e wicks of the great lamps and, after assuring
himself that everything was in perfect order, he and the other boys
descended to the dining room. There they found everything in readiness
and made one of the hearty and satisfactory meals that the lighthouse
larder never failed to afford.

As they ate, they could feel the building shake to the furious blasts
that smote against it, and Mr. Lee shook his head gravely.

"It will be a wild night on the ocean, I'm thinking," he remarked, "and
we can thank our lucky stars that we're all in a snug shelter and well
out of harm's way. I feel sorry for those who have to be abroad on the
water to-night."

"So do I," echoed Fred. "Just listen to that wind roar, will you? It
seems as though a million demons were yelling at once."

"And the ocean's a good second," chimed in Teddy. "Wow!" he cried, as a
giant breaker thundered down on the reef, "that must have been the daddy
of them all, I guess. Let's go up to the lookout room as soon as we're
through and watch the storm."

The other boys were quite as eager as Teddy, and when they had finished
their meal they went up the stairs to what might be called the
observation room. This was situated just below the room in which the
lamps were placed, and had windows of thick glass facing the sea. A door
led out from it on to a balcony that ran completely around the
structure. This door also faced the ocean, and Teddy, always
enterprising, thought that he would like to go out on the balcony to
feel the force of the wind.

He attempted to push the door open, but without success. He tried again,
with the same result.

"Guess the old thing must be locked," he remarked, "but I don't see the
key anywhere. Have you got it with you, Lester?"

"No," replied Lester, who had been watching Teddy's ineffectual efforts
with a smile, "but that door isn't locked. The reason you couldn't open
it was because the wind was blowing so fiercely against it. I doubt if
the four of us put together could do it."

"It's no wonder that I had trouble then. But never mind. The wind can't
keep me from _looking_ out, anyway."

He shaded his eyes with his hands and peered through the thick plate
glass windows. The others followed his example, and saw a sight that
they never forgot.

The wind had piled the waves up higher and higher, until they looked
like an endless succession of undulating, constantly advancing hills and
valleys. From the ragged crests the spray