The Bengal light had now burnt itself out and no more were lit for the reason that the storm was again coming up and the crew of each vessel had to bestow their entire attention to the question of saving the craft from going down. This was comparatively an easy matter on board of the _Vendee_ and soon under officers were sent around to assure the passengers that there was no immediate cause for alarm, that the hole had been patched up temporarily, and that it would be thoroughly repaired as soon as the wind abated. Captain Danvier was extremely sorry to hear that two of the boys were missing and at once did what he could toward finding them. But in such a storm, which was again increasing, his first duty was to his ship, and he said, as had Professor Strong, that to risk a small boat in such a sea would be foolhardy. “We must wait until daylight,” he said, in French. “I can do nothing now.” Slowly the night wore away. Nobody slept, and at the first streak of dawn all went on deck. The storm had passed, but the sky was still dark. The captain had thought best to lay to, thinking the lumber schooner might need assistance. The other craft was not far away and soon they came within hailing distance of each other. The lumber boat flew the Dutch flag and proved to be bound from Saba to Curaçao. “I have lost a large quantity of lumber!” roared the Dutch skipper, wrathfully. “I shall hold you responsible in law for it!” “Have you seen anything of two boys?” questioned Captain Danvier. “We have lost them.” “No, I have seen no boys. Have you seen a man? We lost one of our sailors in that smash.” “No, we have seen nobody,” answered the French captain. “It was your fault we had that smash,” the Dutch skipper continued. “Remember, I shall hold you for it in law, the first chance I get!” “Do as you please about that,” returned Captain Danvier, coolly. “You are as much to blame as myself. But if you see anything of those boys treat them well and you’ll lose nothing by it.” “I’ll treat them well enough,” growled the Dutch skipper. As the Dutchman could speak neither French nor English the conversation had to be carried on in his native tongue and it was hard for Captain Danvier to make himself understood. Only a few words more passed, and then the two vessels separated, and the lumber schooner proceeded on her way, with every sail set. “It ees certainly verra sad,” said the French captain, to the professor and the boys. “I vill do what I can for ze boys--but what is zare to do, tell me zat?” “I wish you would remain in this vicinity for a day or so,” answered Professor Strong. “They may be floating around, and if so I hope to pick them up.” The captain agreed readily, and not one day but two were spent in the vicinity. In the meantime the hole in the bow was repaired, so that danger from that source became a thing of the past.