They could see but little, for the force of the shocks had put out nearly every light aboard the yacht and on the raft. But they could hear a continual roaring and snarling, and now some of these sounds seemed to come closer. Then, of a sudden, tawny bodies loomed up near the yacht’s rail.
“It’s a lion! Two of them!” yelled Jack.
“Yes, and they’re getting ready to jump down here!” answered Andy.
CHAPTER XXI
ASHORE AT LAST
It looked as if Andy was right, for both lions now had their forepaws on the rail of the ship as if ready to leap down on the improvised raft and its occupants.
But just at that moment the keel of the Coryanda struck bottom once more, and an instant later the water-logged yacht swung around and away from the raft. The lions were left at the rail, and they roared savagely in their combined perplexity and disappointment. Evidently they knew not what should be their next move.
But those on the raft could give the beasts no further consideration. The force of the hurricane sent the bit of wreckage whirling around and around and how the sea foamed and boiled on every side of the raft.
“Hold tight!” yelled Jack to the others. “Hold tight!”
Andy heeded the command. But Ira Small, who was moving forward and for an instant had let go of one of the ropes, slipped to the edge and before he recovered had disappeared in a shower of flying spray.