The men should have sought rest and sleep while they had the chance, but no one seemed desirous of lying down.
Tom, the poor fellow with the broken leg, was bearing up bravely, and only bemoaned the fact that, if there should be any necessity for the launching of the surfboat he could not do his duty.
Suddenly everyone started up.
Above the roar of the storm a sound had come that could not be anything other than the boom of a gun.
There is nothing that startles more than this sound, heard upon the shore as the storm rages, for it invariably tells of peril hovering over some vessel that has been beaten from her track and is threatened with wreck, either upon the reefs or the treacherous sands.
Instantly all was bustle and excitement.
Every man donned his oilskins, and as they had made all preparations there was little time wasted in doing this.
Paul rushed out with the rest, eager to be "in the swim," as he said.
It was a scene never to be forgotten.
The waves were running high and breaking upon the beach with a thunderous roar, while the wind added to the clamor; so that save for the absence of thunder and lightning the picture seemed to be a duplicate of that other so strongly impressed upon Darry's mind.