house with a roar.

Mrs Fidler strove to close the door as they passed out, but failed, and
Tom had to help, holding on by the handle, and dragging the door to.

Outside, the evergreens were beaten down, and the loose strands of the
different creepers were flogging wall and trellis-work in a way which
forbode destruction to both tree and trellis. Twice over Tom had to
turn his back to get his breath, and in the darkness he could see the
ornamental conifers of the garden bent over like grass; while from a
short distance away, where the pine-wood commenced, there was a
tremendous roar, as of breakers during a storm. Fir-trees in a soft
breeze murmur like the sea; in a gale the resemblance is startling.

Half-way to the yard gate Tom was caught by a sudden blast, buffeted,
and, staggering hard, had again to turn his back before he could get his
breath; while as the gate was reached, another blast caught the lantern,
swung it against the post, the glass was broken, and _puff_, the light
went out.

"We must go back," said Uncle Richard, with his lips close to Tom's ear.

"No, all right; there's a box of matches in the table-drawer up-stairs."

They pushed on, Tom closing the gate, which was nearly torn from his
hand, while, as they ascended to the mill, the wind came with redoubled
violence, and they had quite a struggle to get, to the door.

"It is terrible," panted Uncle Richard, as soon as they were inside with
the door closed, and the wind shrieking and roaring around the tall
building as if seeking to sweep it away.

They mounted in profound darkness to the laboratory, where the matches
were found, and all the time the trap-door overhead was being lifted a
few inches every minute, and fell with a clap, while the shrieking of
the wind, and the rattling and banging of the woodwork in the
observatory, sounded ominous of danger to the work of many, many months.

"Time we came, Tom," said Uncle Richard grimly, as the lantern was lit,
and the broken pane replaced by the covers torn from an old book just
about the size.

"Yes, quite," replied Tom. "Come on."

He stepped quickly to the ladder-like stairs, sprang up, threw open the
trap-door, and was about to enter the room, when the trap-door was flung
back upon him violently.

"Hurt?" shouted Uncle Richard.

"Yes; not much," cried Tom, and thrusting the trap-door open again, he
forced it back, and, aware now of the danger, held it firmly as he got
up; and th