ver-increasing roar. The captain stood at the wheel himself, guiding
the brig and glancing back from time to time uneasily.

Suddenly the volcano gave vent to its fourth and final explosion. It was
not so violent as its predecessors had been, though more so than any
that had occurred on the day before, and the light of it showed them the
full terrors of their situation, for it revealed the mountains of
Java--apparently quite close in front, though in reality at a
considerable distance--with a line of breakers beating white on the
shore. But astern of them was the most appalling sight, for there,
rushing on with awful speed and a sort of hissing roar, came the
monstrous wave, emerging, as it were, out of thick darkness, like a
mighty wall of water with a foaming white crest, not much
less--according to an average of the most reliable estimates--than 100
feet high.

Well might the seamen blanch, for never before in all their varied
experience had they seen the like of that.

On it came with the unwavering force of Fate. To the eye of Captain Roy
it appeared that up its huge towering side no vessel made by mortal man
could climb. But the captain had too often stared death in the face to
be unmanned by the prospect now. Steadily he steered the vessel straight
on, and in a quiet voice said--

"Lay hold of something firm--every man!"

The warning was well timed. In the amazement, if not fear, caused by the
unwonted sight, some had neglected the needful precaution.

As the billow came on, the bubbling, leaping, and seething of its crest
was apparent both to eye and ear. Then the roar became tremendous.

"Darling Winnie," said Nigel at that moment. "I will die for you or with
you!"

The poor girl heard, but no sign of appreciation moved her pale face as
she gazed up at the approaching chaos of waters.

Next moment the brig seemed to stand on its bows. Van der Kemp had
placed his daughter against the mast, and, throwing his long arms round
both, held on. Nigel, close to them, had grasped a handful of ropes, and
every one else was holding on for life. Another moment and the brig rose
as if it were being tossed up to the heavens. Immediately thereafter it
resumed its natural position in a perfect wilderness of foam. They were
on the summit of the great wave, which was so large that its crest
seemed like a broad, rounded mass of tumbling snow with blackness before
and behind, while the roar of the tumult was deafening. Th