In the grove more than half the trees had been leveled to the ground, and one glance was sufficient to show that he would have quite a task before him in order to make his way through the tangle of boughs and foliage.
All this he took in at one hasty glance, not troubling himself with regard to the details, for just at that moment his chief concern was as to what he should do for food and shelter during the day.
“I reckon it’s a case of holdin’ on here a while longer,” he said to himself, “for if I once let go my hold it might be hard work to get back again, and, besides, it’s easier to keep the matches dry as I’m standin’ now. There don’t seem to be much of a show for gettin’ anything to eat yet awhile. Even if it was possible to build a fire I wouldn’t be able to catch any fish or find the clams. If I hadn’t made such a fool of myself over the silver I’d got supper last night, an’ shouldn’t be so hungry now.”
Regrets were useless, however, as he soon realized, and all he could do was to cling to his tree and hope the strength of the wind might abate as the day grew older.
In this last respect his wish was granted.
By ten o’clock the force of the gale had sensibly abated, although even then the wind was blowing harder than Ned ever experienced it before.
It was now possible to leave the shelter of his tree without incurring imminent danger, and he worked his way further among the fallen timber in the hope of finding some place where the matches could be left, for even the strain of holding them so tightly was beginning to tell upon him.
There were plenty of opportunities to deposit his precious package, but not with any certainty that it would be kept dry, for there was water everywhere, until it seemed certain the key must be submerged.
He finally decided to leave the bundle under the trunks of two small trees which had been uprooted, and then crept out to where a full view of the sea might be had.
An exclamation of fear and dismay burst from his lips as he stood where he could gaze out over the angry waters, for in full view, and not more than a mile away, was a small craft, tossed to and fro like an egg-shell, but being driven rapidly toward the key.