rhaps the
weather will moderate; and if it grows worse, we must run under the lee
of that burning mountain; we can only hope that it will remain quiet for
a few hours."

The weather did not moderate, and when the men had been pulling hard for
a couple of hours without gaining ground, the boats' heads were put
round, and with reefed sails they steered towards the eastern side of
the mountain, Green intending to haul round it, so as to be able to
anchor during the night under its lee. Night rapidly came down over the
stormy ocean; the wind increased, and the seas came roaring up astern,
threatening every instant to swamp them. Green led, Tom following in
his wake.

"I wish we hadn't been sent after that abominable slaver!" exclaimed
Billy, who was feeling more uncomfortable than he had ever before been
in his life. "I wonder whether the ship will come to look after us?"

"Not likely," answered Tom; "as well hunt for a needle in a bundle of
hay; she wouldn't know where to find us if she did. My brother trusts
Green, who always knows what he's about, and he will not be unhappy on
our account. We shall soon be under the lee of the island, and then we
shall be snug enough; though, for my part, I would rather have been
comfortably stowed away in my hammock."

"You take things very coolly, Rogers!" cried Billy. "Oh, look at that
big sea! it will tumble aboard us in a moment."

"If it does, you must stand by to bale it out," answered Tom; "hold on
though, in case it should wash you overboard."

Tom, who was grasping the helm with a firm hand, received the sea on the
quarter; a portion of the crest broke over the boat; she, however, went
gliding forward, while the sea roared on till it caught Green's boat,
which appeared for a moment to be overwhelmed, but was seen directly
afterwards rising on the summit of another wave; while Billy and the
rest of Tom's crew baled away with might and main, knowing the
importance of freeing their boat before another sea broke into her.
Thus on they rushed amid the dark, foam-crested waves; several times
they were treated in the same manner, but as quickly as the water
entered it was hove out again. The darkness increased, and the dim
outline of the mountain alone could be seen, its lofty summit towering
to the clouds. Green was unwilling to keep farther off the island than
was necessary; but, at the same time, he thought it possible that a reef
might extend some distance from it,