gan to heave restlessly in
waves, which curled over as they met the breeze, and covered the sea
with little white breakers. There was an uncanny sort of moan about the
wind as it swept down the hollows of the rocks, and even the seagulls,
as they skimmed past us on the surface of the now sombre water, seemed
uncomfortable.

However, the sea was not rough, and though the sun happened to be hidden
from us, we could see it shining brightly away in the direction of
Parkhurst. The wind, too, though stronger than it had been in the
morning, was still not violent, and we had little doubt of making as
quick, if not a quicker passage back than we had already made.

So, although in our secret hearts each one of us would perhaps have
preferred the weather of the earlier part of the day to have continued,
we did not let our uneasiness appear to our fellows, or allow it to
interfere with our show of good spirits.

"I tell you what," said Charlie, laughing, as we came down to our boat,
"it would be a real spree to have a little rough water going back, just
for the fun of seeing old Hutton seasick."

"I shall be very pleased to give you some amusement," replied Hutton;
"and perhaps Adams will assist, for I saw him looking anxiously over the
bows once or twice as we were coming."

"So did I," said Charlie; "he must have seen a ghost in the water, for
he looked awfully pale."

"Shut up, you fellows," cried I, who was notoriously a bad sailor, and
easily disturbed by a rough sea; "perhaps we shall all--"

"I say," called out Hall from the boat, where he was busy tying up a
reef in our sail, "I wish you fellows would lend a hand here, instead of
standing and chaffing there."

We obeyed with alacrity, and very soon had our boat ready for starting.

"Now, Adams and Hutton, take the oars, will you? and pull her out of
this creek: we had better not hoist our sail till we are clear of these
rocks."

As we emerged from our little harbour the boat "lumped" heavily over the
waves that broke upon the rocks, and we had a hard pull to get her clear
of these and turn her with her stern to Shargle.

"Now stand by," shouted Hall.

We shipped our oars, and in a moment the sail, shortened by one reef,
was hauled up, and the boat began to scud swiftly forward.

"You'll have to sit right over, you two," said Hall to Hutton and me,
"to keep her trim. Look sharp about it!"

As he spoke a gust took the sail, and caused the boat to heel ove