"I CANNOT TALK!" "Father! Tell me that you are alive! That you are not dead!" Such was the agonizing cry which issued from Dave's lips as he gazed upon his parent. Amos Fearless' face was like chalk, his eyes were set, and he certainly looked as if the breath of life had gone from him forever. The _Swallow_ was rolling and pitching so fearfully that for the time being the young man could do but little. Yet he raised a cry which quickly brought the cabin boy to his side. "What's up?" asked the boy, and then, seeing the stilled form, he continued: "Is he dead?" "I--I hope not. But send Doctor Barrell here at once." Doctor Barrell was one of the scientists attached to the expedition. He was a learned man, and Dave felt certain that if anything could be done for his parent, Doctor Barrell could do it. The cabin boy went off with difficulty, and it was fully ten minutes before he returned with the medical man. In the meantime, Dave laid his parent on the floor. By placing his ear to his parent's breast, he found that his father still breathed faintly. He was just pouring water over the sufferer's face when Doctor Barrell came in. "What is the trouble?" he asked. "Has he had a tumble? I do not wonder; I have tumbled twice myself." "No, he has been struck by lightning, doctor. Please do all you can for him." "Struck by lightning! In here? How?" "The lightning entered on the electric-light wire and he got the full force of the shock. I was partly stunned myself." "I don't wonder. Yon can thank your stars that both of you are not dead." "But my father?" Before replying to this query, Doctor Barrell proceeded to make a thorough examination. In the midst of this, Amos Fearless opened his eyes and stared around him, feebly. But he could not move his tongue. "He will live," said the doctor, slowly. "But----" "But what, sir?" "He may not be able to--that is, he has had a very heavy shock." "Yes, yes! But what will he not be able to do?" questioned Dave, quickly. "Perhaps I had better not answer that question just yet, David. There is no use of alarming you," and the physician turned away to prepare some medicines for the sufferer. The night to follow was an anxious one to Dave. Despite the storm, which did not let up for an instant, he remained constantly by his parent's side. It was daybreak before Amos Fearless was pronounced out of danger. He still lay in a semi-dazed condition, but his heart-beats were growing stronger every hour. "In a few days he will probably be able to be around," said the doctor, and then he turned away to hide his troubled looks from Dave. The youth saw the action and was more worried than ever. As soon as the storm had abated and something could be cooked, he had a bowl of nourishment made for his father. The sufferer swallowed a few spoonfuls, and that was all, and even that little went down with difficulty. "Do you feel better, father?" he asked, soothingly.