helping her to get on her feet. "Where are
the children?"

"Yonder," said Betty, nodding in their direction. "I'll tell them--shall
I?"

"No, thank you; you and Violet hurry on to the house as fast as you can;
I will call the children, follow with them, and probably overtake you in
time to help you up the stairs."

Before they were all safely housed, the wind had come down upon them and
was blowing almost a gale. It was with considerable difficulty the
captain succeeded in getting them all up the long steep flights of
stairs by which they must reach the top of the cliff.

About the time they started for the house the party on the veranda
became aware that a storm was rising.

Zoe saw it first, and dropped her work in her lap with the cry, "Oh, I
knew it would be so! I just knew it! A dreadful storm is coming, and the
Edna will be wrecked, and Edward will drown. I shall never see him
again!"

The others were too much startled and alarmed at the moment to notice
her wild words or make any reply. They all rose and hurried into the
house, and Mr. Dinsmore began closing windows and doors.

"The children, papa!" cried Elsie; "they must be down on the beach,
and--"

"The captain is with them, and I will go to their assistance," he
replied, before she could finish her sentence.

He rushed out as he spoke, to return the next moment with Walter in his
arms and the rest closely following.

"These are all safe, and for the others I must trust the Lord," Elsie
said softly to herself as her father set Walter down, and she drew the
child to her side.

But her cheek was very pale, and her lips trembled as she pressed them
to the little fellow's forehead.

He looked up wonderingly. "Mamma, what is the matter? You're not afraid
of wind and thunder?"

"No, dear; but I fear for your brothers out on this stormy sea," she
whispered in his ear. "Pray for them, darling, that if God will, they
may reach home in safety."

"Yes, mamma, I will; and I believe He'll bring them. Is it 'cause Ned's
in the ship Zoe's crying so?"

"Yes; I must try to comfort her." And putting him gently aside, Elsie
went to her young daughter-in-law, who had thrown herself upon a couch,
and with her head pillowed on its arm, her face hidden in her hands, was
weeping and sobbing as if her heart would break.

"Zoe, love," Elsie said, kneeling at her side and putting her arms about
her, "do not despair. 'Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that