gain to burst forth with almost the same power as before. The
house itself, having been strongly built and the roof fixed on with the
greatest care, withstood the hurricane, a portion only at one end having
been blown off; but the out-buildings were materially damaged. Mr
Ferris and his managers waited anxiously to hear a report of the damage
which had been done to the estate. Round the house many trees had been
torn from their roots, others snapped short off, and all had more or
less suffered. The ocean still continued to rage with unabated fury,
even after the wind itself had ceased Ellen naturally looked along the
horizon, but not a sail was in sight, and again and again she asked what
could have become of the _Ouzel Galley_. Her affection for Norah made
her feel as if she was herself personally interested in the fate of the
brave young commander, as much as Mr Ferris was in reality in that of
the ship. He could no longer conceal his anxiety about the _Ouzel
Galley_. How she had fared was the subject of earnest discussion
between him and Mr Twigg. The latter thought it just possible that she
might have got beyond the influence of the hurricane before it burst
with its full fury; and if not, might have weathered it out, as many a
stout ship with plenty of sea room had weathered similar hurricanes
before. He acknowledged, however, that she might have been caught by
it, and if so, while the wind blew from the northward, might have been
driven on shore. The latter point would in time be ascertained, and as
soon as possible a messenger was despatched along the coast, who, though
he reported several shipwrecks, had ascertained that the _Ouzel Galley_
was not among them.

"She was well found and not overladen, and as well able to keep afloat,
even in such a sea as we saw running, as any ship which ever sailed the
ocean," observed Mr Ferris. "We shall hear, I trust, in due course of
her arrival."

Dreadful as the hurricane had appeared, the damage done was not as great
as might have been expected. It was the opinion of many that only the
tail of the hurricane had passed over the island. It was bad enough as
it was. In some places the country appeared as if scorched by fire, in
others the crops were totally destroyed; numerous buildings were
levelled with the ground, and the trees and shrubs uprooted; a number of
people had been killed, and many more seriously injured, by being struck
by shingles from the roofs