The shock was so severe that I was thrown heavily to the deck.

Bruno could make nothing whatever of it, so he found relief in doleful howls.

While the vessel remained stuck on the rocks, I was looking out anxiously from the rigging, when, without a moment's warning, a gigantic wave came toppling and crashing overboard from the stern, overwhelming me in the general destruction that followed.

I was dashed with tremendous force on to the deck, and when I picked myself up, bruised and bleeding, the first thing I was conscious of was a deathly stillness, which filled me with vague amazement, considering that but a few moments before my ears had been filled with the roar and crash of the breakers.

And I could see that the storm was still raging with great fury, although not a sound reached my ears.
Gradually the horrible truth dawned upon me--_I was stone deaf_! The blow on the head from the great wave had completely deprived me of all sense of hearing.