other time," answered the Captain.
"You may be sure I didn't die, at any rate, whatever may have happened
to the boy; but just now I can tell you no more, for look there at that
cloud coming up out of the sea, appearing, for all the world, as if it
meant to pipe a squall after us, by and by; and now, with your leave,
we'll slip home while the play's good. So here goes. Up anchor."

"Ay, ay, sir," answered William, as he jumped forward very unnecessarily
to help Main Brace, to whom the order to "up anchor" was given.

"Halloo!" cried the Captain. "Turned sailor already, eh?"

While Main Brace and William were getting in the anchor, the Captain was
stowing away the awning, and then, the yacht being free, he spread the
sails, and with his helm brought her to the wind; and there being now a
lively breeze, the party were not long in crossing over to the Captain's
anchoring-ground, where he turned so as to stop her as he had done
before, and then cried out, "Stand by to let go the anchor," to which
William answered, "Ay, ay, sir!" and when the boat had stopped, the
Captain cried out again, "Let go," and William answered, "Ay, ay!"
again, and let it go. Then, as soon as the Captain had secured his yacht
and stowed away the sails, the whole party hurried ashore, and up the
path to the Captain's cottage, for already great drops of rain were
beginning to patter on the leaves, and the roaring wind was heard among
the forest trees, giving the first warning cry of a coming shower.

CHAPTER VII.

In which the Reader will discover, as the Little People
did, how a Life was saved, and a Life was Begun.

The Captain and his little friends had barely reached the cottage when
the storm came down in earnest. The tall trees bowed their heads beneath
the heavy blasts of wind, which shook them to their very roots, and the
music of the rustling and sighing leaves was heard until the sounds were
drowned by the fierce, dashing rain.

"Now this is a regular blow-hard, and no mistake," exclaimed the
Captain, as the party stood in the doorway watching the bending trees
and the clouds that rushed so wildly overhead. "Good thing we picked up
our anchor when we did, or just as like as not we should have had to lie
there all night."

"Why, we couldn't have stayed there in such a storm, could we, Captain
Hardy?" said Fred, inquiringly.

"To be sure we could," replied the Captain, "and snug enough too. Yes,
indeed, the little _Alice_ wo