himself, had been to the Channel
Islands, the last fortnight of the trip should be spent there. The
weather had been delightful, save that there had been some deficiency in
wind, and throughout the cruise the Seabird had been under all the
sail she could spread. But when the gentlemen came on deck early in the
morning a considerable change had taken place; the sky was gray and the
clouds flying fast overhead.

"We are going to have dirty weather," Tom Virtue said at once. "I don't
think it's going to be a gale, but there will be more sea on than will
be pleasant for ladies. I tell you what, Grantham; the best thing will
be for you to go on shore with the two ladies, and cross by the boat
tonight. If you don't mind going directly after breakfast I will start
at once, and shall be at St. Helier's as soon as you are."

And so it had been agreed, but not, as has been seen, without opposition
and protest on the part of the ladies.

Mrs. Grantham's chief reason for objecting had not been given. The
little scheme on which she had set her mind seemed to be working
satisfactorily. From the first day Tom Virtue had exerted himself to
play the part of host satisfactorily, and had ere long shaken off any
shyness he may have felt towards the one stranger of the party, and he
and Miss Graham had speedily got on friendly terms. So things were going
on as well as Mrs. Grantham could have expected.

No sooner had his guests left the side of the yacht than her owner began
to make his preparations for a start.

"What do you think of the weather, Watkins?" he asked his skipper.

"It's going to blow hard, sir; that's my view of it, and if I was you
I shouldn't up anchor today. Still, it's just as you likes; the Seabird
won't mind it if we don't. She has had a rough time of it before now;
still, it will be a case of wet jackets, and no mistake."

"Yes, I expect we shall have a rough time of it, Watkins, but I want to
get across. We don't often let ourselves be weather bound, and I am not
going to begin it today. We had better house the topmast at once, and
get two reefs in the mainsail. We can get the other down when we get
clear of the island. Get number three jib up, and the leg of mutton
mizzen; put two reefs in the foresail."

Tom and his friend Harvey, who was a good sailor, assisted the crew in
reefing down the sails, and a few minutes after the gig had returned and
been hoisted in, the yawl was running rapidly down Southampto