Page:Under Dewey at Manila.djvu/208

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178
UNDER DEWEY AT MANILA

enough to wet these and throw themselves under the shade to be had by setting the leaves up in the form of an inverted letter V—thus Λ—in the stern.

As the sun went down upon the second day, Larry noticed Striker looking anxiously to the eastward. "Yes, I'm afraid we're in for another storm," said the Yankee, in reply to a question on that point. "How soon it will come there's no telling. But it ain't far off, and we'll have to make the best of it."

The hurricane—for it was nothing less—came upon them at midnight, striking the Treasure heavily and sending her prow into a very torrent of water. A large amount of the water was shipped, and both fell to bailing vigorously, knowing their very lives depended upon it.

The storm lasted until daybreak, then cleared off as rapidly as it had come. But, alas! that storm had been the unmaking of the Treasure. The sail with its half-rotted ropes was gone, the boat had sprung a bad if not dangerous leak, and more than half of the drinking-water and eatables were gone.

"It's a sorry pickle, truly, Larry," said Striker,