hem, and we may
not have another opportunity of doing so for some time."

It was thus arranged that the horses should be ordered in the forenoon,
should the weather clear sufficiently, and that they would pay their
visit to Widow O'Neil. In a short time the rain ceased falling,
although the wind continued blowing as hard as ever; indeed, it was a
complete summer gale. The clouds rushed rapidly along the sky, and the
seas rolled in with all their force from across the wide Atlantic. It
wanted an hour or more to the time they had agreed to set out, and the
two ladies retired to their turret boudoir. Scarcely had they entered
the room, when Lady Nora exclaimed that she saw a vessel in the
north-west, at no great distance from the land. The glass was turned in
the direction towards which she pointed.

"She is a large ship," she observed, "but she seems to me to have lost
most of her masts, there is but one standing; yes, I am sure of that,
all the the rest are gone. With this fierce gale blowing on the shore,
what a dangerous position she is in! I cannot make out what ship she
is. Do you look, Sophy; what do you say to it?"

Sophy looked through the glass.

"I cannot make out to a certainty, but from her appearance, I should
judge her to be a man-of-war. Yes, I am nearly sure of it; I should say
that she is a frigate, for when I keep the telescope steady, I can
almost count her ports."

Nora looked through the glass.

"Yes, you are right," she said; "she seems to be standing to the south,
but she is evidently drifting fast towards the land. I see, though, she
has got some after-sail set on the stump of the mizenmast, and I think I
understand it; she wishes to weather the reef, and of course after that
take shelter in the bay. Yes, yes, that is clearly her object; she is
struggling bravely with the seas, but oh, in what fearful peril she is
placed."

The ladies immediately ordered their horses round, proposing to watch
the progress of the ship from the cliffs.

"I daresay that Mr Finlayson will not object to come with us at once,"
said Lady Sophy, and she left the room in search of him.

"Willingly, my dear young lady," he answered; "you will find that I am
no despicable cavalier when once I am in the saddle."

The party were soon mounted and cantering across the downs in the
direction of the struggling ship. Mr Finlayson was much less
acquainted with nautical affairs than were his fair companions, st