surprise, too; for James said that while I should find everything very
comfortable, I must not expect that a small yacht would be got up like a
palace."

So a fortnight had passed; they had cruised along the coast as far as
Plymouth, anchoring at night at the various ports on the way. Then they
had returned to Southampton, and it had been settled that as none of the
party, with the exception of Virtue himself, had been to the Channel
Islands, the last fortnight of the trip should be spent there. The
weather had been delightful, save that there had been some deficiency in
wind, and throughout the cruise the _Seabird_ had been under all the
sail she could spread. But when the gentlemen came on deck early in the
morning a considerable change had taken place; the sky was gray and the
clouds flying fast overhead.

"We are going to have dirty weather," Tom Virtue said at once. "I don't
think it's going to be a gale, but there will be more sea on than will
be pleasant for ladies. I tell you what, Grantham; the best thing will
be for you to go on shore with the two ladies, and cross by the boat
to-night. If you don't mind going directly after breakfast I will start
at once, and shall be at St. Helier's as soon as you are."

And so it had been agreed, but not, as has been seen, without opposition
and protest on the part of the ladies.

Mrs. Grantham's chief reason for objecting had not been given. The
little scheme on which she had set her mind seemed to be working
satisfactorily. From the first day Tom Virtue had exerted himself to
play the part of host satisfactorily, and had ere long shaken off any
shyness he may have felt towards the one stranger of the party, and he
and Miss Graham had speedily got on friendly terms. So things were going
on as well as Mrs. Grantham could have expected.

No sooner had his guests left the side of the yacht than her owner began
to make his preparations for a start.

"What do you think of the weather, Watkins?" he asked his skipper.

"It's going to blow hard, sir; that's my view of it, and if I was you I
shouldn't up anchor to-day. Still, it's just as you likes; the _Seabird_
won't mind it if we don't. She has had a rough time of it before now;
still, it will be a case of wet jackets, and no mistake."

"Yes, I expect we shall have a rough time of it, Watkins, but I want to
get across. We don't often let ourselves be weather-bound, and I am not
going to begin it to-day. We had better hou