d become
of the ship they could not tell, as she had completely disappeared in
the watery veil which intervened between her and the land. They could
only hope that the boat had got alongside, and that her crew had been
taken on board. Dick had built his hut so strongly that it withstood
the furious blast raging round, which shook it every now and then,
threatening to tear it up from the foundation, while the roof creaked
and clattered as if about to be carried off. The night was a more
fearful one than any they had passed since that of their shipwreck; but
how different were their feelings! The two inhabitants were then at
deadly enmity; now they were bound together by the nearest ties of
friendship, and each was anxious to serve the other. The thunder
roared, the lightning flashed, and the rain continued to come down in
liquid sheets.

"We have reason to be thankful for this," said Lord Reginald, "for had
not the rain come on, the whole island might possibly, by this time,
have been covered with flame, and we should not have had a spot on which
to rest our feet with safety."

Their chief anxiety was about their boat. Though the ocean might not
reach her, she might be blown away, or the tree to which she was secured
might be torn up by its roots, and crush her; if so, should another
eruption of the volcano occur, their condition would be truly dreadful.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

CONTINUATION OF THE GALE--A SHIPWRECK--TO THE RESCUE--DICK SAVES LORD
REGINALD'S LIFE--NEARLY DROWNED--IN THE CAVE--INCREASED NUMBERS--CAUSE
FOR ALARM--THE RETURN TO THE HUT--THINGS THROWN ON SHORE--PREPARATIONS
FOR QUITTING THE ISLAND--INCREASED STORES NECESSARY--COMMOTION OF THE
ISLAND--A HASTY EMBARKATION--VOYAGE OF THE JANET--THE PIRATE FLEET--A
CHASE--ALONGSIDE THE WOLF--GOING ON BOARD--DICK MADE AN OFFICER--MR
BITTS GIVES GOOD ADVICE--THE RETURN TO ENGLAND--AN UNLOOKED-FOR MEETING
AT ELVERSTON HALL--HOME--BEN RUDALL'S WIFE--CONCLUSION.

The gale raged through the livelong night. The roaring of the breakers
on the shore, the howling of the wind amidst the rocks and trees, kept
the two Crusoes awake for many hours. They heartily hoped that the wind
might not change and drive the ship they had seen in the evening on the
island, to share the fate of the _Marie_.

Sleep at last overtook them. They were awakened at length by a
tremendous crash. They both leapt out of bed, and hurried on their
clothes. The hut, shaken violently by