English
Thewavesdashedandthelightningflashedandthethunderrolledandtheshipstruckarock.
BetsyBobbinwasrunningacrossthedeckandtheshocksentherflyingthroughtheairuntilshefellwithasplashintothedarkbluewater.
ThesameshockcaughtHank,athinlittle,sad-facedmule,andtumbledhimalsointothesea,farfromtheship’sside.
WhenBetsycameup,gaspingforbreathbecausethewetplungehadsurprisedher,shereachedoutinthedarkandgrabbedabunchofhair.
Atfirstshethoughtitwastheendofarope,butpresentlysheheardadismal“Hee-haw!”
andknewshewasholdingfasttotheendofHank’stail.
Suddenlytheseawaslightedupbyavividglare.Theship,nowinthefardistance,caughtfire,blewupandsankbeneaththewaves.
Betsyshudderedatthesight,butjustthenhereyecaughtamassofwreckagefloatingnearherandsheletgothemule’stailandseizedtheruderaft,pullingherselfupsothatsherodeuponitinsafety.
Hankalsosawtheraftandswamtoit,buthewassoclumsyheneverwouldhavebeenabletoclimbuponithadnotBetsyhelpedhimtogetaboard.
Theyhadtocrowdclosetogether,fortheirsupportwasonlyahatch-covertornfromtheship’sdeck;butitfloatedthemfairlywellandboththegirlandthemuleknewitwouldkeepthemfromdrowning.
Thestormwasnotover,byanymeans,whentheshipwentdown.
Blindingboltsoflightningshotfromcloudtocloudandtheclamorofdeepthunderclapsechoedfaroverthesea.
ThewavestossedthelittlerafthereandthereasachildtossesarubberballandBetsyhadasolemnfeelingthatforhundredsofwaterymilesineverydirectiontherewasnolivingthingbesidesherselfandthesmalldonkey.
PerhapsHankhadthesamethought,forhegentlyrubbedhisnoseagainstthefrightenedgirlandsaid“Hee-haw!”inhissoftestvoice,asiftocomforther.
“You’llprotectme,Hankdear,won’tyou?”shecriedhelplessly,andthemulesaid“Hee-haw!”again,intonesthatmeantapromise.
Onboardtheship,duringthedaysthatprecededthewreck,whentheseawascalm,BetsyandHankhadbecomegoodfriends;so,whilethegirlmighthavepreferredamorepowerfulprotectorinthisdreadfulemergency,shefeltthatthemulewoulddoallinamule’spowertoguardhersafety.
Allnighttheyfloated,andwhenthestormhadwornitselfoutandpassedawaywithafewdistantgrowls,andthewaveshadgrownsmallerandeasiertoride,Betsystretchedherselfoutonthewetraftandfellasleep.
Hankdidnotsleepawink.PerhapshefeltithisdutytoguardBetsy.
Anyhow,hecrouchedontheraftbesidethetiredsleepinggirlandwatchedpatientlyuntilthefirstlightofdawnsweptoverthesea.
ThelightwakenedBetsyBobbin.Shesatup,rubbedhereyesandstaredacrossthewater.
“Oh,Hank;there’slandahead!”sheexclaimed.
“Hee-haw!”answeredHankinhisplaintivevoice.
TheraftwasfloatingswiftlytowardaverybeautifulcountryandastheydrewnearBetsycouldseebanksoflovelyflowersshowingbrightlybetweenleafytrees.Butnopeopleweretobeseenatall.
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