“Do you really think so, captain?” she asked, lifting her head to wipe away her tears.

He assured her that he did; and thinking him a competent judge of what seamen would be likely to do in such an emergency, she grew calm for a time, though her face was still sad; and till darkness shut out the sight, she cast many an anxious glance from the window upon the raging waters.

“If not in harbor, they must be in great peril?” Mr. Dinsmore remarked, aside, and half inquiringly, to the captain.

“Yes, sir; yes, indeed.  I am far more anxious than I should like to own to their mother, Zoe, or Violet.”

It was near their tea hour when the storm burst; they gathered about the table as usual, but there was little eating done except by the children, and the meal was not enlivened, as was customary with them, by cheerful, sprightly chat, though efforts in that direction were not wanting on the part of several of their number.

The storm raged on with unabated fury, and Zoe, as she listened to the howling of the wind and the deafening thunder peals, grew wild with terror for her husband.  She could not be persuaded to go to bed, even when her accustomed hour for retiring was long past, but would sit in her chair, moaning, “O Ned!  Ned! my husband, my dear, dear husband!  Oh, if I could only do anything to help you!  My darling, my darling! you are all I have, and I can’t live without you!” then spring up and pace the floor, sobbing, wringing her hands, and sometimes, as a fierce blast shook the cottage or a more deafening thunder peal crashed over-head, even shrieking out in terror and distress.

In vain Elsie tried to soothe and quiet her with reassuring, comforting words or caresses and endearments.

“Oh, I can’t bear it!” she cried again and again.  “Ned is all I have, and it will kill me to lose him.  Nobody can know how I suffer at the very thought.”

“My dear,” Elsie said, with a voice trembling with emotion, “you forget that Edward is my dearly loved son, and that I have two others, who are no less dear to their mother’s heart, on board that vessel.”

“Forgive me, mamma,” Zoe sobbed, taking Elsie’s hand and dropping tears and kisses upon it.  “I did forget, and it was very shameful, for you are so kind and loving to me, putting aside your own grief and anxiety to help me in bearing mine.  But how is it yon can be so calm?”

“Because, dear, I am enabled to stay my heart on God, my Almighty Friend, my kind, wise, Heavenly Father.  Listen, love, to these sweet words:  ’O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto Thee? or to thy faithfulness round about Thee?  Thou rulest the roaring of the sea:  when the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them.’”

“They are beautiful,” said Betty, who sat near, in a despondent attitude, her elbow on her knee, her cheek in her hand.  “Oh, Cousin Elsie, I would give all the world for your faith, and to be able to find the comfort and support in Bible promises and teachings that you do!”