Mary Lee gave a convulsive sob, and Eleanor broke down completely. "I wish I had never come," she wailed. "I wish I had stayed home with my mother, and I wish Neal were here. Oh, dear, why did I come to this dreadful place?"
"My dear children," spoke Miss Helen from her bed, "don't get hysterical. I imagine the worst is over. Do try to calm yourselves. No doubt they have had storms like this before and the house has stood, as you see. It sounds dreadful, but I do not believe we shall have a truly upheaving earthquake. Some slight unsettling always accompanies a typhoon, I have been told."
"Do you think this is a typhoon?" asked Eleanor trying to stop her tears.
"I imagine so; it seems very like the descriptions of such storms as I have read about."
"I verily do believe it is not quite so furious," remarked Nan.
"But we can't be sure." Eleanor was still apprehensive. "I could never go to bed this night."
"Nor I," came from one and another.
They all sat in silence till Jack spoke. "I wonder if poor little Toku is all right. I expect he is scared to death," she said mournfully.
Eleanor giggled hysterically. "I don't believe he knows anything about it. He is probably sleeping the sleep of the innocent," she said.