ound on every part of the sky. While I was looking, wondering what
next would happen, it as rapidly vanished, and not the faintest trace of
the fire remained. I immediately surmised what had happened--the deck
had been blown up, and the hull had sunk beneath the waves.

The gale now grew rapidly more and more furious, and the wind veered
about till it blew directly on the shore. I went back once more to the
fire.

"I am afraid, Tom, that Mr Henley and the rest are in great danger,"
said I, as I sat down on a stone, and employed myself in throwing the
sticks we had collected to feed the flames, and told him what I had
seen. "I do not think that they could have reached the burning ship
before the gale came; and as for those who might have escaped from her,
I fear that there is not a chance of their escaping."

"I'm afraid not, sir, if they have only themselves to trust to,"
answered Tom, quietly looking up in my face. "But you know, sir, God
can do everything."

"He can--he can," I answered warmly. "We will pray to him, Tom, and
perhaps he may think fit to preserve our friends."

"Yes, sir; but we should pray for our enemies too," said Tom.

"You are right again, boy," I answered. "We will pray for them also."

And we two knelt down on the rock looking towards the wild, troubled
sea, and offered up our humble though fervent prayers to the throne of
Heaven, that He who could calm the waters of Gennesaret would preserve
both our friends and those who had ill-treated us from the destruction
which seemed to us inevitably to await them. I could not have prayed in
the same way at home; and I little thought that the poor little
insignificant ship-boy by my side could have prayed in the way he did.
I firmly believe that earnest prayers are answered, though often in the
world we do not discover how or when they are so. Still, we may depend
on it, all that is right is done in God's own good time.

CHAPTER NINE.

THE GALE INCREASES--FEARS FOR MR. HENLEY'S SAFETY--A BOAT IN SIGHT--
SOLON AIDS IN RESCUING THE DROWNING MEN--THE DOCTOR SAVED--HIS ILLNESS--
A SAIL IN SIGHT--VISIT OF A SLAVER--DESERTED BY OUR COMPANIONS--DEATH OF
THE DOCTOR--TOM AND SOLON ON THE ISLAND--OUR COMFORT AND CONSOLATION.

The morning came at last, wild and tempestuous as had been the night.
As soon as the beacon-fire no longer required our attention, Tom and I,
accompanied by Solon, set off to the peak to take a look round, that we
might