"Not quite as tall as I am, I hope," he replied; "or you will be a female monstrosity, Beryl. How is your aunt? Let us go and find her. And when will dinner be ready? For I am as hungry as a man ought to be who has been fasting for the last nine hours."
As they entered the drawing-room together, it was plain how much Beryl resembled her father. She had the same blue eyes, the same abundant brown hair, only the child's tresses had a pretty golden tinge, which her father's had lost, and her complexion was fair and delicate.
Beryl did not talk much to her father as he ate his dinner, partly because her own attention was absorbed by the unusual dishes presented to her, and partly because she had sufficient feminine discernment to see that her chatter would be more acceptable to him when he had satisfied his appetite. But when dessert was placed on the table, and her father was leisurely sipping his wine, she gave full rein to her tongue, and began to tell him all that had happened in the little world of Egloshayle during the months of his absence. This pleasant talk, however, was not destined to last long. It was brought to a close in a startling manner.
Whilst the meal was in progress, the storm had been growing stronger and stronger, and the blasts which now beat against the house were tremendous.
"What a gale, to be sure!" remarked Mr. Hollys, as he poured himself out a second glass of wine; "We shall hear of some disasters at sea to-morrow, I fear."
Even as he spoke there fell on their ears, through the roar of wind and waves, the boom of a gun, fired out at sea.
"Why, what is that?" exclaimed Mr. Hollys. "There is surely some vessel in distress off our own coast."
They heard the sound again, and he rose and went to the window, but peered in vain into the dark night.
Just then there came a knock at the door, and, scarce waiting for a response, Andrew burst in, saying in great excitement, "I thought as how you would like to know, sir, that there's great commotion down on the beach yonder. They say there's a vessel in danger off Sheldon Point."