arometer," replied Bax, bitterly.

The missionary looked surprised, and Guy Foster bit his lip, for he felt
that this piece of false economy was a blot on the firm to which he
belonged. In order to change the subject, he inquired for Lucy, who,
since the time of her rescue, had remained in bed.

"My daughter does well, thanks be to God!" said Burton. "I think that
no evil will flow from her accident, for she was but a short time in the
water; thanks to _you_, friend Bax."

"And to my 'prentice, Tommy Bogey," said Bax, with an arch smile which
was peculiar to him when he felt humorously disposed.

The smile fled, however, and was replaced by an anxious look, as Tommy
himself came aft and reported that the schooner had sprung a leak.

Bax instantly went below, and returned with the assurance that the leak
was trifling.

"The `Nancy' is a sorry old hulk," said he, "but half an hour more on
this tack, and I'll 'bout ship and run for the Downs, where we will be
comparatively safe."

The gale had by this time increased so much that the little craft lay
over with her lee bulwarks almost under water at times.

Little fear would her gallant commander have felt had she been tight,
and trim and sound; but he knew that her rigging was old, and one of her
masts unsound, and he felt that the best seamanship could be of no avail
whatever against her numerous defects. His experienced eye told him
that a storm of no ordinary severity was coming, and he trembled for the
life of the young girl who had been so unexpectedly placed under his
care.

Had the dangers attendant upon an unseaworthy vessel and the difficulty
of navigating the channels of these celebrated Sands, been all that Bax
had to fear, he would have felt comparatively at ease; but the
economical spirit of Denham, Crumps, and Company had supplied him with
anchors and chains which he feared were neither new enough nor
sufficiently powerful to hold his vessel after she had gained her
anchorage-ground. In these circumstances, he resolved to run for the
shelter of Ramsgate Harbour.

Before he could carry out his intentions the wind chopped round to the
north, and for some time blew so hard as to threaten the capsizing of
the schooner. The cross sea also rendered her almost unmanageable, so
that, ere long, she was driven to leeward of the outer lightship that
marks the north end of the Goodwins.

Again the wind shifted a few points to the eastward, and soon the