74 THE CRATER, mediate destruction. The rollers came down in tremen dous billows, breaking and roaring on all sides of the island, rendering the sea white with their foam, even at midnight ; but, on reaching the massive, natural wall that protected the Rancocus, they dashed themselves into spray againsf it, wetting the vessel from her truck down, but doing her no injury. Mark remained on deck until past twelve o clock, when finding that the gale was already breaking, he turned in arid slept soundly until morning. As for Bob, he had taken his watch below early in the evening, and there he remained undisturbed until the appearance of day, when he turned out of his own accord. Mark took another look at the sea, reefs and islands, from the main-topmast cross-trees of the ship, as she lay in her new berth. Of course, the range of his vision was somewhat altered by this change of position, and especially did he see a greater distance to the westward, or towards the lee side of the reefs. Nothing encouraging was made out, however ; the young man rather inclining more to the opinion than he had ever done before, that the vessel could not be extricated from the rocks which surrounded her. With this conviction strongly renewed, he descended to the deck, to share in the breakfast Bob had set about pre paring, the moment he quitted his cat-tails; for Bob in sisted on sleeping in the forecastle, though Mark had pressed him to take one of the cabin state-rooms. This time the meal, which included some very respectable ship s coffee, was taken on the cabin-table, the day being cloud less, and the sun s rays possessing a power that made it unpleasant to sit long anywhere out of a shade. While the meal was taken, another conversation was held touch ing their situation. " By the manner in which it blew last night," Mark ob served, " I doubt if we should have had this comfortable cabin to eat in this morning, and these good articles to consume, had we left the ship outside until morning." " I look upon it as a good job well done, Mr. Mark," answered Bob. " I must own I had no great hopes of our ever getting here, but was willing to try it; for them rollers didn t mind half-a-dozen reefs, but came tumbling in over them, in a way to threaten the old Cocus with being
