serious.

Such thoughts were passing in my mind, when all at once the wind gave a
roar which made me spring to my feet and rush for the house. I must
stop the pendulum. There was a strange sound in that blast. The trees
themselves had had enough of it, and were protesting against the
creature's tyranny. Their master was working them too hard. I ran up
the stair on all fours: it was my way when I was in a hurry. Swinging
went the pendulum in the window, and the wind roared in the chimney. I
seized hold of the oscillating thing, and stopped it; but to my amaze
and consternation, the moment I released it, on it went again. I must
sit and hold it. But the voice of my aunt called me from below, and as
I dared not explain why I would rather not appear, I was forced to
obey. I lingered on the stair, half minded to return.

'What a rough night it is!' I heard my aunt say, with rare remark.

'It gets worse and worse,' responded my uncle. 'I hope it won't disturb
grannie; but the wind must roar fearfully in her chimney.'

I stood like a culprit. What if they should find out that I was at the
root of the mischief, at the heart of the storm!

'If I could believe all that I have been reading to-night about the
Prince of the Power of the Air, I should not like this storm at all,'
continued my uncle, with a smile. 'But books are not always to be
trusted because they are old,' he added with another smile. 'From the
glass, I expected rain and not wind.'

'Whatever wind there is, we get it all,' said my aunt. 'I wonder what