like a huge wounded bird. Then for a moment there was comparative calm,
and in it I heard Job's voice yelling wildly, "Come here to the boat."

Bewildered and half-drowned as I was, I had the sense to rush aft. I
felt the dhow sinking under me--she was full of water. Under her counter
the whale-boat was tossing furiously, and I saw the Arab Mahomed, who
had been steering, leap into her. I gave one desperate pull at the
tow-rope to bring the boat alongside. Wildly I sprang also, Job caught
me by the arm and I rolled into the bottom of the boat. Down went the
dhow bodily, and as she did so Mahomed drew his curved knife and severed
the fibre-rope by which we were fast to her, and in another second we
were driving before the storm over the place where the dhow had been.

"Great God!" I shrieked, "where is Leo? _Leo! Leo!_"

"He's gone, sir, God help him!" roared Job into my ear; and such was the
fury of the squall that his voice sounded like a whisper.

I wrung my hands in agony. Leo was drowned, and I was left alive to
mourn him.

"Look out," yelled Job; "here comes another."

I turned; a second huge wave was overtaking us. I half hoped that it
would drown me. With a curious fascination I watched its awful advent.
The moon was nearly hidden now by the wreaths of the rushing storm, but
a little light still caught the crest of the devouring breaker. There
was something dark on it--a piece of wreckage. It was on us now, and
the boat was nearly full of water. But she was built in air-tight
compartments--Heaven bless the man who invented them!--and lifted up