se.

Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore, the only ones they found there, the others being
all down on the beach, fell readily into the plan; the book and the work
were brought out, and the reading began.

It was a good, well-told story, and even Zoe presently became thoroughly
interested.

Down on the beach Violet and the captain sat together in the sand, he
searching sea and sky with a spyglass.

She noticed a look of anxiety creeping over his face.

"What is it, Levis?" she asked.

"I fear there is a heavy storm coming," he said. "I wish with all my
heart the Edna was in. But I trust they have been wise enough not to put
out to sea and are safe in harbor some where."

"I hope so, indeed," she responded, fervently, "for we have much
precious freight aboard of her. But the sky does not look very
threatening to me, Levis."

"Does it not? I wish I could say the same. But, little wife, are you
weatherwise or otherwise?" he asked, laughingly.

"Not wise in any way except as I may lay claim to the wisdom of my other
half," she returned, adopting his sportive tone.

"Ah," she exclaimed the next moment, "I, too, begin to see some
indications of a storm; it is growing very dark yonder in the
northeast!"

Betty came hurrying up, panting and frightened. "O captain, be a dear,
good man, and say you don't think we are to have a storm
directly--before Bob and the rest get safe to shore!"

"I should be glad to oblige you, Betty," he said, "but I cannot say
that; and what would it avail if I did? Could my opinion stay the
storm?"

"Zoe will be frightened to death about Edward," she said, turning her
face seaward again as she spoke, and gazing with tear-dimmed eyes at the
black, threatening cloud fast spreading from horizon to zenith, "and
I--oh, Bob is nearer to me than any other creature on earth!"

"Let us hope for the best, Betty," the captain said, kindly; "it is
quite possible, perhaps I might say probable, that the Edna is now lying
at anchor in some safe harbor, and will stay there till this storm is
over."

"Oh, thank you for telling me that!" she cried. "I'll just try to
believe it is so and not fret, though it would pretty nearly kill me if
anything should happen to Bob. Still, it will do no good to fret."

"Prayer would do far more," said Violet, softly--"prayer to Him whom
even the winds and the sea obey. But isn't it time to go in, Levis? the
storm seems to be coming up so very fast."

"Yes," he said, rising and