ll be bound. Good-night t'ye, friend, and better
luck next time."

A loud laugh greeted the ears of the discomfited warder as the crews of
the boats dipped their oars in the water and pulled towards, their
respective ships.

Next morning, about daybreak, little Alice Dunning came on board her
father's ship, accompanied by her two aunts, who, for once, became
utterly and publicly regardless of appearances and contemptuous of all
propriety, as they sobbed on the child's neck and positively refused to
be comforted.

Just as the sun rose, and edged the horizon with a gleam of liquid fire,
the _Red Eric_ spread her sails and stood out to sea.

CHAPTER FIVE.

DAY DREAMS AND ADVENTURES AMONG THE CLOUDS--A CHASE, A BATTLE, AND A
VICTORY.

Early morning on the ocean! There is poetry in the idea; there is music
in the very sound. As there is nothing new under the sun, probably a
song exists with this or a similar title; if not, we now recommend it
earnestly to musicians.

Ailie Dunning sat on the bulwarks of the _Red Eric_, holding on tightly
by the mizzen-shrouds, and gazing in open-eyed, open-mouthed,
inexpressible delight upon the bright calm sea. She was far, far out
upon the bosom of the Atlantic now. Sea-sickness--which during the
first part of the voyage, had changed the warm pink of her pretty face
into every imaginable shade of green--was gone, and the hue of health
could not now be banished even by the rudest storm. In short, she had
become a thorough sailor, and took special delight in turning her face
to windward during the wild storm, and drinking-in the howling blast as
she held on by the rigid shrouds, and laughed at the dashing spray--for
little Ailie was not easily frightened. Martha and Jane Dunning had
made it their first care to implant in the heart of their charge a
knowledge of our Saviour's love, and especially of His tenderness
towards, and watchful care over, the lambs of His flock. Besides this,
little Ailie was naturally of a trustful disposition. She had implicit
confidence in the strength and wisdom of her father, and it never
entered into her imagination to dream that it was possible for any evil
to befall the ship which _he_ commanded.

But, although Ailie delighted in the storm, she infinitely preferred the
tranquil beauty and rest of a "great calm," especially at the hour just
before sunrise, when the freshness, brightness, and lightness of the
young day harmonised peculiar