“We’ve had a hard time of it,” answered Mark. “How did you make out?” “Oh, we caught our share too, I can tell you that. The fire rained all over the ship and we had to fight it like mad for over an hour. The professor was overcome and Sam and I were afraid he was dead. But he got over it after a while, and now he is as well as ever. I suppose St. Pierre is a sight. But tell me how you escaped being drowned. But no, come into the cabin first and see the others.” Darry led the way, and soon they ran into all the others of the party. There was another joyous greeting, in which even Hockley had the good sense to join. Then each party had to tell its story, to which the other listened with breathless attention. “You were more than fortunate,” said Professor Strong, after Mark and Frank had finished. “Getting aboard that lumber raft, and later on the small boat, was certainly providential. And we were equally fortunate in being delayed by the breaking down of the engine. Had it not been for that the _Vendee_ would surely be lying a wreck in St. Pierre harbor.” Captain Danvier was glad to see the boys, and from them learned the particulars concerning the lumber vessel that had been struck. “They will not prosecute me at law,” he said to Professor Strong, in French. “They knew the collision was as much their fault as mine.” And so it proved. Later on the Dutch owners of the lumber boat sent several threatening communications, and Captain Danvier answered in an equally threatening manner; and there the matter rested. It may be as well to add that Sven Orlaff never went back to the lumber boat, but enlisted instead in the service of a packet line running from the West Indies to Brazil. Word soon came for Captain Danvier to take his vessel to Fort de France, and he sailed to that port with our friends on board. Sam and Darry had wanted to go ashore to inspect the ruins but Hockley had objected strongly. “I don’t want to run any more risks,” said the tall youth. “I want to get just as far away from that volcano as possible.” They found Fort de France a busy place. It was fast filling up with refugees from all parts of Martinique, and many public buildings had been thrown open for the accommodation of the newcomers. More than this, relief was already pouring in from many places, including the United States, where the news of the terrible catastrophe had shocked the whole nation. Professor Strong would have been willing to leave the West Indies without delay, but Frank and Mark stoutly objected to going before they had learned something concerning their fathers, and he did not care to sail without them. “I’m going to make a systematic search,” said Mark to Frank, after several days had been spent in Fort de France. “It is possible that your father and mine came down here from St. Pierre.” And he and Frank did make a search which lasted forty-eight hours.