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Tom stared behind him and stood aghast.

A huge wall of fog or white mist had quite covered the ocean and even the shore, shutting them out from view, and was now slowly advancing towards them.  But that was not the worst, for a low, moaning wind came on before it, and flakes of snow began to fall.

It was easy for Tom to say:  “Let us get back at once to the beach, the boat must be there already.”  They had come miles from the bay.  Before they could walk half the distance back, the snow-fog had swallowed them, and it was no wonder that they lost their way, and became cold and faint and dizzy.

Both Aralia and Pansy began to cry now, and at last sank down among the dry snow, unable to move another yard.

Tom was a boy of great courage.  He thought for a little, and then he said:  “Frank, if you can carry Pansy I’m sure I can manage Ara; and we will try to find shelter somewhere till the storm is blown over.”

So on again in this way they struggled, till, more dead than alive, they found, by good luck, the welcome shelter of a cave.  The cave was by no means large, but they were surprised to find it so warm.  The first thing, however, that Tom did was to walk all round the inside, rifle in hand.  Tom had not been two years at sea for nothing.  Meanwhile, where was Flossy, and where was Briton?

Tom whistled again and again, till he said he had nearly whistled the whites of his eyes out, but never a dog replied.

Something else had begun to whistle also, and that was the wind, and although Tom made several attempts to leave the cave, to have a look at the weather as he called it, he found it impossible to stand.  Hours and hours passed away like this, and the tempest seemed only to increase in force.

They were all very hungry now, and so Tom shared out some biscuits he had brought with him, and after they had swallowed a little snow they all sat down to talk.

“I fear,” said Tom, “we’ll have to stay here all night.  It will be good fun, won’t it, girls?”

He knew it was anything but fun himself, but he spoke in that way to keep up the children’s courage.

When Aralia said, “Yes,” so did Pansy, but both looked very quiet.

Soon after this, to their great joy, in bounded Briton himself, and close behind him waddled Floss.  It was clear to all that he had been helping Flossy along, for Flossy was still little more than a puppy; but, poor wee beauty, how glad she was to see them all again!

She crawled up to Pansy, and lay down on her back to be scratched, which was always Flossy’s way of showing she was pleased.

Well, after they had all talked till they were tired, Tom said:  “Now, girls, just you lie down to sleep.  Frank, here is my ticker.”  He gave his cousin his watch as he spoke.  “You have to do sentry for three hours.  Then wake me up and I’ll let you lie down.  See, I’ll put my rifle and belt, with fifty cartridges in it, beside you.  Mind, that is only for show, because you’re too little a boy to touch guns.  Anybody want a little more snow?  No?  Very well.”