g was bright, and tipped
with the golden light of the morning of life. All the world lay before
us, and the unknown and untried future seemed to beckon us onward, and
we were only too eager to follow and see what it had in store.

"It was during one of these visits paid to our uncle, and near to its
close, that we lost 'our Ned.' The weather had been unusually fine
for September, the sun had been hot and bright, and the sky cloudless.
Week after week had glided by, and there had been no rain, or cloud;
things inland began to look brown and scorched, while the ground
showed great gaps and fissures, as though the earth were thirsty, and
was opening its mouth for water. But for a visit to the sea coast the
weather could not have been more suitable, at least so Ned and I
thought. We had but a week longer to stay, when, one evening, the
weather gave unmistakable signs of a change. 'There will be a storm
to-night,' said the fishermen, as they hauled their boats up high and
dry upon the beach beyond reach of the sea. The sea-gulls flew
screaming hither and thither; the wind began a low moaning wail, as of
pain, because of the fury gathering within its bosom, and the sea fell
with a sullen kind of roar upon the sands, while the clouds gathered
darker and blacker along the horizon, presently spreading in thick
heavy masses over the face of the sky.

"About six the storm burst in all its fury. I had never witnessed such
an one before, and trembled with apprehension as I heard the frantic
howling of the wind, and the fearful roaring of the sea, which
gathered itself up in mighty waves and dashed against the tall cliffs
as if with the intention of washing the whole earth away, added to
which the thunder pealed over head, and the livid lightning gleamed
and flashed round the sky. 'What a night!' cried our mother. 'God have
mercy on our poor men at sea!'

"Ned and myself could not rest in the house; we felt we must be out
battling with the storm, and out we accordingly went. It was hard work
to keep our feet, the force of the wind was such that, two or three
times we were compelled to hold by each other to prevent ourselves
from being blown down. As we made our way slowly to the beach, we
became aware that something of interest was occurring, for we noticed
a cluster of men making frantic gestures, and pointing eagerly
seaward. Following with our eyes the direction their hands indicated,
we were startled by seeing a large vessel d