The water, in an instant, broke into great waves, and the canoe rocked so violently that it would have overturned at once had not the three possessed such skill with the paddle.  Even then the escape was narrow, and their strength was strained to the utmost.

“We must land somewhere!” exclaimed Willet, looking up at the lofty shore.

But where?  The cliff was so steep that they saw no chance to pull up themselves and the canoe, and, keeping as close to it as they dared, they steadied the frail vessel with their paddles.  The wind continually increased in violence, whistling and screaming, and at times assuming an almost circular motion, whipping the waters of the lake into white foam.  Day turned to night, save when the blazing flashes of lightning cut the darkness.  The thunder roared like artillery.

Willet hastily covered the ammunition and packs with their blankets, and continued to search anxiously for a place where they might land.

“The rain will be here presently,” he shouted, “and it’ll be so heavy it’ll come near to swamping us if we don’t get to shelter first!  Paddle, lads! paddle!”

The three, using all their strength and dexterity, sent the canoe swiftly southward, still hugging the shore, but rocking violently.  After a few anxious minutes, Robert uttered a shout of joy as he saw by the lightning’s flash a cove directly ahead of them with shores at a fair slope.  They sent the canoe into it with powerful strokes, sprang upon the bank, and then drew their little craft after them.  Selecting a spot sheltered on the west by the lofty shore and on either side to a certain extent by dense woods, they turned the canoe over, resting the edges upon fallen logs which they pulled hastily into place, and crouched under it.  They considered themselves especially lucky in finding the logs, and now they awaited the rain that they had dreaded.

It came soon in a mighty sweep, roaring through the woods, and burst upon them in floods.  But the canoe, the logs and the forest and the slope together protected them fairly well, and the contrast even gave a certain degree of comfort, as the rain beat heavily and then rushed in torrents down to the lake.

“We made it just in time,” said Willet.  “If we had stayed on the water I think we’d have been swamped.  Look how high the waves are and how fast they run!”

Robert as he gazed at the stormy waters was truly thankful.

“We have many dangers,” he said, “but somehow we seem to escape them all.”

“We dodge ’em,” said Willet, “because we make ready for ’em.  It’s those who think ahead who inherit the world, Robert.”

The storm lasted an hour.  Then the rain ceased abruptly.  The wind died, the darkness fled away and the lake and earth, washed and cleansed anew, returned to their old peace and beauty, only the skies seemed softer and bluer, and the colors of the water more varied and intense.