so wild a sea. Side by side with
Gerald, Ned made for the spot, and at last swam to the edge of the
surf. Then a great wave came rolling in, and the boys, dizzy and
confused, half smothered and choking, were hurled with tremendous
force, through the great rocks, into comparatively calm water
beyond. Ned now seized Gerald's hair, for his friend was nearly
gone; and, turning aside from the direct line of the entrance,
found himself speedily in calm water, behind the line of rocks. A
few minutes' further struggle and the two boys lay on the beach,
well-nigh insensible after their great exertions.

After a while they recovered their strength and, with staggering
feet, made their way further inland.

"I owe you my life, Ned," Gerald said. "I never could have
struggled ashore; nor, indeed, kept myself up for half that time,
had it not been for your aid."

"I am glad to have been able to help you," Ned said simply. "We may
thank heaven that the storm had abated a little, in its force,
before the vessel struck; for had it been blowing as it was
yesterday, we could not have swum five minutes. It was just the
lowering of the wind that enabled us to swim without being drowned
by the spray. It was bad enough, as it was, on the top of the
waves; but, yesterday, it would have been impossible."

One of the first thoughts of the boys, upon fairly recovering
themselves, was to kneel down and thank God for having preserved
their lives; and then, having rested for upwards of an hour, to
recover themselves, they made their way inland.

"Our dangers are by no means over, Gerald," Ned said. "If this
island is, as I believe, a thickly cultivated one, and in the hands
of the Spaniards, it will go hard with us, if they find us, after
all the damage to their commerce which we have been inflicting, for
the last year."

Upon getting to some rising ground, they saw, to their surprise, a
large town lying on a bay in front of them. Instinctively they
paused at the sight, and both sat down, so as to be out of view of
any casual lookers on.

"What are we to do, Ned?" Gerald said. "If we stay here, we shall
be starved. If we go into the town, we shall have our throats cut.
Which think you is the best?"

"I do not like either alternative," Ned said. "See, inland there
are many high mountains, and even close to the town there appear to
be thickets and woods. There are houses, here and there, and no
doubt plantations. It seems to me that if we