ch we stood. As its crest reared before us we felt that we were in
great danger, and turned to flee; but we were too late. With a crash
that seemed to shake the solid rock, the gigantic billow fell, and
instantly the spouting-holes sent up a gush of waterspouts with such
force that they shrieked on issuing from their narrow vents. It seemed
to us as if the earth had been blown up with water. We were stunned and
confused by the shock, and so drenched and blinded with spray that we
knew not for a few moments whither to flee for shelter. At length we
all three gained an eminence beyond the reach of the water. But what a
scene of devastation met our gaze as we looked along the shore! This
enormous wave not only burst over the reef, but continued its way across
the lagoon, and fell on the sandy beach of the island with such force
that it passed completely over it and dashed into the woods, levelling
the smaller trees and bushes in its headlong course.

On seeing this, Jack said he feared our bower must have been swept away,
and that the boat, which was on the beach, must have been utterly
destroyed. Our hearts sank within us as we thought of this, and we
hastened round through the woods towards our home. On reaching it we
found, to our great relief of mind, that the force of the wave had been
expended just before reaching the bower; but the entrance to it was
almost blocked up by the torn-up bushes and tangled heaps of seaweed.
Having satisfied ourselves as to the bower, we hurried to the spot where
the boat had been left; but no boat was there. The spot on which it had
stood was vacant, and no sign of it could we see on looking around us.

"It may have been washed up into the woods," said Jack, hurrying up the
beach as he spoke. Still no boat was to be seen, and we were about to
give ourselves over to despair when Peterkin called to Jack and said:

"Jack, my friend, you were once so exceedingly sagacious and wise as to
make me acquainted with the fact that cocoa-nuts grow upon trees. Will
you now be so good as to inform me what sort of fruit that is growing on
the top of yonder bush? for I confess to being ignorant, or at least
doubtful, on the point."

We looked towards the bush indicated, and there, to our surprise, beheld
our little boat snugly nestled among the leaves. We were very much
overjoyed at this, for we would have suffered any loss rather than the
loss of our boat. We found that the wave had act