, showing them the
engine and explaining its complicated machinery.

Edward, who had quite a mechanical turn, seemed to understand it nearly as
well as his grandfather, and Harold and Herbert, bright, intelligent boys
of ten and twelve, looked and examined with much interest, asking sensible
questions and listening attentively to the replies.

They were active, manly little fellows, not fool-hardy or inclined to
mischief; nor was their mother of the over-anxious kind; she could trust
them, and when the tour of inspection with their grandpa was finished,
they were allowed to roam about by themselves.

Captain Brice took advantage of this to make acquaintance with them, and
win their hearts by thrilling stories of buffalo hunts and encounters with
wolves, grizzly bears and Indians, in which he invariably figured as
conquering hero.

He thought to make them stepping stones to an acquaintance with their
sisters, and congratulated himself on his success when, on being summoned
to return to their mother, they asked eagerly if he would not tell them
more to-morrow.

"Just try me, my fine fellows," he answered, laughing.

"Mamma, what do you want with us?" they asked, running up to her. "A
gentleman was telling us such nice stories."

"I think the call to supper will come very soon," she said, "and I want
you to smooth your hair and wash your hands. Dinah will take you to your
state-room and see that you have what you need."

"I'm afraid we're going to have a gust," remarked Isadore as the lads
hurried away to do their mother's bidding; "see how the clouds are
gathering yonder in the northwest."

"A thunder-storm at sea; how romantic!" said Virginia; "'twill be
something to talk about all our lives."

"Silly child!" said her mother, "to hear you talk, one would think there
was no such thing as danger."

"Pshaw, mamma! we're hardly out of sight of land--our own shores," she
retorted.

"That would but increase our danger if the storm were coming from the
opposite direction," said her uncle; "but fortunately, it is from a
quarter to drive us out to sea."

"Do you think it will be a gust, grandpa?" asked Violet, a little
anxiously.

"I fear so; the heat has become so oppressive, the breeze has entirely
died down, and the clouds look threatening; but, my child, do not fear;
our Father, God, rules upon the sea as well as the land; the stormy wind
fulfilling his word."

The storm came up rapidly, bursting on them i