fourth day it suddenly ceased, and the wind fell altogether; but
the waves still ran so high that we did not dare to put off in our
boat. During the greater part of this period we scarcely slept
above a few minutes at a time, but on the third night we slept
soundly and awoke early on the fourth morning to find the sea very
much down, and the sun shining brightly again in the clear blue
sky.

It was with light hearts that we launched forth once more in our
little boat and steered away for our island home, which, we were
overjoyed to find, was quite visible on the horizon, for we had
feared that we had been blown out of sight of it altogether. As it
was a dead calm we had to row during the greater part of the day;
but towards the afternoon a fair breeze sprang up, which enabled us
to hoist our sail. We soon passed Penguin Island, and the other
island which we had failed to reach on the day the storm commenced;
but as we had still enough of provisions, and were anxious to get
home, we did not land, to the great disappointment of Peterkin, who
seemed to entertain quite an affection for the penguins.

Although the breeze was pretty fresh for several hours, we did not
reach the outer reef of our island till night-fall, and before we
had sailed more than a hundred yards into the lagoon, the wind died
away altogether, so that we had to take to our oars again. It was
late and the moon and stars were shining brightly when we arrived
opposite the bower and leaped upon the strand. So glad were we to
be safe back again on our beloved island, that we scarcely took
time to drag the boat a short way up the beach, and then ran up to
see that all was right at the bower. I must confess, however, that
my joy was mingled with a vague sort of fear lest our home had been