membered that we had no means of kindling
a fire to cook them, nor could we tell whether they were poisonous or
not. The hunt had given us occupation, and prevented us for a time from
dwelling on our misfortunes.

We then tried every device we could think of to kindle a fire, for we
wished to dry our clothes, if we could not cook our roots. None of our
attempts succeeded, and Malcolm suggested that we should run round and
round our island to try and warm ourselves before night came on. At
last I felt very sleepy, and so did Malcolm, but he said that he would
let me sleep first while he watched, lest the waters should rise and
carry us away before we had time to climb up a tree.

I lay down and was asleep in a minute, and when I awoke the stars were
shining out brightly through the branches of the trees, the young grass
blades reflecting them on their shining surfaces, while I saw my good
brother still walking up and down keeping guard over me. The noise of
the rushing waters sounded in my ears and made me desire to go to sleep
again, but I aroused myself, ashamed that I had slept so long, and urged
my brother to lie down.

"No, Harry," he answered, "I wished you to get as much rest as possible;
but look there, we shall soon be obliged to climb a tree for refuge."

Walking a few paces, I found that the water had greatly encroached on
our island; a southerly wind had begun to blow, which sent large waves
rolling in on us.

"Should the wind increase, they will completely sweep over where we
stand," I exclaimed. "Oh, Malcolm, what shall we do?"

"Trust in God," he replied calmly. "From how many dangers has He not
already preserved us. But remember, our father has often told us that
it is our business while praying to God for help, to exert ourselves,
and so let us at once try and find a tree we can climb quickly in case
of necessity, and whose boughs will afford us a resting-place."

I loved Malcolm dearly. I admired him now more than ever, and was ready
to do whatever he wished. We soon found a tree up which we could help
each other. The wind howled and whistled through the trees, the waves
lashed the shore furiously, and Malcolm had just time to shove me up the
tree, when one larger than the rest swept completely over the ground on
which we had been standing, with a force sufficient to have carried us
off with it. We had seated ourselves among the branches, which waved to
and fro in the wind, and as we l