there have been now for some days past. Dear little souls, I quite feel
for the young people, Madam."

_Mother._--"But, captain, is it likely to be a bad storm, or will there
be any danger?"

_Capt._--"You are all such good sailors that I am not at all afraid of
telling you the truth. Indeed," looking smilingly on the surrounding
faces, "I am thinking some of you will be glad to hear we are likely to
have a hurricane!"

The babble on this announcement was tremendous. Gatty and Felix shook
hands on the spot, and congratulated each other on the probable
fulfilment of their secret wishes. Madame turned deadly pale, and sunk
into a seat. My cousin tossed up her head, and said "anything is better
than this confounded heat." I trembled; the two little girls clasped
each other's hands half in fear, half in excitement; Sybil and Serena
both looked pleased; and Oscar besought me to allow him to be on deck
the whole time, that he might see the hurricane.

_Capt._ (seeing my alarm).--"You may be sure, Madam, I would not joke if
I thought there was any danger. I have been in Chinese typhoons,
hurricanes in the Tropics, and storms in the Atlantic, where one would
imagine heaven and earth were coming together, and under the blessing of
God" (here our captain bowed his head) "I apprehend nothing, Madam, but
what care and skill can overcome."

_Mother._--"But your face expressed great concern when you looked at the
barometer; and, besides, you mentioned the heat and calm as greater than
you ever before experienced."

_Capt._ (half hesitating).--"That is true, Madam, but I am such an ass,
I cannot hide the impulse of the moment."

_Mother._--"But, tell me, is this the impulse of the moment? Do you not
fear a more than ordinary severe hurricane? Remember, you have praised
us so much for being such good sailors, and so obedient to orders, that
you must put us to the proof; and the more you take us into your
confidence, the more well-behaved you will find us."

A number of voices, "Yes do, dear captain, tell us everything. Are we
going to have a grand storm? Will there be ice and snow? Shall we have
thunder and lightning? Will the waves be one hundred feet high? Do you
think the masts will be blown away? Tell us that it will be a
magnificent storm, whatever you do," said Gatty, winding up the noise.

_Capt._ (very much perplexed and anxiously).--"Dear little souls. Ma'am,
it does my heart good to hear them. They ought all to have