s you expect.'

'Ah, you expect wind, Captain Trevor?' Mr. Hardy said. 'I have been
thinking myself that the almost oppressive stillness of to-day, and the
look of the sunset, and these black clouds banking up in the south-west,
meant a change. What does the glass say?'

'It is falling very rapidly,' the captain answered. 'We are in for a
sou'-wester, and a stiff one too, or I am mistaken.'

Now that it appeared likely that their wishes were about to be
gratified, the young Hardys did not seem so pleased as they had
expected, although Charley still declared manfully that he was quite in
earnest, and that he did wish to see a real storm at sea.

As the sun set, the party still leaned against the bulwarks watching it,
and the great bank of clouds, which seemed every moment to be rising
higher and higher. There was still nearly a dead calm around them, and
the heavy beat of the paddles, as they lashed the water into foam, and
the dull thud of the engine, were the only sounds that broke the
stillness. Now and then, however, a short puff of wind ruffled the
water, and then died away again.

'Look at that great cloud, papa,' Hubert said; 'it almost looks as if it
were alive.'

'Yes, Hubert, it is very grand; and there is no doubt about there being
wind there.'

The great cloud bank appeared to be in constant motion. Its shape was
incessantly shifting and changing; now a great mass would roll upwards,
now sink down again; now the whole body would seem to roll over and over
upon itself; then small portions would break off from the mass, and sail
off by themselves, getting thinner and thinner, and disappearing at last
in the shape of fine streamers. Momentarily the whole of the heaving,
swelling mass rose higher and higher. It was very grand, but it was a
terrible grandeur; and the others were quite inclined to agree with
Ethel, who shrank close to her father, and put her hand in his, saying,
'I don't like that cloud, papa; it frightens me.'

At this moment Mrs. Hardy, who had been down below arranging her cabin,
came up to the group. 'What a dark cloud, Frank; and how it moves! Are
we going to have a storm, do you think?'

'Well, Clara, I think that we are in for a gale; and if you will take my
advice, you will go down at once while it is calm, and see that the
trunks, and everything that can roll about, are securely fastened up. I
will come down and help you. Boys, you had better go down and see that
everything is s