done to Dick Rover?" questioned Dora. "He ought to be
here long before this."

"Oh, I guess the storm is holding him back," said Baxter, shifting
uneasily as she gazed earnestly into his eyes.

"If anything has happened to Dick, I shall hold you responsible,"
said Dora.

At that moment the fury of the storm cut off further talking. A sudden
rush of wind had come up, whistling through the jungle and bringing
down a palm close to the house with a crash. The fall of the tree
made Baxter jump in alarm.

"The house is coming down!" he cried, and ran outside.

The wind made the waves in the bay rise higher and higher until they
lashed furiously in all directions. Then came another downpour of
rain, which caused the bully to seek shelter again.

"Hark!" said Nellie suddenly, and raised her hand for silence.

"What did you hear?" asked Grace.

"Somebody calling. Listen!"

All were silent once more, and just then the wind fell a little.

"I don't hear anything," said Dora.

But then followed a distant voice--two voices calling desperately:

"Help! help! Our boat is sinking! Help!"

CHAPTER XXIII

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE BAY

To go back to Tom, Sam, and Captain Blossom at the time that they
placed the two dead goats in their rowboat and prepared to return to
the camp.

It was already raining by the time the shore of the bay was reached,
and scarcely had they begun to row when the water came pouring down
in torrents.

"Gracious! I must say I don't like this!" cried Tom. "The rain is
running down my neck in a stream."

"I move we row into shore over yonder," said Sam, pointing up the
coast. "There are some trees which will shelter both us and the boat
nicely."

Captain Blossom was willing, and in a few minutes they were under
the trees and wringing out their clothes as best they could.

"If I know anything about it, this storm is going to last for some
time," said the captain, after a long look at the sky.

"Such a downfall as this can't last," said Sam. "Perhaps we can get
home between showers."

It was dry under the trees for about half an hour, but then the water
began to reach them once more, and they had to shift their position
again.

This kept up for some time, until all were wet through and thoroughly
uncomfortable, when Tom proposed that they start for home regardless
of the storm.

"We can't get any wetter than we are," he declared. "And the sooner
we reach the house the sooner we'll