Year: 1860

w.


Y his sisters remark; and at tho very
instant that his vision first rested upon
the black pail, chain Of brilliant, zig
gag lightning rose quivcring along its
upper edge, and few moments later
there came to their cars the low NUT
tered roar Of far off thunder.


The young captain had hauled his lit
tie vessel to the Wind, but the clumsy
thing lay troad of under the ill-ftted
sail. Besides, the wind, which she
had scarcely felt while running off be-
fore it, had now Increased so much, that
she reeled over, till there was great
danger of her capsizing, to prevent
which, Willie, assisted by LIS two SIS
ters set absut reefing tho sail


This was soon accomplished, and
again the boat was stcered a. close as
she would 60, which at the best was dit
tie better than eight points, $50 that
With her great lee way Willie soon
found that, in spite Of his utmost skill,
his craft was rapidly drifting out to sea.
Nearer and nearer rolled on the en-
battlsd legion Of black storm clouds;
louder came the fearful thunder crashes
more vivid cleaned the red hghtnings
fash; wilder the shrieking gale swept
by, howling and screaming dread notes
of terror to the young voyagers. The
water-which in with the land was quite
smooth--began to heave up IN huge,
foam crested waves here and there all
around them, curling over and breaking
all feather white ia long lines Of snowy
Kissing spray. Great round drops Of
rain came battering down in the water,
and pelting on the thwarts and gun
wales Of the boat with sharp, clicking
noise, that smote startlinyly dismal on
the ears Of the three little ocean wan
dsrers.


Young as he was, willie retained in
his mind much Of which he had heard
his father relate at various times, inre
gard to the Management of ship in a
gale, and the knowledge which he had
thus gained in theory now stood him
lin good stead. He had also heard of
keeping the ship before the gale in q
squall, and Of scudding in gale-and
the dull sailing, clumsy boat was his
ship. The theory which he had learn
| ed he proceeded to put in practice; and
when the first mad gust Of the yelling
tornado fell upon the launch, she was
going off dead before the wind-other-
wise her sail would have been blown
away, Or she would have been swamped
in an instant. As it was, she went
flashing on through the wild storm and
screaming surges, scudding away right
out into the mighty wilderness Of waters.
Ten, fifteen minutes went by, and
still the war of elements went On in all
its terrible fury; aud still the brave lit
tie fellow stood there at the helm, bare
headed, his cap blown away, his
clothes dripping with water, and steady
to his purpose, stored his tiny bark on
and away before the fierce, bowling
blast.


Only once he faltered, and that was
when the launch quivered for a moment
on the crest of mighty surge, and
then went reeling and plunging, stand
ing almost on end, down into the Kissing
vortex Of the liquid ravine. Then a
single, quick cry Of horror escaped the
boys lips; but the next moment. Jenny
crept up to his side, laid her hand upoa
his shoulder, and spoke in a low. scoth.
ing tone. that almost instantly called
back his confidence, and elected from
his lips cry ofadmiration for his sis
ter's heroism.


"Dont be frightened, dear Willie" +"
spoke the little angel "Mothcr says
that God watches over people that live
on the sea. And cont you remember
brother, how oft1n our dear mother has
told us that Jesus watches over little
ch;ldron1 vf Gnd uatches nver ma and