ils, and scudded rapidly before it.

There was still a considerable portion of the traverse to cross, and the
guide cast an anxious glance over his shoulder occasionally, as the dark
waves began to rise, and their crests were cut into white foam by the
increasing gale. Thunder roared in continued, successive peals, as if
the heavens were breaking up, while rain descended in sheets. For a
time the crews continued to ply their oars; but as the wind increased,
these were rendered superfluous. They were taken in, therefore, and the
men sought partial shelter under the tarpaulin; while Mr Park and the
two boys were covered, excepting their heads, by an oilcloth, which was
always kept at hand in rainy weather.

"What think you now, Louis?" said Mr Park, resuming the pipe which the
sudden outburst of the storm had caused him to forget. "Have we seen
the worst of it?"

Louis replied abruptly in the negative, and in a few seconds shouted
loudly, "Look out, lads! here comes a squall. Stand by to let go the
sheet there!"

Mike Brady, happening to be near the sheet, seized hold of the rope, and
prepared to let go; while the men rose, as if by instinct, and gazed
anxiously at the approaching squall, which could be seen in the distance
extending along the horizon, like a bar of blackest ink, spotted with
flakes of white. The guide sat with compressed lips, and motionless as
a statue, guiding the boat as it bounded madly towards the land, which
was now not more than half a mile distant.

"Let go!" shouted the guide, in a voice that was heard loud and clear
above the roar of the elements.

"Ay, ay," replied the Irishman, untwisting the rope instantly, as with a
sharp hiss the squall descended on the boat.

At that moment the rope became entangled round one of the oars, and the
gale burst with all its fury on the distended sail, burying the prow in
the waves, which rushed inboard in a black volume, and in an instant
half filled the boat.

"Let go!" roared the guide again, in a voice of thunder; while Mike
struggled with awkward energy to disentangle the rope.

As he spoke, an Indian, who during the storm had been sitting beside the
mast, gazing at the boiling water with a grave, contemplative aspect,
sprang quickly forward, drew his knife, and with two blows (so rapidly
delivered that they seemed but one) cut asunder first the sheet and then
the halyards, which let the sail blow out and fall flat upon the boat.
He was j