she could wear a sou'-wester she would hang on to the rigging. It's her
combative instinct. But I do hope there is no danger for the poor
fishermen?"

Mr. Blair very quietly said--

"If their vessels were like ours there would be no fear. We haven't an
unsound rope or block, but many of the smacks are shockingly ill-found,
and one rope or spar may cost a crew their lives if it's faulty. The
glass has gone down badly, and we are in for a gale, and a heavy one.
But my ship would be quite comfortable in the Bay of Biscay."

A trampling on deck sounded. "See if the ladies can look from the
companion," said Tom Lennard. "The sight should be splendid. You and I
must shove on oilskins, Blair and see if we can keep our legs."

This was almost the end of the night's conversation. Those good
mission-folks, as has been seen, contrived to get on without saying
either clever things or bitter things, and persons who possess the
higher intellect may fancy that this was a sign of a poor spirit.
Perhaps; and yet I have read somewhere that the poor in spirit may not
fare so very badly in the long run.




CHAPTER II.

THE BREEZE.