that long, hanging, pear-shaped end!"

"I wonder if the folks at the house see it!" Link exclaimed, growing
excited. "It looks like an elephant's trunk! By sixty, it's growing!"

"It's moving this way," said Jack. "Fast, too! and roaring,--hear it?
There's an awful storm coming!"

"Oh!" cried Link, "see the lightning-forks! It will be here in a jiffy."

The "elephant's trunk," which had seemed to be feeling its way up the
valley, now swung toward the line of timber; the roar which accompanied
it became deafening; and suddenly the cloud, and all the air about it,
seemed filled with whirling and flying objects, like the broken boughs
and limbs of trees. It was like some living monster, vast, supernatural,
rushing through the sky, and tearing and trampling the earth with fury.
The mysterious swinging movement, the uproar, the gloom, the lightnings,
were appalling. And now Lion set up a fearful, ominous howl.

"A whirlwind!" Jack exclaimed, shrieking to make himself heard. "I must
go to my horse."

"Let's put for the house!" Link yelled.

But hardly had they reached the road when the storm was upon them.

Shortly after Jack and Link had left the table, Lord Betterson gave
Rufus a small key, and told him to bring a certain pocket-book from the
till of the family chest in the next room.

"We will have our friend's eighty dollars ready for him, against his
return," Lord said; and, counting out the money, he placed it under the
pocket-book, beside his plate.

Rufe and Wad were now ready to go and help Jack search for his compass;
but a discussion which had been going on at intervals, ever since the
draft came, was now renewed, and they stopped to take part in it.

"If I am going to get out to Divine service again, I _must_ have a silk
dress," said Caroline. "And, Mr. Betterson, _you_ need a new suit; and
you know--we all know--nothing becomes you but broadcloth, and the
finest broadcloth. What do you think, Lavinia dear?"

"I am sure broadcloth is becoming to him," Vinnie replied quietly. "And
I should like to see you come out in silk. And Cecie and Lilian need new
things. But--how much of the two hundred and fifty dollars is left, Mr.
Betterson?"

"Deducting Radcliff's share, one hundred and twenty odd dollars," said
Lord, touching the pocket-book by his plate.

"One hundred and twenty dollars will go but a little way, in a family
where so many things are absolutely needed!" said Vinnie. "It seems to
me I shou