MARTIN RATTLER. 61

For several hours the storm continued. Then it
ceased as suddenly as it had begun, and the bright
stars again shone down upon the peaceful scene.

When it was over, Martin and his comrade de-
scended the tree and endeavoured to find their way
back to the beach. But this was no easy matter.
The haste with which they had run into the woods,
and the confusion of the storm, had made them un-
certain in which direction it lay; and the more they
tried to get out, the deeper they penetrated into the
forest. At length, wearied with fruitless wandering
and stumbling about in the dark, they resolved to
spend the night where they were. Coming to a place
which was more open than usual, and where they
could see a portion of the starry sky overhead, they
sat down on a dry spot under the shelter of a spread-
ing tree, and, leaning their backs against the trunk,

very soon fell sound asleep.