ng.

The storm was not over, by any means, when the ship went down. Blinding
bolts of lightning shot from cloud to cloud and the clamor of deep
thunderclaps echoed far over the sea. The waves tossed the little raft
here and there as a child tosses a rubber ball and Betsy had a solemn
feeling that for hundreds of watery miles in every direction there was
no living thing besides herself and the small donkey.

Perhaps Hank had the same thought, for he gently rubbed his nose
against the frightened girl and said "Hee-haw!" in his softest voice,
as if to comfort her.

"You'll protect me, Hank dear, won't you?" she cried helplessly, and
the mule said "Hee-haw!" again, in tones that meant a promise.

On board the ship, during the days that preceded the wreck, when the
sea was calm, Betsy and Hank had become good friends; so, while the
girl might have preferred a more powerful protector in this dreadful
emergency, she felt that the mule would do all in a mule's power to
guard her safety.

All night they floated, and when the storm had worn itself out and
passed away with a few distant growls, and the waves had grown smaller
and easier to ride, Betsy stretched herself out on the wet raft and
fell asleep.

Hank did not sleep a wink. Perhaps he felt it his duty to guard Betsy.
Anyhow, he crouched on the raft beside the tired sleeping girl and
watched patiently until the first light of dawn swept over the sea.

The light wakened Betsy Bobbin. She sat up, rubbed her eyes and stared
across the water.

"Oh, Hank; there's land ahead!" she exclaimed.

"Hee-haw!" answered Hank in his plaintive voice.

The raft was floating swiftly toward a very beautiful country and as
they drew near Betsy could see banks of lovely flowers showing brightly
between leafy trees. But no people were to be seen at all.

Chapter Five

The Roses Repulse the Refugees

Gently the raft grated on the sandy beach. Then Betsy easily waded
ashore, the mule following closely behind her. The sun was now shining
and the air was warm and laden with the fragrance of roses.

"I'd like some breakfast, Hank," remarked the girl, feeling more
cheerful now that she was on dry land; "but we can't eat the flowers,
although they do smell mighty good."

"Hee-haw!" replied Hank and trotted up a little pathway to the top of
the bank.

Betsy followed and from the eminence looked around her. A little way
off stood a splendid big greenhouse, its thousands of c