e them to go in search of shelter, if shelter
was to be found; so they stretched the boat's sail out from her side,
and formed a low tent, beneath which they lay down to shelter themselves
from the storm till the return of daylight.

CHAPTER FIVE.

ON THE DESERT ISLAND.

The storm raged furiously all night, the thunder roared, the lightning,
darting forth from the dark sky, flashed ever and anon, in a zigzag
course, from side to side of the cliffs around the bay, and the howling
wind threatened frequently to tear off the sail and carry it away.
Still the weary seamen slept, although Harry and young Bass did not for
a long time close their eyes.

"I feel, Harry, that old Tom is right; and next time he speaks to me I
will listen to him," said the latter. "He was as cool and collected
from the beginning of the storm as if there had been no danger. If it
had not been for him, I do not think we should have been where we are."

Harry agreed with his companion, and urged him not to forget his good
resolutions should they ever again get on board the ship. What had
become of her they could not tell, and they felt very anxious about her
fate. She might have been cast on some of the numerous reefs which lay
thereabouts, or have been driven far away from the island.

"At all events, the captain will probably suppose that the boat is lost,
and not think it worth while to come and look for us," observed Dickey.

"I am very sure my father won't give us up, if he thinks there is a
chance of finding us," answered Harry.

"But what if the ship is lost?" said Dickey, thoughtlessly.

"Oh! do not talk of anything so dreadful!" exclaimed Harry; "I could not
bear to think that we are not again to see my father and Mr Champion
and the rest. My father is a good seaman, and our ship is stout enough
to weather out the worst gale that ever raged."

"I hope so," said Dickey, in a mournful voice; "but it blows a regular
hurricane; and, oh! what a fearful crash of thunder that last was! See,
see! The lightning seems to stir up the very water of the harbour; and
oh! there is another peal! I cannot help feeling as if the sky itself
was coming down upon us."

The last peal was succeeded by a loud rending and crashing sound, as if
a number of trees had been torn up by their roots or the stout branches
wrenched off from the stems.

"Lie down, boys, and try and get some sleep." It was old Tom who spoke.
They were not aware that h