THE HURRICANE. 2G9 



roar of the waters keeping every one awake 

 nearly all the night. The following morning it 

 was blowing a hurricane, and as the boys strug- 

 gled up on the fort and looked out from behind 

 the grim battlements a fearful scene was pre- 

 sented. The water, so smooth two nights previ- 

 ous, was now covered by a mass of foam that, 

 caught by the wind, was carried high into the 

 air. The sea appeared to be making a clean 

 breach over Bush and Long Keys ; many of the 

 trees had disappeared, while the lower portion 

 of Long Key was washed away. The wind was 

 so powerful that they could scarcely show their 

 heads above the wall. Sticks, gravel, and all 

 movable objects were flying through the air like 

 hailstones. The cocoa-nut trees had been de- 

 spoiled of their beauty; their leaves had been 

 beaten into shapeless whips, and from many the 

 foliage was entirely twisted off. 



Later, Tom, who was looking out of the 

 window, cried out, "Here comes the boat- 

 swain ! " And, sure enough, the old sailor was 

 seen, bent double, buffeted by the gusts, envel- 

 oped in a whirlwind of sand, and headed toward 



