aur
returned to their cottage. The roofs of the huts had been too securely
fastened down to be blown away, and all hands were soon beneath their
shelter. All day long the gale raged. In spite of it, the carpenter,
with the hands he required, set to work in preparing the wood they had
obtained for enlarging the boats. The largest had, it must be
remembered, been left just above the influence of the sea, where it was
fancied she was free from danger.

In the morning, as usual, a party was sent off to the flag-staff, which
was not visible from the town. Some hours had passed and a relief was
proceeding to take their place, when they were observed coming down the
cliffs, holding on to the rocks as they slowly made their way.

"What has happened?" asked Charley Roy, who commanded the second party.

"The flag-staff is gone and we were all well-nigh carried off with it,"
was the answer. "There is no ship in sight; and if there were, she
would take good care not to come near this rock if she could help it, so
that there is no use in your going on and running the chance of losing
your lives."

"You are quite right," said Roy, and he returned to obtain further
orders.

Adair, of course, told him not to go on to the hill, adding, "We must
get another flag-staff ready to set up as soon as the gale is over," and
he at once issued orders to the carpenter to prepare it.

When night closed in there was no appearance of a cessation of the gale;
indeed, if anything, matters looked worse than they had done all day.
At the usual hour all hands turned in to obtain the rest they required,
while the men on watch stowed themselves away in the most sheltered
corners they could find, for not a human being even during four hours
could have stood exposed to the pitiless tempest.

It was about midnight when those nearest the water were aroused by a
crashing sound, and before they had time to dress themselves, they found
the sea washing right up to their huts, far higher than it had done the
day before. Adair, who slept lightly, was also awakened by the voices
and the shouts of the men as they rushed with their clothes bags and
mess things out of their huts. He and Saint Maur hurried down to
ascertain what was the matter, when on looking towards the beach where
the large boat had been left, on which their hopes of safety depended,
she was nowhere to be seen. A mass of timber and shattered fragments,
surrounded by the seething water,