to be in the fresh air and cheerful sunshine again.

Madeleine watched her opportunity, and when she saw Eric alone in the
fore part of the boat, she quietly disengaged herself from the rest of
the party, and, sitting down beside him, said: "Eric, I believe you
have seen some great sorrow, though you are so young."

"I was only twenty-two last birthday, Miss, but I have had sorrow
enough."

"Would it pain you to tell me your story?" she said.

"No, Miss, it may do me good to tell it. It is a short and sad one. Two
years ago my two brothers, Robbie and Gideon, both younger than I am,
went away from here on a whaling expedition. There was a fine crew of
fifty, half of them Shetlanders and the rest English. There were one or
two gentlemen's sons amongst the crew, and as nice a set of fellows
altogether as a seaman could wish. They set sail in good spirits, and
it was from the headland yonder that we heard their cheers, as they
sailed out on their whaling expedition. From that day to this no word
has come of them, and we fear that all are lost. It has been a heavy
blow to us. When they went away it seemed as if the light had gone out
of the old home, for they were young and merry and clever. The long
waiting to hear from them has been as bad as the fear that they have
perished."

"God comfort you, Eric," said Madeleine, tenderly, as she wiped away
her tears. "God comfort you. No words of mine can help to heal this
wound."

"Thank you, Miss," said Eric. "I see you feel for us, and that
helps--better than words, sometimes."

CHAPTER X.

IN THE STORM.

The next morning, as Howard and Martin were coming up from the beach,
where they had been taking a swim, they saw Maurice and Eric standing
on the edge of a cliff looking out seaward, and they had not walked far
before Eric came hastily toward them.

"You've never seen a Shetland storm, young gentlemen," he said, "but
you may see one to-day and to-morrow, too, for I doubt if you will get
away from here as soon as you expected. I see the ladies coming out; it
might be well to go and tell them."

"Come along, Madeleine! Hurry, Ethel!" cried Martin; "you will soon see
the sight we have longed for--a storm at sea. Eric says there is one
brewing."

The ladies looked incredulous, and Mr. Morton put on his double
eye-glasses, and looked around with the air of one who more than half
suspects he is being taken in.

It was a still, lovely summer morning. The sea wa