oing to have a storm," he went on as the
girls looked anxiously up at the sky, "but you can see for yourselves
that there is a change since yesterday. The wind has dropped and the sky
is dull and hazy, the sea looks sullen, the bright little waves we were
accustomed to are all gone, and as you see by the motion of the vessel
there is an underground swell, though we can scarcely notice it on the
water."

"Which way do you think the wind will come from, Mr. Atherton?" Mary
Mitford asked.

"I fancy it will come from the west, or perhaps north-west. Look at
those light streaks of cloud high up in the air; they are travelling to
the southeast."

"Look how fast they are going," Mary Mitford said as she looked up, "and
we have not a breath of wind here."

"We shall have it soon," Mr. Atherton said. "You see that dark line on
the water coming up from the west. I am glad to see it. It is very much
better to have the wind freshen up gradually to a gale than to lie
becalmed until it strikes you suddenly."

The girls stood at the poop-rail watching the sailors engaged in putting
lashings on to every movable object on deck. In ten minutes the dark
line came up to them, and the _Flying Scud_ began to move through the
water. The courses were brailed up and stowed. The wind rapidly
increased in strength, and the captain presently requested the
passengers to go below, or at any rate to give up their seats.

"There is nothing like having the deck cleared," he said. "If it comes
on to blow a bit and there is any movement, the chairs would be charging
about from side to side, and will not only break themselves up, but
perhaps break someone's leg."

Four sailors folded up the chairs, piled them together, and passing
cords over them lashed them to two ring-bolts.

"Now, Mr. Ryan, we will get the topsails reefed at once. There is a
heavy bank there to windward, and we had best get everything as snug as
possible before that comes up to us."

The dark bank of mist rose rapidly, and the sailors had but just
reached the deck after closely reefing the topsails before it was close
upon them.

"Now, ladies, please go below," the captain said sharply. "There is rain
as well as wind in the clouds; it will come down in bucketfuls when it
does come."

This had the desired effect of sending most of the male passengers down
as well as the ladies. A few remained near the companion ready to make a
dive below when the squall struck them. Sudde