never forget the sight of that doomed vessel dashing against the
rocks. I fancy I can now see the whole hideous panorama before my eyes
again, just as we saw it when the mist cleared away, disclosing all the
horrors of the scene!"

"I shan't forget it either, brother," said Eric, as he commenced to
wheel back Fritz homeward, neither uttering another word on the way.

Both went to bed sadly enough; for, the calamity that had just occurred
before their eyes made them more depressed than they had ever been
before--aye, even in the solitude of their first night alone on the
island.

Next morning, the gale had blown itself out, the wind having toned down
to a gentle breeze; while the sea was smiling in the sunshine, so
innocently that it seemed impossible it could have been lashed into the
fury it exhibited the previous night. There it was, rippling and
prattling away on the beach in the most light-hearted fashion,
oblivious, apparently, of all thought of evil!

All trace of the wreck, too, had disappeared, nothing being subsequently
cast ashore but one single plank, on which the hieroglyphic letters, "PF
Bordeaux," were carved rudely with a chisel; so, the mystery of the
brig's name and destination remained unsolved to the brothers, as it
probably will continue a mystery, until that day when the ocean gives up
its secrets and yields up its dead to life!

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

"NEWS FROM HOME."

For some time after the wreck, the brothers seemed to experience a
strange dreariness about the place which they never felt before.

They were now shut in entirely, being confined, as it were, to the
little valley of the waterfall through the destruction of the tussock-
grass ladder, which previously had opened the tableland on top of the
crags to them, giving greater liberty of action; although the ascent had
not been by any means an easy matter for Fritz.

Now, however, restricted to their scanty domain, bounded by the bare
cliff at the back and encompassed by lofty headlands on either side,
they were prevented from wandering beyond the limits of the bay, save by
taking to their boat; and this, the strong winds which set in at the
latter end of March rendered utterly impossible of achievement.

Consequently, they began to realise more fully their solitary condition,
recognising the fact that they were crusoes indeed!

No event of any importance happened after the episode of the bonfire and
the storm in which the