k."

They needed no telling, for the awful roar of the earthquake wave
announced its coming, and with it as they remained fixed and helpless
upon the rock they could see the prau, after being sucked out, as it
were, for nearly a quarter of a mile, being carried back at terrific
speed. There was a fascination in the scene of the others' peril that
took away from their own, though, had they paused to think, it must have
been to realise that the cutter would be lifted up by the coming wave
and dashed upon the black perpendicular rocks at the head of the bay.

But for the moment no one thought, for every faculty appeared to be
concentrated upon the fate of that long low prau crowded with men, and
now glistening in the volcanic light, as it seemed to be riding rapidly
among so much golden foam. The roar of the wave was terrific as the
waters surged, and for the moment it seemed to them that the prau would
be hurled right upon the rocks where the cutter lay careened over, but
with her bows to the coming wave that glistened luridly like a long wall
of ruddy water crowned with foam.

"Hold fast by the bulwark, boy," whispered the captain as he passed his
arm round Mark. "Cling all tightly for your lives."

Suddenly a low hoarse cry was uttered by all on board, for as the prau
was borne toward them it must have caught upon the summit of some rock
hidden by the wave, and that check was sufficient. As that cry arose
the prau turned right over and disappeared completely from view, while
at that moment there was another of the tremendous explosions from the
mountain, succeeded by instantaneous darkness. The cutter was lifted up
as the wave struck her, and then after a bound and a quiver she seemed
to plunge down--down as if into hideous depths; while half suffocated by
the broken water, drenched, shivering, and feeling as if his arms had
been wrenched from their sockets, Mark Strong still clung to the
bulwark, thinking of those below, and asking himself in his blank horror
whether this was the end.

He was conscious of a crash as of the vast wave striking the curved wall
of rocks at the head of the bay; of the noise of many waters; of the
cutter plunging and whirling round and then seeming to ride easily in
the midst of subsiding waves; and then of hearing a low hoarse sigh
close to his ear.

"Father," he cried, "are you there?"

"Yes, my boy," came out of the darkness close at hand. "Thank God we
are so far safe!"