the clouds were flying past overhead. Everything portended a severe
gale.

Finding, at Mrs. Walsham's, that James was down on the beach, he
continued his course until he joined him there. James was standing with
a group of fishermen, who were looking seaward. Now that he was exposed
to the full force of the wind, Mr. Wilks felt that, not only was it
going to blow a gale, but that it was blowing one already. The heavy
clouds on the horizon seemed to lie upon the water, the waves were
breaking with great force upon the beach, and the fishermen had hauled
their boats up across the road.

"It's blowing hard, Jim," he said, laying his hand on the young
fellow's shoulder.

"It is blowing hard, and it will blow a great deal harder before
nightfall. The fishermen all think it is going to be an exceptional
gale. It is blowing dead on shore. It will be bad work for any ships
that happen to be coming up Channel today. Eight or ten of our boats
are out. We thought we had made out three of them just before you came,
but the cloud closed down on them. The fishermen are just going to get
lifelines ready. I am afraid we are going to have a terrible night of
it."

"I came down to ask you if you will come up to lunch, Jim, but I
suppose you will not be able to tear yourself away from here."

"I shouldn't like to leave now, indeed. There is no saying what may
happen. Besides, so many of the fishermen are away, that I may be
useful here if a vessel comes ashore, and there may be half a dozen
before the morning. Every hand will be wanted to give assistance."

"But you could not get a boat out through those breakers, could you,
Jim?"

"Yes," Jim replied, "we might get one of the big boats through it now;
but it's going to be worse, presently. When I went out, last year, with
a boat to the brig which was driven ashore, it was worse than this.

"I shall be very glad to come up tomorrow, if you will let me. I hear
that fellow Horton went away last week."

"Yes, he went away, Jim. But why his being there should have kept you
from going up is beyond me."

"I don't like the fellow, Mr. Wilks. He may mean very well, but I don't
like him. I have been in one row about him with the squire, and I don't
want another; but I am quite sure, if I had gone up much while he was
there, it would have ended in my trying to punch his head again."

"In that case, perhaps," the old soldier said, smiling, "you were wise
to stay away, Jim. I don't like