loud curtain was a cold, slaty blue, from
whence, as the eye travelled down its expanse toward the north-western
horizon, the hue became darker until where it met the water it was as
black as night; while, underneath it, the sea undulated restlessly, with
the writhings of an angry serpent, showing a surface as lustreless and
of the same colour as molten lead. Low down in the bosom of the cloud
could be seen occasional palpitating quiverings, as though the fires
within it were striving to burst their way through, and presently, quite
at the horizon, a flash of lightning sparked vividly out of it.

"Are the topsail halliards all ready for running, Mr Forbes?" said I.

"All ready, sir," was the reply; and, turning away, the mate walked
quietly forward, throwing the falls off the pins on his way.

A minute later I heard him telling Joe to stand by the fore-topsail
halliards, and the rest of the men to lay aft to the braces, following
them along the deck and stationing himself at the main-topsail halliards
in readiness to let them run. At this moment Sir Edgar, with the two
ladies and the children, came on deck and looked round with startled
eyes upon the portentous scene; but, upon my earnest recommendation, the
youngsters were at once sent below again, the ladies holding themselves
in readiness to follow at a moment's notice. Sir Edgar, however,
announced his determination to remain on deck, upon the chance of his
becoming useful; upon which, Lady Emily, without saying a word, went
below and brought up on deck not only her husband's, but also my own
mackintosh coat--a little piece of thoughtful consideration for which I
was deeply grateful, since the aspect of the weather was now such that I
dared not leave the deck for a single instant.

Slowly the great cloud worked its insidious way athwart the heavens
until nearly three-fourths of the firmament was obscured, yet still
there was not air enough to have extinguished a burning match. Then,
while the barque was lying helpless, with her head pointing directly
toward the quarter from which we expected the outfly, a white mist
suddenly appeared ahead, sweeping down upon us with the speed of an
express train, its course along the water indicated by a long line of
continuous white.

"Here comes the rain, at last!" exclaimed Forbes, turning to me and
pointing ahead with one hand, as he grasped the fall of the main-topsail
halliards with the other.

"Ay, and the wind wit