They raised their brother up and, not without difficulty, took him
to the companionway and down to the cabin. Here they placed him on
the couch and Sam got some water and bathed his wounded forehead.
They saw he was not dead but unconscious from the blow received.

"I must look to the engine,--I don't want the _Mermaid_ to blow up,"
said Tom, and rushed off,--to get back in less than three minutes.
By this time Dick was gasping and groaning, and soon he opened his eyes.

"Dick," said Sam, softly. "Don't worry, you are safe."

"Sam! Th--the mast came down on m--me!"

"We know it. We found you in a heap on the deck. I was afraid you
had been knocked overboard. It was that awful flash of lightning did
it, I think."

"Yes."

Dick could say little more just then and did not try. Sam and Tom
made him as comfortable as possible and found he had suffered only
from the fall of the topmast and not the lightning stroke itself.

"If Hans felt a little better he might look after Dick, but he is
still as sick as ever," said Tom. "He declares we are all going to
the bottom and he doesn't care if we do!"

"That's the way with folks who are real seasick," answered Sam. "They
feel so utterly miserable they don't care what happens."

Leaving Dick on the couch in the cabin, Sam returned to the wheelhouse
and Tom to the engine room. The steam yacht had been drifting and
the waves were dashing over a portion of her deck. As quickly as
possible Sam brought the craft around and now headed her up to the
storm, which made her ride better than ever.

For some reason neither Sam nor Tom thought of the disagreeableness
of the situation after that. Both were overjoyed to think that Dick
had escaped serious injury. The foretopmast lay on the forward deck
still, but as it was not in the way it was allowed to remain there
for the time being.

Thus the whole of the night wore away, and with the coming of morning
the storm gradually died down. But the waves still ran high and it
was noon ere the sun came out, to cheer them up.

"I am thankful that is over," said Sam, breathing a deep sigh of
relief. "I never want to go through such a night again."

"Nor I," answered Tom. "It takes all the fun out of a chap."

Dick got up, a handkerchief tied around his forehead. He still felt
a trifle weak but that was all.

"I will take the wheel," he said to Sam. "If you want to do something
you can get breakfast--and be sure and make plenty of hot co