A mountainous wave, greater than the rest, descended upon the motorboat and broke over it, drenching all on board to the skin.  The wind whistled overhead and the air grew icy cold.  Frank shivered, as he held fast.

“Br-r-r,” he said.  “Right now it would feel awfully nice to be ashore.  I wonder what of Lord Hastings and The Hawk?”

At the same moment, Lord Hastings was wondering what of them.

For hours and hours, it seemed to the two lads, the little craft battled the storm, at each moment seeming in imminent danger of capsizing; but always the master hand of Edwards at the wheel righted the little craft and it dashed away in the gale.

“Great Scott!” cried Frank, raising his voice to a shout to make himself heard above the terrible roaring of the wind, “we can’t stand this much longer.”

“You are right,” declared Jack.  “We are liable to be swamped at any moment.”

As each wave descended upon them, breaking over the little boat, Frank was confident that the end had come.  It did not seem possible that the craft could withstand another.  But each time the little boat seemed to brace itself for the shock and a moment later would ride high to safety.

Edwards, at the wheel, had lashed himself fast, that he might not be swept overboard; and once, soon after the storm had descended, he was startled.

Something soft touched his feet; and taking his eyes from ahead long enough to look down, he saw that the object was the body of Williams, which the water had washed over the deck to him.

His hands fast, as they were, he could not stoop down to touch the body as he gazed at it mournfully; then another wave descended, and when it had gone, Williams’ body was no longer in sight.

“Good-bye, old friend!” Edwards shouted after it.  “Good-bye!  I may be with you soon.  If I could have reached down I would have shaken hands with you once more before you went away.”

Another gigantic wave swooped down and he gave his attention to keeping the boat’s head right.

At last, when it seemed that the storm would never end, it broke suddenly.  As if by magic there was a calm, and bright sunlight streamed down from above.  The gale was over.  The motorboat and its crew of three were safe.

Frank and Jack clasped hands.

“Safe once more,” said the latter quietly.

Suddenly the little craft pitched violently.  Frank turned a quick gaze aft to the wheel where he made out the reason for this sudden lurch.

Completely exhausted by his recent experience, Edwards had lapsed into unconsciousness once the strain was over.  No hand grasped the wheel and the motorboat pitched this way and that in the trough of the sea.

Frank made his way aft as rapidly as possible and took the wheel.  Jack shut down the engine and followed him.  He poured water over Edwards’ face and directly the latter sat up.