at I want is the fun of seeing the other parties breaking their
necks to rescue it. If it's washed away they'll think the real article
has disappeared, and then we'll see what next! Let's take one more look
at the surf and then go back."

They peered out for a moment into the awe-inspiring blackness where an
angry ocean was eating into the beach. Then, battling back against the
wind, they returned to the house. Ted, having ascertained that there was
no further service he could render, suggested that he had better go back
and help his father stop a leak in the roof of Fisherman's Luck, which
had suddenly proved unseaworthy.

"I'm so glad Phyllis will be with us to-night," Miss Marcia told him,
"for I'm very little company for Leslie at a time like this. I get so
nervous that I have to take a sedative the doctor has given me for
emergencies, and that generally puts me pretty soundly to sleep."

They sat about the open fire after Ted had gone, listening to the
commotion of the elements outside and talking fitfully. Every few moments
Miss Marcia would rise, go to the window, and peer out nervously into the
darkness. Once the telephone-bell rang and every one jumped. Leslie
hurried to answer it.

"Oh, it's Aunt Sally Blake!" she exclaimed. "She wants to know how we all
are and if we happen to have seen anything of Eileen. She was at the
hospital all the afternoon, but she hasn't returned. Aunt Sally 'phoned
the hospital, but they said Miss Ramsay had left three hours ago. She's
terribly worried about her--thinks she may have had an accident in this
storm. She thought it just possible Eileen might have come on out here. I
said no, but would call her up later and see if she'd had news."

This latest turn of affairs added in no wise to Miss Marcia's peace of
mind. "Why don't you take your powder now, Aunt Marcia, and go to bed,"
Leslie suggested at last. "It's only worrying you to sit up and watch
this. There's no danger, and you might as well go peacefully to sleep and
forget it. Phyllis and I will stay up quite a while yet, and if there's
any reason for it, we will wake you."

Miss Marcia herself thought well of the plan and was soon in bed, and,
having taken her sleeping-powder, the good lady was shortly fast and
dreamlessly asleep, much to the relief of the girls.

"And now let's go into your room and watch," whispered Phyllis. "I'm just
as certain as I can be that something is going to happen to-night!"

They arran