e the whistling of the wind heard a great crash.

"It's a tree being blown down!" cried Phil. "Come on, let us get between
the rocks, before something hits us on the head!"

Much alarmed, both boys leaped for the shelter of the rocks, and in the
darkness felt their way until they reached a split that was seven or
eight feet deep and a foot wide at the bottom and twice that at the top.

"I guess this is as good a place as any, Phil," remarked Dave, when he
had regained his breath sufficiently to speak.

"It won't be much protection if it rains hard," grumbled the shipowner's
son.

"Well, I don't see that we can do better."

"Neither do I."

Further conversation was cut off by the wind and the rain. The former
shrieked and whistled through the woods, sending down branch after
branch with tremendous crashes that awed the boys completely. The rain
was light, but the drops were large and hit them with stinging force.

For fully half an hour the blow continued, and then it appeared to let
up and the rain stopped entirely.

"Shall we go on?" questioned Phil, standing up and trying to pierce the
darkness around them.

"Better hold up a while, Phil," answered Dave. "This is as safe a spot
as any, with the wind blowing down the trees all around us."

They waited, and it was well that they did so, for presently the wind
started to whistle once more, growing louder and louder. A small tree
branch came down on them, and then came a crash that made them both
jump.

"It's coming this way!" yelled Phil. "The tree behind the rocks!"

"Get down!" cried Dave, and threw himself flat.

Both boys crouched as low as possible. They heard the tree bend and
crack. Then came a tremendous crash, and they felt one of the rocks
moving.

"Maybe we'll be crushed to a jelly!" groaned the shipowner's son.

There was no time to say more, for an instant later the tree came down,
directly over the top of the opening. Several small branches thrust
themselves down upon the lads, pinning them to the bottom of the
crevice. The rocks trembled, and for the moment the boys were afraid
they would be crushed to death, as Phil had intimated.

"Safe, Phil?" asked Dave, as the rocking of the stones and the big tree
ceased and the wind seemed to die down once more.

"I--I guess so! A tree limb is on my back, though."

"I've got one across my legs."

With caution both boys crawled from beneath the branches and out of the
split in the rocks. They