
monotonous line of sand hills presented itself in the foreground.
Behind this appeared a dreary stretch of sand, unenlivened by tree,
grass, or shrub, for two or three miles at least, when it terminated in
a range of hills, covered apparently with scrub. Immediately beyond the
narrow strip of beach lay a lagoon, extending inland for about a mile.
This was evidently connected with the sea at high-water; for a great
many fish had been left stranded in the mud, where they were obliged to
remain, until the return of the tide again set them at liberty.
Presently a low growl from Lion startled them, and they noticed an
animal creeping up round a neighbouring sand hill, which on nearer
approach they perceived to be a hyena. It was followed by several
others of the same kind, which forthwith began devouring the stranded
fish, while the latter flapped their tails in vain attempts to escape
from the approach of their enemy. Availing themselves of the hint thus
offered them, the boys, who had not yet breakfasted, pulled off their
shoes and stockings, and followed by Lion, waded into the mud. The
hyenas skulked off as they approached, and they soon possessed
themselves of several large eels and barbel Mr Lavie, whose appetite
also reminded him that he had eaten nothing that morning, gathered a
heap of dry weed and drift-wood, and drawing out his burning-glass, soon
set them ablaze. Frank undertook to clean and broil the fish, which was
soon afterwards served up, and p