on uneasily.

"Oh, let it come!" growled Otto, who had been so frequently checked
while dropping into slumber that night that he was getting quite cross.

Not feeling quite so regardless of consequences, his brother Dominick
arose and endeavoured to prop the weak part of the structure with an
additional piece of timber.

He had accomplished his object, and was about to lie down again to rest,
when a terrible cry was heard, which rose above the roaring of the
storm. There seemed something so appalling in it, and at the same time
so unaccountable in that solitary spot, that Dominick's heart almost
stood still for a moment with superstitious fear. Otto also heard the
cry, and sat bolt upright, while drowsiness was effectually banished
from his brain.

"Dom, did you hear that?" he asked in a solemn voice. "I should think I
did," replied his brother in a low tone. The cave being very dark,
neither could see the other distinctly. They sat silent for a few
moments, anxiously listening for a repetition of the cry.

"Move quietly, Otto," said Dominick, as he crept towards their little
door, "it evidently has not awaked Pina, and we may as well let her lie
still till we find out what it is."

"You're not going out, Dom?" asked Otto, in anxiety.

"Yes, why not?"

"Be--because--it--it may be--be--something--_awful_!"

"It _must_ be something awful, and that is just why I am going out.
Come, you didn't use to be a coward."

This was touching the boy on a tender point. He was indeed by no means
a coward when the danger he had to face was comprehensible and obvious,
but when the danger happened to be incomprehensible, as well as
invisible, his courage was not quite as high as might have been desired.
The taunt of his brother stirred up his pride however. He rose and
followed him in silence, with stern resolve and a quaking heart!

On issuing from their shelter the brothers had to lean heavily against
the blast to prevent their being swept away. Seeking the shelter of a
bush, they gazed around them, but saw nothing save a dim appearance of
bending trees and scudding foam.

"The cry may have come from the beach; let's go down," said Dominick,
leaving the shelter of the bush, and pushing forward.

"Better go back," was on Otto's lips, but he repressed the words and
followed.

There was not light enough to enable them to see objects on land, but
whatever chanced to be pictured against the dark sky became distinctl