Tom stared at Andy in silence. Passed the island! A storm behind them! No sail! Whatever were they going to do?
Chapter 3
Shipwreck!
For a long time the boat went on and on, its little rag of sail still flapping. Tom thought that the sail itself must have reached the great dark cloud that still covered the sky, the wind was so strong.
"I should think this wind's almost a hurricane, isn't it?" yelled Tom.
"Pretty near," shouted Andy. "But it's blowing itself out now."
Sure enough, it was. Every now and again there was a lull when the wind dropped to a stiff breeze. Then it would blow again furiously. The thunder was no longer overhead, but far off to the east. The lightning shimmered now and again, but did not light up the sea with the fierce brilliance it had two or three hours back.
Then, just as suddenly as it had come, the storm flew off It was most astonishing. A sheet of bright blue sky appeared in the west, and swiftly grew bigger as the great cloud flew to the east The world grew light again. The rain stopped. The wind died down to a breeze, and the boat no longer seemed to climb up and down steep hills.
The cabin door opened, and two green faces looked out sadly. "We've been awfully sea-sick down here," said Jill. "It was dreadful."
"What a frightful storm!" said Mary. "Are we nearly at the island?"