Presently it began to rain, and then followed lightning and thunder which were almost incessant.
"Never saw anything to match it," declared Dave, as he put on his oilskins and joined his father on the stern deck. "This beats those we had off Long Island all to pieces!"
"Right you are, Dave," answered Amos Fearless. "Take good care that you are not swept overboard."
The storm increased in violence until the Swallow was heaving and pitching as never before. At one moment she would be riding on the top of a very mountain of water, at the next she would be going down and down into a tremendous hollow that looked as if it would swallow up the stanch ship forever.
Captain Broadbeam surveyed the storm with anxiety, for he realized that it was unusually severe, and threatened the very existence of his craft.
The lightning played all around the metalwork of the ship, and the roar of the thunder was deafening.
"You had better go below," said the captain to Dave and his father. "You can do nothing on deck."
"Yes, we will go below," answered Amos Fearless. "Come, my son," and he led the way down into the cabin.
All of the ports and doors had been closed, and the air was stifling in the shut-up apartment, but of this there was no use to complain.
All crockery, glassware, and other loose objects had long since been secured, or they would have been flung in every direction.