"

The storm kept increasing in violence, and before the strange meal was
disposed of the thunder and lightning were almost incessant. Ben had
brought a candle along--knowing the darkness inside of the wreck--and
this was all the light they possessed, outside of what Nature afforded.

Ben was just putting the dishes back into the basket when there came an
extra heavy flash of lightning, followed immediately by a rending clap
of thunder which almost paralyzed Marion and Jack. There was a strange
smell in the air, and both found their blood tingling in a manner that
was new to them.

"The wreck--it's been struck by lightning!" gasped Jack, when he could
speak.

"Dat's a fac'!" came from Old Ben. "It was jess like de crack ob doom,
wasn't it?"

He ran on deck, and Jack followed him, with Marion on the bottom of the
companion way, not knowing whether to go up or remain below.

The bolt had struck the wreck near the stern, ripping off a large part
of the woodwork, and had passed along to one side. Just below the deck
line a lively fire was starting up.

"De wrack am gwine to be burnt up at las'!" ejaculated Old Ben. "We has
got to git out, Massah Jack!"

"Come, Marion!" called back the boy. "It's too bad we've got to go out
in the rain, but I reckon we can be thankful that our lives have been
spared."

"Yes, we can be thankful," answered the girl. "Oh, what a dreadful crack
that was! I do not believe I shall ever forget it."

She came on deck all in a tremble, and with the others hurried to the
bow of the wreck. It was much easier to climb down than to climb up, and
soon all three stood upon the rocks below, where the driving rain pelted
them mercilessly.

"I t'ink I can find yo' a bettah place dan dis to stay," said Old Ben.
"Come down to de shoah," and he led the way to where he had left his
boat. With Jack's assistance the craft was hauled out of the water and
turned upside down between two large rocks, and then the three crawled
under the temporary shelter.

Thus the night passed, and by morning the storm cleared away. Looking
toward the wreck they saw that only a small portion of the upper deck
had been burned away, the rain having put the fire out before it gained
great headway.

It did not take Old Ben and Jack long to launch the former's craft
again, and this done, they all entered and the fisherman started to row
them to the mainland. Jack's boat was taken in tow.

"That was certainly quite an adv