er that the cry of dismay went
up now, for Nott's Point was black, with a lurid light overhead, and
the roar of the grim southeast wind came ominously over the water.

La Juanita clasped her hands and strained her eyes for her namesake.
The racers had rounded the second stake-boat, and the course of the
triangle headed them directly for the lurid cloud.

You should have seen Grandpere Colomes then. He danced up and down the
pier in a perfect frenzy. The thin pale lips of Madame Alvarez moved
in a silent prayer; La Juanita stood coldly silent.

And now you could see that the advance guard of the southeast force had
struck the little fleet. They dipped and scurried and rocked, and you
could see the sails being reefed hurriedly, and almost hear the rigging
creak and moan under the strain. Then the wind came up the lake, and
struck the town with a tumultuous force. The waters rose and heaved in
the long, sullen ground-swell, which betokened serious trouble. There
was a rush of lake-craft to shelter. Heavy gray waves boomed against
the breakwaters and piers, dashing their brackish spray upon the
strained watchers; then with a shriek and a howl the storm burst full,
with blinding sheets of rain, and a great hurricane of Gulf wind that
threatened to blow the little town away.

La Juanita was proud. When Grandpere and Madame led her away in the
storm, though her face was white, and the rose mouth pressed close, not
a word did she say, and her eyes were as bright as ever before. It was
foolish to hope that the frail boats could survive such a storm. There
was not even the merest excuse for shelter out in the waters, and when
Lake Pontchartrain grows angry, it devours without pity.

Your tropical storm is soon over, however, and in an hour the sun
struggled through a gray and misty sky, over which the wind was
sweeping great clouds. The rain-drops hung diamond-like on the thick
foliage, but the long ground-swell still boomed against the breakwaters
and showed white teeth, far to the south.

As chickens creep from under shelter after a rain, so the people of
Mandeville crept out again on the piers, on the bath-houses, on the
breakwater edge, and watched eagerly for the boats. Slowly upon the
horizon appeared white sails, and the little craft swung into sight.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, counted
Mandeville. Every one coming in! Bravo! And a great cheer that swept
the whole length of th