id."

"It's a fact," added Rokens. "Moreover, we tried to git round to the
hut, but as we wos twice nearly blowed away w'en we tried for to double
the point, we 'greed to stay where we wos till the back o' the gale
should be broke. But, now, let's hear wot's happened."

"The hut's gone," said Gurney, in reply. "Blowed clean over our heads
to--I dun know where."

"Blowed away?" cried Rokens and Briant, in consternation.

"Not a stick left," replied the captain.

"An' the boat?" inquired Briant.

"It's gone too, I fancy; but we can't be sure."

"Then it's all up, boys," observed Briant; "for nearly every morsel o'
the prog that wos on the top o' the bank is washed away."

This piece of news fell like a thunderbolt on the men, and no one spoke
for some minutes. At last the captain said--

"Well, lads, we must do the best we can. Thank God, we are still alive;
so let us see whether we can't make our present quarters more
comfortable."

Setting his men the example, Captain Dunning began to collect the few
boards, and bits of canvas that chanced to have been left on that side
of the rocky ledge when the hut was removed to the other side, and with
these materials a very partial and insufficient shelter was put up. But
the space thus inclosed was so small that they were all obliged to
huddle together in a mass. Those farthest from the rock were not
altogether protected from the spray that flew over their heads, while
those nearest to it were crushed and incommoded by their companions.

Thus they passed that eventful night and all the following day, during
which the storm raged with such fury that no one dared venture out to
ascertain how much, if any, of their provisions and stores were left to
them.

During the second night, a perceptible decrease in the violence of the
gale took place, and before morning it ceased altogether. The sun rose
in unclouded splendour, sending its bright and warm beams up into the
clear blue sky and down upon the ocean, which glittered vividly as it
still swelled and trembled with agitation. All was serene and calm in
the sky, while below the only sound that broke upon the ear was the deep
and regular dash of the great breakers that fell upon the shores of the
islet, and encircled it with a fringe of purest white.

On issuing from their confined uneasy nest in the cleft of the rock,
part of the shipwrecked crew hastened anxiously to the top of the bank
to see how much of the