o guided as to act for the best for you both," said Lady
Sophy, "but I must not longer detain you. I hope that we may see you
here again before many days have passed."

Well satisfied, as he had reason to be, with what Lady Sophy had said,
Captain Denham followed his officers, who had already preceded him to
the boats. He stepped in, and the order was given to shove off. The
boats made the best of their way towards the corvette. The wind was
already blowing strongly, and a heavy sea rolled into the bay.

"It is as much as we shall do, if we manage to beat out of the bay this
evening," observed the lieutenant to the midshipman in his boat, "I
ought to have kept my eyes more about me, though it is natural enough
the captain's should have been preoccupied."

"Yes, sir, indeed that is a lovely girl, Lady Nora; he will be a happy
man who wins her."

"That is a matter, Mr Merton, too delicate for me to pronounce on,"
answered the lieutenant; "but I was speaking of the difficulty of
beating out of the bay."

"Oh yes, sir, I beg your pardon," said the midshipman; "still I believe
we shall be able to carry all sail, and if so, the _Ariadne_ will soon
find her way out of this difficulty."

"That is an ugly reef to the north," observed the lieutenant; "I would
rather it were fifty miles away than where it is."

"Yet it affords us good shelter when the wind is as it was this
morning."

"So it does," answered the lieutenant, "but it is directly in our way
when we have to beat out when the wind is in the west."

The captain made no remark to the midshipman in his boat; he was too
completely absorbed in his own thoughts, though he occasionally urged
his crew to greater exertion by the usual exclamation of "Give way,
lads, give way."

The boats were soon alongside. Directly they were seen coming, the
officer in command had begun to get the corvette under weigh, and when
the captain stepped on board the anchor was hove up to the bows.

The corvette, under topsails and top-gallant-sails, was now hauled close
to the wind. She cast to the north, and stood directly towards the reef
of rocks which appeared ahead. The captain took his place in the
weather rigging, to con her, while scarcely had sail been made on the
ship before the increase of wind made it doubtful whether she would
carry what was already set. The dark clouds came rolling up in thick
masses from the west overhead, while heavy seas, topped with foaming
cr