him headlong into the night and the boys, balanced as they were on the
prow of the trembling ship, were shot after him into the darkness as
if they had been hurled out of catapults.

Frank's feelings as he fell through the darkness he could not
afterward describe, still less his amazement when, instead of falling
into the sea, fully prepared to swim for his life, he found himself
instead plunged into a sticky ooze. For several seconds, in fact, he
was too amazed to utter a sound or move. It seemed he must be
dreaming.

Then he extended his hands and almost gave a cry so great was his
amazement.

He had encountered an unmistakable tree trunk!

He was on land--not dry land--for the boy was mired to the knees in
sticky mud,--but nevertheless land. Land in midocean.

Hardly had he recovered from his first shock of surprise when he heard
a voice exclaim:

"Can anyone tell me am I awake or dreaming in my bunk?"

"What's the matter, Billy?" hailed Frank, overjoyed to know that one
at least of his comrades was safe.

Before Billy could reply Harry's voice hailed through the darkness.

"I'm up to my neck in mud. Where are we, anyhow?"