Gwen shuddered, and kept her eyes fixed upon the storm-swept sky. It was a marvellously grand one. The centre of the storm seemed directly overhead, where lightnings flashed and thunders rolled from clouds of intense blackness. These grew in gradation of tone less and less dense toward the edges where they dropped a wonderful fringe over the brilliant silver which bordered the visible circle of the earth. Upon the jagged sides of the dark and forbidding rocks leaped angry, white-capped waves which rushed in from a sea as black as the sky, only farther out within the line of dazzling silver shone fair green islands, brilliant as emeralds upon the gleaming band.
"I must go out, and get a better view of it," said Gwen catching up her cape.
"But it hasn't stopped raining," Miss Phosie warned her.
"It isn't pouring so hard, and it is such a marvellous sight. I don't care if I do get wet. Besides, perhaps I can see if my friends are out."
"They'd have a pretty hard time in a little boat, in such weather," said Miss Phosie, and Ora began to cry again. She turned her wet eyes upon Gwen.
"May I go with you?" she asked meekly.
"Why, certainly," responded Gwen cordially. And in spite of Miss Phosie's protestations they fared forth, across the wet grass, and on to the rocks. The storm was passing over, and more gems of islands were visible. The bordering band of silver widened. The black fringe swept further and further across the land, and presently the sun broke forth, though the angry waves still buffeted the passive rocks.
The two girls said not a word till they stood side by side on the cliff, then Ora's eyes sought the distant horizon, while Gwen turned her gaze northward. There was not a sail, not a dot, indicating a boat upon the ruffled surface of the water.
"I hope, I hope everyone is safe," said Gwen breaking the silence. "It was such a sudden sharp storm, but it was soon over. It seems to be passing to the north. I don't believe it has gone out to sea at all, Ora, and the Mary Lizzie is probably away beyond it."
"It's dreadful to be so frightened," responded Ora faintly. "I was always afraid of thunder-storms, and when you have friends out you are more afraid than ever."