"Oh, got drowned out, too!"
"Did your tent go down?"
"For once Joe Chester's got water enough!"
And the boys inside made room on the table where most of them were perched.
The teachers, with Jonas and Freitag, were driving stakes inside and fastening the tent to them to help to anchor it; and it seemed to need it, for sometimes the wind would sweep in beneath the canvas and swell it like a big balloon, as if it must either burst or go up in spite of ropes and stakes.
"God help the sailors!" exclaimed Mr. Bernard solemnly, as one of the sudden gusts died away.
"Oh, Ralph and Ben!" cried Joe. "Where are they? Do you suppose they are out in that little vessel, Mr. Bernard?"
"God forbid! I trust they are in some safe harbour. Fishermen are wise in such matters."
"But if they are out!" continued Joe anxiously. "Ralph will be frightened! You know he is a coward, and afraid of the water, anyway."
"I don't see how they happened to go in a vessel," said Frank Furman.