house I stole quietly downstairs, and brought up Duncan's Bible, which
was lying on the top of the oak cupboard below. What a well-worn,
well-read Bible it was! I wondered if my mother's Bible had been read
like that. There was his name on the title-page, 'John Duncan, from his
affectionate father.' It had evidently been given to him when a boy, and
underneath the name was written this verse: 'Open Thou mine eyes, that I
may behold wondrous things out of Thy law.' I said that little prayer
before I began to read, and I have said it ever since each time that I
have opened my Bible.

About twelve o'clock that night the weather became very stormy. A sudden
gale set in, and in a very short time the sea became lashed into a fury.
I have never heard wind like the wind that night. It literally shrieked
and moaned as it blew, and every window and door in the house rattled,
and sometimes I felt as if the cottage itself would be swept away.

'What a time they must be having out at sea!' I said to myself.

I went to the window, and putting out my candle, I tried to see out into
the darkness; but I could distinguish nothing whatever, so black was the
sky and so tremendous was the rain.

It must have been about one o'clock that I heard a step on the stairs. I
opened my door and went out. It was Polly.

'How is he, Polly?' I asked.

'Very bad, sir; very bad,' she said. 'He doesn't know me now, and he
won't take anything; and oh, sir, do you hear the wind?'