ping boughs,
which partially broke its force ere it struck against the side of the
boat with a heavy slap and sent its crest over the covering and into the
unprotected parts.

There was something confusing as well as appalling in the storm, which
was gigantic as compared to anything Rob had seen at home, and as he
crouched there listening in the brief intervals of the thunder-claps,
the rain poured down on the tarpaulin roof with one continuous rush and
roar as heavily as if the boat had been backed in beneath some
waterfall.

All at once from out of the darkness a curious startling sound was
heard, which puzzled both lads for some minutes, till they suddenly
recollected that Shaddy had placed tin balers fore and aft, and any
doubt as to their being the cause of the peculiar noise was set at rest
by Shaddy, who suddenly thrust in his head at the end of a deafening
roar and shouted,--

"How are you getting on, gentlemen? Water got in there yet?"

"No, no," was shouted back, "not yet."

"That's right. We're pumping it out here as quick as we can. Comes in
fast enough to most sink us."

Shaddy then went on working away out in the pelting rain, and a minute
later they made out that his chief man was hard at work forward.

And still the rain came down, and the lightning kept on flashing through
the dark shelter; while, if there was any change at all in the thunder,
it was louder, clearer, and more rapid in following the electric
discharge.

"I say, Joe," whispered Rob at last, with his lips close to his
companion's ear, "how do you feel?"

"Don't know: so curious--as if tiny pins and needles were running
through me. What's that curious singing noise?"

"That's just what I want to know. I can feel it all through me, and my
ears are as if I had caught a bad cold. Like bells ringing; singing you
call it."

Just then Shaddy's voice was heard in an interval between two peals of
thunder shouting to his men in a tone of voice which indicated that
something was wrong, and Brazier thrust out his head from the opening at
one end of the awning to ask what was the matter.

"Matter, sir? Why, if we don't get all hands at the pumps the ship'll
sink."

"Is it so bad as that? We'll all come at once."

"Nay, nay. I've got a strong enough crew, only we must use buckets
instead of balers."

"But--"

"Go inside, sir, please, out of the wet, and see to your things being
kept dry. I was 'zaggerating, being a bit e