on,
longing to get down below, but fascinated by the awful din. Below them
the darkness seemed profound; only now and then they saw a gleam, as if
one of the waves--which broke with a roar like thunder on the rock, and
sent a fine cloud of spray floating about their faces--contained some
kind of light living creatures, or it was only a reflection on the
smooth curve, before it broke, of the stars overhead. For there all was
clear enough, save that the stars looked blurred, though bright, and
were quivering and vibrating beyond the rushing wind.

"Oh!" ejaculated Syd. "Hear that?"

"Hear it!" was the reply; "I could feel it. Shan't have the whole rock
swept away, shall we?"

There was a lull in the wind just then, but the two lads had clung
there, completely awe-stricken, as a huge hill of water had heaved up,
and fallen on the outer buttresses of the rock, which quivered under the
shock. Then there was a roar of many waters, a wild rushing and booming
sound, and the wind blew harder.

They looked out into the awful blackness, which seemed transparent,
glanced up at the quivering stars, once more paused to listen again to
the tremendous impact of the waves that came regularly rolling in, and
then, taking advantage of a lull, they descended to where the gun had
been mounted.

The change was wonderful. They had not descended fifty feet, but it was
into complete shelter. The wind was rushing over their heads, and the
waves were thundering in far below, but the noise sounded dull and
distant, and they sat down, breathing freely, and rubbing their
spray-wet faces.

"No," said Syd, quietly; "no fear."

"What of?"

"The rock being swept away; it would have gone before now."

"Well, I'm beginning to think we're safer here than on board," said
Roylance.

"Don't say that," cried Syd, excitedly. "You don't think there's any
danger to the frigate, do you?"

"No," said Roylance, sharply. "Come on down now, and let's get
something to eat."

They walked steadily back towards where the fire was glowing and burning
briskly in the sheltered depth of the chasm, casting curious lights and
reflections on the rocks to right and left, and showing plainly the
figure of the man on the watch beside the farther gun, and the spars
rigged up at his side.

"Looks as if he were going to be hung," said Roylance, quietly.

"Yes, the spars have an ugly look with that rope hanging down. I almost
wish I had put a man up by th