.

A heavy gale was blowing, which shook the windows of the little
drawing-room in which Mrs Graybrook and her daughter Hannah were seated
at their work.

Their cottage was situated close to the sea on the north coast of Wales,
so that from it, on a clear day, many a tall ship bound for Liverpool,
or sailing from that port, could be seen through the telescope which
stood ever ready pointed across the water.

A lamp burning on the table, for it was night, shed its light on the
comely features and matronly figure of the elder lady, as she busily
plied her needle, while it showed that those of Hannah, a fair and
interesting-looking girl just growing into womanhood, were unusually
pale. Every now and then she unconsciously let her work drop on her lap
while, with her eyes turned towards the window and lips apart, she
seemed to be listening for some sound which her mother's ear had not
noticed.

A glance into the little room might have shown why both mother and
daughter should feel anxious when tempests were raging and the sea was
tossing with angry waves.

The mantel-piece was ornamented with some beautiful branches of coral,
several large and rare shells, and two horns of the narwhal, or
sea-unicorn, fixed against the wall, and above it was the picture of a
ship under all sail, with boats hoisted up along her sides, and flags
flying at her mastheads and peak. On the top of a bookcase stood the
perfect model of a vessel; another part of the wall was adorned with
Indian bows and spears and clubs, arranged in symmetrical order; while
one side of the room was hung with pictures, in which boats in chase of
the mighty monsters of the deep formed the chief subjects, or which
represented scenes on the coasts of far-distant lands.

Hannah had more than once risen and gone to the window, across which--
for the weather was still warm--the curtain had only partially been
drawn.

Another fierce blast shook the whole house.

"Oh, mother, what a dreadful night it is!" she exclaimed, at length. "I
fancied I heard the sound of a distant gun; it must come from some ship
in distress. What can she do if embayed off our shore in this terrific
gale?"

Mrs Graybrook looked up from her work.

"I was thinking, my child, how thankful we should be that the
_Steadfast_ has long ago been far away from this. Your father and Harry
are enjoying, I hope, smooth seas and gentle breezes, and may such, I
pray, follow them wherever they go.