shock knocked him over," answered Sam. "Oh, Tom, what shall we do?"
"I'll try another rocket, Sam—I don't know of anything else."
It took fully a minute to obtain another rocket, and some red fire as well. The red fire made quite an illumination, in spite of the storm.
"I don't see nuffin," said Pop.
"Nor I," added Tom. "The raft has disappeared."
As the light died out all set up a loud shout. But only the howling wind answered them. And now Sam noticed that the lifeline was drifting idly at the stern, and there was nothing to do but to haul it in again.
The hours which followed were full of agony to Tom and Sam, and the warm-hearted colored man was scarcely less affected.
"What if Dick is drowned?" whispered the youngest Rover. "Father will never forgive us for coming on this trip."
"Let us hope for the best," was his brother's answer. "Dick has been in a tight fix before. He'll come out all right, if he has any show at all."
"Nobuddy kin lib in sech a storm as dis!" put in Pop. "Why, it's 'most as bad as dat dar hurricane we 'perienced in Africa. Jest see how it's beginnin' to rain."
