Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore, the only ones they found there, the others being all down on the beach, fell readily into the plan; the book and the work were brought out, and the reading began.
It was a good, well-told story, and even Zoe presently became thoroughly interested.
Down on the beach Violet and the captain sat together in the sand, he searching sea and sky with a spyglass.
She noticed a look of anxiety creeping over his face.
"What is it, Levis?" she asked.
"I fear there is a heavy storm coming," he said. "I wish with all my heart the Edna was in. But I trust they have been wise enough not to put out to sea and are safe in harbor some where."
"I hope so, indeed," she responded, fervently, "for we have much precious freight aboard of her. But the sky does not look very threatening to me, Levis."
"Does it not? I wish I could say the same. But, little wife, are you weatherwise or otherwise?" he asked, laughingly.
"Not wise in any way except as I may lay claim to the wisdom of my other half," she returned, adopting his sportive tone.
"Ah," she exclaimed the next moment, "I, too, begin to see some indications of a storm; it is growing very dark yonder in the northeast!"