The approach of the was attended by an roar, and a mass of branches and trees flying through the air, which warned the boys of their danger.  
"Terry, it won't do to stay here," shouted Fred, casting about for some place of refuge; "where shall we go?"
 
Quite close to the stream which they had just crossed was an enormous rock. Its irregular surface, a dozen feet in extent each way, must have reached far down in the ground, so that nothing could have been more immovable. It was not the refuge that the boys would have taken, had they been given time to hunt for one, but surely they could not have found a better.
 
A couple of leaps took Terry to the place, and, as he threw himself on his face, Fred was directly behind him. As they lay, the shelving rock was less than two feet above their heads. Though they could hear, they could not see what was coming. They could look to the right and left, but only for a few seconds in front.
 
Using their eyes as best they could, they saw the air filled with leaves, , branches, huge limbs and trunks, which forward and over and over, like so many feathers in a .
 
The first shock that came to the boys behind the rock was a dead near their heads. An tree had been from some point above, like an enormous spear, and, striking the rock at a , slid over the rough surface like the finger of a player over the face of a and out beyond, hunting for some spot where it could . It found it on the ground, but it was instantly loose by the resistless power that had first thrown it forward, and went end over end into the general and ruin beyond.
 
The next sight which startled the boys was on their left, directly over the stream. The air was filled with snow, as if a violent342 squall had suddenly sprung up. It was accompanied by a noise, which with the fearful roar that had not stopped and was like that of the stormy Atlantic beating upon the rock-bound coast.
 
Striking the stream, the cyclone whirled most of the water from its bed, the mist and among the trees, and the boys where they lay. The huge torch was as suddenly as it was lighted.
 
The most terrifying moment to Fred and Terry was when they felt the rock in front of them move. It was turned several inches to one side, and for one moment, they believed that that too would be sent skimming through the air, or whirled over upon them. But there was no other refuge to which they could fly; had they attempted to rise to their feet, they would have been snatched up and dashed to death. So they themselves as much as they could on their faces, and the terrific outburst could not reach them.
 
Such an elemental fury can not last long. Having torn up the trees, overturned rocks, and cleaned out the stream, the cyclone seemed to mount upward and leave the earth , probably to some miles away and continue its work of destruction.
 
Fred lay still several minutes after it had passed, and then turned to look at his companion. He had unrolled the package and taken therefrom the cooked steak, which had been so roughly handled during his ride on the bull.
 
"Well, well," said the astonished Fred, "I believe you are the only person in the world who could eat his dinner in the middle of such a storm as this."
 
"I was thinkin', bein' as we are in so much of a hurry, that I would save some toime by dinin' without delay, though ye do me an injoostice by sayin' I'm through the same; I'm jist about to begin and I'll be plaised to have yer company."
 
Terry may not have had much sentiment, but he was sensible. Fred sat up, his head just rising above the rock, and, for a few minutes, they gave their attention to their meal. There was enough for a fair lunch, but no more. A gentle wind blew against them, being344 the remnant left by the cyclone, and while they ate, you need not be told they used their eyes.
 
The sight was a striking one: the trees lay across each other, many with their prong-like roots pointing toward the sky, limbs and trunks having been tossed about in the most bewildering confusion. The water that had been lifted from the rendered not only their clothing wet, but every thing around them was saturated. Walking to the side of the stream, they looked down at the sloping banks, wet and muddy, but with little water except in the bottom. The current, however, was pouring so swiftly from above that this was rapidly filling up, and before long would reach its former level.
 
Now that the cyclone had passed, the sky rapidly cleared. There was a in the air, and the sun did not show itself.
 
The boys took but a short time to view the destruction, great as it was, when they faced about in the direction of the camp which was their destination from the first. It looked as though they were finally separated from the345 trail, for since it was so covered by fallen trees and limbs, not the slightest trace of it was seen. They were filled with dismay, and indeed would have been at their wits' end had not the cyclone confined its fury to exceedingly narrow limits. All its force was spent in and directly along the stream. Twenty yards away, the forest was undisturbed, so that the elemental had made a clean swath as it sped along.
 
"!" called out Terry, "here's the path; I follyed a straight line as I could from the water here, so I'm sure I couldn't coom out very far from the right place."
 
Fred hurried over the ruins to his side, and a glance at the ground showed that his frie............