ds you
can. Two or three of you men do what you can from the shore with the
fishing-lines. To-morrow morning we will start calmly and trustingly to
the river once again. Be of good heart, Morny, my lad, for the end of
our awful struggle must be coming near, and every one of us must do all
he can to help his brother for the one great end."

A cheer rose at the doctor's words, and the change in the whole party
was wonderful.

All worked with such energy that long before darkness set in the tent
was rigged up for the night, a good meal had been prepared, and almost
as full of hope as on the night when they had last encamped there for
their rest, a couple of hours were pleasantly passed before the fire was
once more made up and the watch set. Very soon afterwards all were
plunged in a deep and restful sleep, one from which Rodd and Morny were
startled by a terrific clap of thunder. Then the interior of their tent
was lit up by a vivid blue flash of lightning, by which they saw the
watch--Joe Cross and one of the sailors leaning over them, the former
saying--

"There's going to be an awful--"

"Storm," he would have said, but his words were drowned by another crash
which came instantly upon a sheet of lightning, and pretty well stunned
them with its roar.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

STORM WATERS.

In the intervals between the almost incessant peals of thunder Joe Cross
informed the lads that the storm had been coming on for the last three
hours, faint and distant at first, the merest mutterings, and gradually
increasing till it was the terrific tempest now raging.

"They must have had it horrid, sir, somewhere, only I don't suppose
there's no people. What we had before was nothing to it."

"There," cried the doctor, "something must be done to the boat in the
way of making it thoroughly secure."

"Can't be no securer, sir. We've got her moored head and stern to a
tree, and two grapnels down as well."

"Capital," cried the doctor. "Well thought of! But we must have the
sail and some of the canvas that we have got here spread over the boat
to keep the water out."

"That's done, sir, as far as the stuff would go, and now I want what we
have got up here, before the rain comes."

"Down with it at once," said the doctor; and in an incredibly short
space of time the tent was struck, what they had ashore was transferred
to the boat, and she was covered in as much as was possible.

And none too soon, for the