His trusty barometer, that had stood
so steady for fine settled weather for days, was now acting in a most
erratic manner. A change of some kind was evident, and so Sam and the
children did not venture out. Still, as the sky was cloudless and the
blue waters of the island-studded lake looked so peaceful and quiet, he
did not prevent Frank and Alec, with the young ladies, from venturing
out, but gave them some words of caution and then let the happy
canoeists embark, and saw them strike out in unison as away they glided
over the little sun-kissed waves. For a little while the music of their
laughter and song fell on the ears of those who had gone to see them
off. When they had disappeared among the beautiful fir-clad islands the
spectators returned to the house, and were soon busy in their various
duties.

Crash! Boom! What is that?

Too well was it known by Mr Ross and those who had lived in that land.
It was a dreadful thunderbolt, the precursor of the fierce cyclone, the
sudden storm that is coming upon them at the rate of something near a
hundred miles an hour. Worst of all, four young people are out in it,
in a couple of frail canoes, and who can tell what may happen to them
when in its full fury it bursts upon them?

And how fares it with the young folks about whom there is now naturally
so much anxiety at Sagasta-weekee? With laughter and song we saw them
dash away, as under their skillful strokes their light canoes, like sea
birds, glided along over the peaceful waters. Now, drenched and half
dazed by the blinding glare of the terrific storm, they are battling for
life in a very maelstrom of waters. Suddenly had the storm struck them.
They had remarked the strange actions and the frightened cries of the
birds, that all seemed hurrying in one direction. Then they had
observed the dead calm that had settled down on everything. Even the
aspen leaves on the trees, on the islands along which they glided, for
once were ominously still. Every wavelet on the waters hushed itself
asleep, and the whole surface of the lake was as a sea of polished
glass.

Rachel was the first to take alarm from this deadly calm, and she
exclaimed:

"This is unnatural, and means danger. Let us return at once."

Quickly they turned their canoes, and now only a few yards apart they
began the race before the coming storm, although as yet it had not
revealed itself. The first intimation they had of its approach was the
ra