THE ISLAND BECOMES AN ISLET. 319 At eight o'clock in the evening the tumult ceased, and a slight surface agitation of the waters of lake and sea alone remained. It was some slight comfort that the island would not now be broken up suddenly, as it must have done had the storm continued. Its dissolution was, of course, still close at hand, but would not, it was hoped, be sudden and abrupt. The storm was succeeded by a slight fog, which seemed likely to thicken during the night. It came from the north, and owing to the changed position of the island, would probably cover the greater part of it. Before going to bed, Hobson went down and examined the moor- ings of the raft, which were fastened to some strong birch-trees. To make security doubly sure, he tightened them, and the worst that could now happen would be, that the raft would drift out on to the lagoon, which was not large enough to be lost upon it.
